Features

• Original recording reissued

Reviews (100)

what a glorious surprise!
Wow, only 2 nights before I bought this CD, I saw Vienna Teng on KQED and I was transfixed from the first note. I sat glued and basking in every note she played and word she sang. Luckily a friend looked up who this awesome performer was, because as much as I craved to find out, I wouldn't move... lest I miss something. Wow a wonderful new artist, or so I thought at the time. As I sought more information, what a glorious surprise I found. It turns out years ago on garageband.com I had playlisted her only song on that site on two playlists! I'm astounded and thrilled to have found much more from her! I'm listening to the CD as I type this, and it's difficult to pick a favorite, they're all wonderful! I was so inspired and moved, I had to learn The Tower on the piano.The entire CD is truly stunning and it is a must have!

Stays in my CD player
I've owned this CD ever since I heard an interview on NPR with Vienna Teng.The album is beautifully layered with her unpretentious voice and her talent on the piano.The lyrics prove she is a singer/songwriter to be reckoned with.This is not junk food for the brain, but intelligent and clever lyrics.My favorite songs on the album (though there are no duds) are Gravity, Eric's Song, Unwritten Letter #1, and The Tower.
so glad i found her!!
this is the type of cd that you just can't stop listening to.her words are music are so powerful and have helped me get through a tough time in my life.i literally have not taken it out of my cd player since i bought it!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. As featured on LETTERMAN and NPR. Waking Hour takes listeners on an emotional ride through gentle piano ballads to multi-layered productions with lush landscapes.    3. Chamber Pop    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. Singer/Songwriter   

Reviews (47)

sometimes you can find...
sometimes you can find a very good cd well write and performed by a "not so well knowed", maybe only here in Italy, artist. I learn about Vienna from a Amazon suggestion and now i'm another fan...simply buy it you and love it

see her live
We all have our own heartaches, expectations and desires..she's smart enough to describe them well and concisely.See this incredibly talented woman in person.She is the real thing.She needs no gimmicks to captivate the audience.I have, and love, this album and her other two.Listen to the samples and buy it. She will speak to you.

A Cup of Tea for Anyone...
...If you've ever had a day that is just perfect for a hot cup of tea, or coffee, this is the album to play.Her vocals are as soothing and comforting as a warm blanket on a snowy evening, and the piano complements it perfectly.However, her talent is not relegated just to the recordings studios.Her live talent engages the audience that takes them beyond a passive listener and takes them to the point that they become and active participant in the musical celebration.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Chamber Pop    3. Contemporary Singer/Songwriter    4. Featured on LETTERMAN & NPR. A dazzling collection of lush, melodic songs, incorporating Vienna's classical tendencies and folk sensibilities within a contemporary pop framework.    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

Elliott Smith's fourth solo album and major-label debut, Read more

Reviews (147)

RIP Elliott
This was the first Elliott Smith CD I ever bought and still remains my favorite.There is something so heartbreakingly haunting in his voice and lyrics and it's no surprise considering his well documented personal demons.
Masterly Crafted.
These lyrics are amazing.Never before have song lyrics had so much personal significance in my life.Excellently articulated and so very true! The words and music combined give this album its power, and there is plenty to hear for anybody willing to listen.It takes time, so be prepared to keep discovering new things long after your first listen.Buy it now; it can only grow on you!

Every breath you take
I've never heard a CD before where you can hear the singer's intake of breath before every line. The music is great and I'd love this CD if I didn't have to hear him breathing all the way through it. It drives me nuts. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Indie Pop    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Popular Music    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. Sadcore    8. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

Continuing to specialize in the art of curve-throwing, R.E.M. followed up its 1991 smash, Read more

Reviews (341)

Decision vs. Fateand Fortune:"Just Let Go..."
'Automatic for the People' has to rank with 'Document' and 'Murmur' as the all-time best R.E.M. C.D.Conceptually, it is the most consitent and powerful rendering of a theme.And themes and concepts have been taken with intelligence and passion since their inception.Significantly, the vinyl and cassette versions had their two side parody:"Drive" and "Ride".
We deserve a quiet night
Let's face it: all these Amazon review are written by those that either love or hate the product. Even the worst (stuff) will get 5 stars if the owner likes it.
Deep pop,not hip-hop or trip-hop
REM is one of the greatest alternative rock bands around.GET THIS ALBUM!
Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Alternative/Indie-Rock    4. American Underground    5. College Rock    6. Jangle Pop    7. Pop    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop    10. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Of the many remarkable things about the follow-up to 2002's Read more

Reviews (7)

Great purchase
The CD was in great condition, as described, and it arrived pretty quickly after I placed my order.Thank you, I would totally purchase from this seller again.

Great for Kids and Moms too
When the kids start nagging in the car, I pop this CD in and the nags stop while the giggles and singing along start. Both my 18 MO daughter and my 3.5 year old son love it. My son loves to sing along with I"m different, Bottom of the Sea and Everybody Came and he sings "I'm different, different" all over the house on his own. I just love all of it and esp the Meow Meow song. This is great for lovers of modern rock and alternative pop. I guess you would be disappointed if you want mainstream stuff. I'd also like to recommend the Beatles Songs for Kids CD - I never would have thought that Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da would be such a hit with kids.

This one is even better than the first!!
I'm so in love with this CD and so are my kids. They are 3 and 5 y.o. and we all enjoy it equally. I prefer this one to the first For the Kids because it is quirkier and less typically "children's music". My kids love to sing the song "I'm Different" and they think the telephone song is knee-slappingly hilarious. My favorite is "Starfish & Coffee". Our other favorite CD is John Lithgow's "Singin' in the Bathtub". ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Collections    2. Childrens    3. Indie Pop    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Sing-Along    7. Singer/Songwriter    8. V/a Compilations   

Reviews (17)

Just as promised
I love Rilo Kiley. This album is more mellow than their more current ones, but all the same I just enjoy it for what it is. Can't wait for more!

a few nice tunes...but
mostly really trite lyrics and an annoyingly cutsy/sweet/corny vocal delivery. I can appreciate a couple of the songs like 5,6, and 3 but even there I'm forgiving the lyrics and vocals. I recommended the CD to my little sister though so for so there is some redeeming value. Again some memorable tunes but the rest just detracts.

Wit Fails Me for Take Offs and Landings
Before I actually review this item let me say something; I may have a slight bias towards Rilo Kiley, as they were my first endeavor into indie music, however, I have no emotion bias towards this album among all the albums they've produced. Now, onto the actual review.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Indie Pop    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop    5. United States of America   

Reviews (52)

Beyond Belief
This might be the best record since 'Figure 8' by Elliott Smith, and is definitely the first time in a long time that I felt like I was listening to a band trying to tell me something that mattered. I've gotten a few of their other recordings (Jenny's solo, too) but I'm almost afraid to listen to anything else by them, I want to always love them as much as I do right now, un-jaded and awestruck.

Gorgeous
This album is beautiful melodically and lyrically.It's a very melancholy pop-folk mix which I enjoy listening to whilst painting or writing.I think my favorite song is A Better Son/Daughter.

Spectacularly Executed! (4.5 Stars)
This was my first exposure to Rilo Kiley, though I can't exactly remember how I heard about them - actually, I think this album was one Amazon.com recommended.Anyway, I listened to the samples, which sounded good, so on a whim I decided to follow through and get the album.If you're right now thinking, "Maybe this might be good, but I'm not sure, maybe I'll buy it": DO IT!This is a fantastic album, so good in fact I've since bought RK's first album and Jenny Lewis' Rabbit Fur Coat (and have loved both of those, too).My only complaint is that I'm not a big fan of the male vocalist for RK, but since he sings so few songs, it's not a big deal, nor are the songs he sings "bad" or "not good", not at all - regularly I'd probably like them, but it's only that in comparison, the other songs sung by Jenny Lewis are so good. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock    3. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

The Bangles' transformation from Merseybeat and garage-smart guitar band to near-definitive example of buffed-and-polished corporate popsters is one of the great rock mysteries of the '80s. What was Read more

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (64)

Nice Collection
I haven't cared for much pop music since the late 60's, but the Bangles are enjoyable listening for anyone.The harshest reviewers of this album complain about not enough good songs and then go on to name 3 or 4 that are good.How many times does an album have more than one good hit song?This one has several outstanding songs and the remaining ones are good listening too."Going Down to Liverpool" repeates a little too much, but I still like the song.Manic Monday, Eternal Flame and Hazy Shade of Winter are all excellent.Walk Like An Egyptian was a big hit and it's on here too of course.This is a good album and probably a good introduction to the Bangles.It has enough variety to keep it interesting and enough hits to probably more than justify the Greatest Hits title.

Never gets old
The Bangles are great group that never goes out of style...I remember as a child purchasing the Manic Monday 45rpm.....and I played it over and over......When this was released..I bought it and of course all the hits are here....Standouts are If She Knew What She Wants,Manic Monday,Eternal Flame,In Your Room,Walk Like An Egyptian,Walking Down Your Street,A Hazy Shade Of Winter,and Be With You...........MAKE SURE YOU GET A COPY OF THIS GREAT ALBUM FROM A GREAT GROUP!

One of the Greatest Girl Groups of the 80s
During the 80s, the Bangles solidified themselves not only as one of the best girl groups, but one of the best groups overall.This CD contains an anthology of their greatest hits and will take you back in time to the 80s.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Jangle Pop    2. New Wave    3. Paisley Underground    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Popular Music    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. United States of America   

Editorial Review

This is the value of working at cross-purposes: The Smiths were Morrissey's excuse to undulate his wry, disaffected lyrics, and Johnny Marr's vehicle for his sharp, chiming, pop songs. Their favorite kind of compromise made them essentially a singles band, and Read more

Reviews (176)

The Smiths at their best
With poetic songwriting from Morrissey, and guitarist/ musical composer Johnny Marr's impressive, and magical backbeat, The Smiths in their 1986 album "The Queen is Dead," created something that is comparable in construction, and passion, to much of The Beatles body of work. As a political tirade, a sometimes smirk at themselves, along with a tangy and down-right funny sense of humor and irony, the unit produced their best album, a true masterpiece of the college-pop rock genre; a style that is often concerned more withpretty front men, and catchy hooks. Though, The Smiths do have both of those elements, they also have a grand thing called substance in their performance.
Frankly... a great album
Any album with the Sgt Pepper like 'Frankly Mr Shankly', the great singles 'Bigmouth' and 'The Boy With The Thorn In His Side' should get 5 stars.
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
The Queen is Dead is The Smiths Greatest Record.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. College Rock    3. England    4. Indie Pop    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Belle and Sebastian follow up the considerable promise of 1997's fantastic Read more

Reviews (156)

Classic
Belle and Sebastian is one of those bands that make consistently great albums. That being said, The boy with the Arab Strap is my favorite of their entire discography. Buy it. You won't regret it. It pretty much leaves Coldplay, Travis, Star sailor, and all of the other bland, pretentious cry babies in the dust.

Increible!
Ya conocía la existencia de este grupo, pero nunca me había decidido a comprar un disco suyo, hasta que escuché "Is it wicked not to care?". La voz me pareció tan dulce y la canción tan bonita que solo por esta ya me lo compré. No me costó mucho ya que es un grupo que siempre me había llamado la atención por sus portadas, pero ahora... me he hecho su fan!! De lo mejor que he conocido ultimamente. 100% recomendado!!!

A Sequel To Be Loved As An Equal (* * * * 1/2)
Belle & Sebastian are completely unique but not at all radical. When I first heard them, I thought of them as a combination of Nick Drake and Love. I was obviously not the first person to make such comparisons, but it sells the band very short to think of their sound as simply a pastiche. Their music and lyrics can be painfully melancholic or joyously inspiring, usually in effect rather than intent. Leader Stuart Murdoch can't possibly be oblivious to the effect of his songs on listeners, but he doesn't come across as forcing emotions onto them.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Chamber Pop    3. Folk-Rock    4. Indie Pop    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Scotland    9. Singer/Songwriter    10. Twee Pop   

Editorial Review

Sometimes it seems as if there's every other band in America, and thenthere's the Flaming Lips. The Norman, Oklahoma, quartet makes modern rock thatdoesn't sound like anyone else; head music, they'd have called it inpsychedelia's heyday, weird soundscapes that conjure the bizarre alternateuniverse on the other side of the funhouse mirror. Read more

Reviews (37)

one of the most significant releases of the 90s (really!!!)
in coming up with a value judgement on this record i have tried to steer clear of comparisons to any of the lips' other output, and view it in a sort of cultural freeze frame taking into consideration things like the grunge rock i still can't get enough of, the popular television programming and the overall atmosphere of the clinton 90s. what i came up with was that this record, probably more than any other, embodies the overwhelming sense of relief and newfound optimism that happened with the new administration and the "end" of the cold war. i may have said in other reviews that the clinton 90s are a time more distant from us at the present than even the cold war 70s and 80s...it was a wonderful era where a man was free to stick a needle in his arm and sing a jobim bossa nova over guitar feedback if he so chose and not worry about a draft or nuclear threats, etc. Wayne and company have the same ethic as the above-mentioned band and on this record they created something which i consider to be locked in a tie for the best radio-type song representative of the clinton era: she don't use jelly, of course, with the other standout (in my mind, at least) being interstate love song. the entire album features the crisp sound and elastic bass and guitar fuzztones which made the single famous, and it stands in sharp contrast to the flood of grunge releases from those couple of years because of the sonic clarity and cheerful vibe, and, to my ears (even as a dyed-in-the-wool, flannel-wearing ed vedder fanboy), it pretty much trumps all of them in terms of pure inspiration and consistency. now, to be fair, the lips are not my favorite band, nor is stp (that honor i reserve for crusty old mark lanegan and the screaming trees on sst). this is not my favorite lips album either (that would be yoshimi)...she don't use jelly is not even my favorite song on the record (i like chewin the apple of your eye for its unique chord progression and sparse acoustic guitar work...it is the only real break from the veritable deluge of fuzz); all i am saying is that this album is an extremely significant expression of the time period in which it was recorded and as such it has monumental value which is pretty much undeniable regardless of one's personal preferences.

The second Flaming Lips masterpiece
I dont understand how one reviewer said this record is weak musically, Ronald Jones and Steven Drozd are very talented musicians. Not to mention Wayne Coyne's songwriting. "Moth in the Incubator" among others are classics. Production is perfect, the drum sound is loud and fat.

Thumbs up.
I think that this is an amazing album. If you're going to try out the Flaming Lips I think you should start here. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Dream Pop    3. Drums    4. Neo-Psychedelia    5. Noise Pop    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

You might expect the debut album from a woman who has collaborated extensively with Tricky and Orbital to be both wondrous and strange--and you'd be right to. What you might not expect is the depth of Alison Goldfrapp's beguiling, distracting 21st-century noir visions on Read more

Reviews (121)

Heathrow to Dulles
I had known of Allison Goldfrapp for a while listening to Tricky and Add N to X as well as others she had collaborated with. Those collaborations, in my opinion, were not a true emulation of her, Felt Mountain on the other hand is a perfect reflection of who Ms. Goldfrapp is. Pilots, Deer Stop, Horse Tears are the standouts here. While I had no regrets buying her future releases, I find that this one is the best and it spends most of its time in my car. A hell of a way to finish out the last hours of a long flight.

Absolutely Stunning & Inspiring
This CD is probably one of the most atmospheric CDs you will buy, the closest I have experienced so such a feeling was with Bjork's Vespertine, but still.. it doesn't even come close in my opinion.
Haunting Musical Landscapes
Compared to the Black Cherry album, this feels less intimate even with the dreamy breezy mood. The music howls (Lovely Head), at times lost under a night sky in a certain loneliness and sci-fi alienation. There is a sadness that peaks out throughout the album and then appears fully in "Horse Tears."
Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Chamber Pop    3. Electronic    4. Electronica    5. England    6. Pop    7. Popular Music    8. Rock    9. Trip-Hop   

Features

• Limited Edition

Reviews (30)

Mellow melancholia
Alright, you wanna get Mazzy Star's best album?Well, here you go.I'd be lying if I said all their material isn't great, but I think they finally captured an entirely consistent album with "Among My Swan".
Other stuff to check out
I am a huge fan of catchy, quiet yet melodic folk/pop. If you enjoy this album then I strongly recommend that you check out the following:
Something To Remember
Zanimljivo je to da se od 1996 nije pojavio ni jedan bend koji bi mogao da zameni Mazzy Star.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Dream Pop    4. Neo-Psychedelia    5. Pop    6. Popular Music    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Singer-songwriter Stephen Merritt's ironically morose lyrics, Tin Pan Alley stylings, sugary melodies, and idiosyncratic sound have earned his band the Magnetic Fields cult status and the adulation of grad students everywhere. The ambitious, genre-hopping, and intensely heart-tugging three-disc set Read more

Features

• Box set
• Limited Edition

Reviews (126)

Battle Cry of a Generation
The lyrics are incredibly clever and persuasive, with some of the lilt and good humor of Ogden Nash, the poetaster of the 30s, 40s and 50s who wrote ONE TOUCH OF VENUS with Kurt Weill.And Merritt's tunes, though some are rudimentary, occasionally reach for and pull down the high branches of Weillian angst and poisoned romance.To listen to the whole of 69 LONE SONGS you'd have to have a big appetite for irony, and another whole set of immunity to purposely "corny" music, and if you didn't get your fill of banjo, Hawaiian, lounge and Americana music from the last couple of Van Dyke Parks LPs you listened to, you might be hungry all over again for the nutty richness of this compilation.
Ingenious
It would be tough to name another indie album that features a more expansive array of musical styles or more ingenious, heartbreaking and funny songs about love.
amazing, creative, delightful GEM!
The whole ablum is fun and REAL with it's ranging take on that many spendored thing, Love. Great music, pleasing vocals and entertaining lyrics, it's a Must have for anyone who has delighted and despaired in Love. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Box Sets (Audio Only)    3. Indie Electronic    4. Indie Pop    5. Indie Rock    6. Lo-Fi    7. Pop    8. Popular Music    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (38)

Great, just great
I am now listening to this cd for the first time, and i have to say I love it!!!The music is mesmerizing, almost putting me into musical nirvana.I recommend it highly, as highly as I have ever recommended any cd!!!

Greatest album, maybe not even from this planet.
If you read my title, it sounds like I may be strange or just looking to be goofy, but after I saw My Morning jacket this year at Bonnaroo, I'm not totally convinced that Jim James and the rest of the crew is entirely human.The sound of Jim James and the dynamic sound of the band in full is beyond anything that should ever be possible from a mear mortal human being.The album, AT DAWN, has been one of my favorite five albums of all time for well over a year now, but it's an album that may possibly grow on a person for years, or maybe lifetimes, or maybe even reincarnated lives, etc.It hits the soul in ways I didn't think possible.I really don't think (aside from MMJ themselves) that any album will ever be made again that reaches this deeply into the human spiritual core.This album leaves me trembling and feeling reborn after every listen.I was late getting into My Morning Jacket, and now I can't stop thinking about them and it's almost odd how integrated their music is with my life.Appropriately enough, they have possibly the most fitting song in the history of life to describe how I feel about Jim James and the way the music makes me feel.To take an exact quote from the song "The Way That He Sings":
The perfect transition to "It Still Moves"
My Morning Jacket has rapidly evolved over its 4 albums, and the evolution is fascinating to follow. Its 1999 debut album "Tennessee Fire" was a journey into Americana, almost entirely based on dreamy, accoustic songs.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Dream Pop    3. Indie Pop    4. Neo-Psychedelia    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

On their third long player, Seattle's Long Winters are as literate as ever, but there's added power to their pop. In other words: more Nada Surf, less Death Cab for Cutie. Now a quartet after previous incarnations as a trio and two-keyboard player quintet (drummer Nabil Ayers and multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Rothman are the new additions), John Roderick still sings as if he's sitting across from you. It starts with frequent use of the second person and ends with a tone as conversational and familiar as that an old friend. As he observes in "Honest," "Everything is different when he's singing right to you" (before warning, "But don't you love a singer whatever you do"). To quote Nick Lowe, Read more

Reviews (7)

Best "pop" record of the year
Don't buy all that "it's a death cab rip off" garbage. This is the best odd pop record of the year. Wildly imaginative and thouroughly original. Roderick's writes great lyrics and hooks and over emotes in all the right places. Death Cab is OK, but this here is the real deal.

Somebody call a Death Cab
Indie pop minstrel John Roderick is back at it with the Long Winters on this their 4th album in as many years.The production is a bit shiny, and on the whole the record feels overwhelmingly uninspired and more than a little derivative (much like a Death Cab for Cutie album as a matter of fact), but some of this stuff is pretty fun, especially "Fire Island, Ak."Recommended for those of you who enjoyed 2003's When I Pretend to Fall and are inclined to regard Death Cab for Cutie as the bee`s knees.For the rest us, this might offend sensibilities.
One of 2006's best
"Putting the Days to Bed" is like the sun: it shines and burns in equal measure and it's necessary to sustain life.
Read more

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

Editorial Review

The novelty was stripmined from ethnobeat pop long ago, and this skin-deep confection is surprising only in its lack of edge and invention. On the plus side, the melodies are textured and lush, the beats entrancing, and a parade of gifted singers--Kristy Thirsk, Jacqui Hunt, and Sarah McLachlan included--bill and coo impressively. Lead single "Euphoria (Firefly)" has spark and spirit, while "Enchanted" and "Duende" are strong vehicles for Thirsk and Camille Henderson respectively. Read more

Reviews (170)

Excellent Simply Excellent!
"Karma" is a great CD and next to "Enigma's MCMXC A.D." (the best) is one of the top new age ambient electronic CD's of the 90's.Karma does hold its own and is enchanting from start to finish! "Relax" from Blank & Jones and "Levitation" from Digital Moodz and Conjure One's "Extraordinary Ways" are also great newer choices.

Better than all the artists they rip off
They rip off everyone, from Enigma to Deep Forest to Dead Can Dance. And the result is much better than any album by any of those artists (with the exception of Dead Can Dance, of course). There are moments of spellbinding beauty in songs like "Duende" (my absolute favorite) and "Forgotten Worlds", where they sample Lisa Gerrard's voice. And the Sarah McLachlan collaboration is exceptional. If you are into the Enigma/Deep Forest/B-tribe genre, this album will blow you away.

Every nerve like a firefly...
In all honesty, I'm fairly new to the new age genre.I only first discovered an interest in it about a year and a half ago, with the purchase of Enya's Watermark album.Since then, I have also discovered some very talented artists like Vangelis, Loreena McKennitt, Sheila Chandra and personal favorite Enigma.One thing about all of these artists is that their music has truly stood the test of time. In addition, they've been known to transcend their genre from time to time, often adding in new elements not before seen in the world of new age.However, there is one more artist that could very well be the most innovative of them all.That is Delerium.