Editorial Review

The scrutiny of success that came early on--being named Best New Artist by Read more

Features

• Original recording reissued

Reviews (65)

In Which Rufus Argues with Himself
Rufus's second album really is what the title claims: an album of poses--that is, facades--where the appearance of the wizard and the man behind the curtain are not at all the same.
Splendid
1. Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk 9/10 - very clever lyrics
The CD That Brought Me To Rufus
I am a VERY LATE arriving Rufus Wainwright fan.I didn't get into Rufus until last year (2005).I heard of Rufus and saw some of his music videos before.I thought they were alright, but not very exciting.(I also thought he was pretty cute.)Then I borrowed "Poses" from the public library last year and now I'm hooked!My favorite songs are "Greek Song" and the title track.I also love the Francais on "Rebel Prince."I now have three of his albums (I'm missing Want One). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Chamber Pop    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

The first instrument you notice upon listening to Read more

Reviews (42)

I need more Death Cab!!!
What a joy it is to be turned on or to discover music from an artist you're hearing for the first time. I literally stumbled onto Death Cab For Cutie, just passing time in an FYE. I picked up "Something About Airplanes" and thought I'd give a random listen. Needless to say, the incredible melodies, and compelling lyrical content immediately got me open. DCFC bears a strong resemblance to another favorite band of mine, Built To Spill. Lead singer Ben Gibbard's delivery is almost dead on for BTS's Doug Martsch's wailing, melancholy tone. That's a good thing to me, as the same things that drew me in to BTS also seemed to have me ready to expand the Death Cab collection to include their other releases. But S.A.A is a great place to start if you're new to this band like me, "Bend To Squares", "Champagne From A Paper Cup", and "Amputations" are all perfect examples of indy rock done right. The titles of the songs are something else. (The Face That Launched 1000 S****??) I've heard from a lot of DCFC fans who say that this isn't even close to their best album. (Plans was mentioned a lot) If that's the case, my pockets might be in real trouble. Looking forward to the next time they're in Philly!

Overall review of Death Cab For Cutie
This style of music is what I have been looking for my entire life, I just haven't known. This band has brought something to the table that I really enjoy. The very first sample I heard of Ben Gibbard was, "Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in". That barely audible tune that I heard while off the coast of Africa is what set it off. I searched and searched and now have almost all of their CDs. I Love Plans, it's an amazing CD. Translantisicm trails it, but not by much. I am now listening to Something About Airplanes. I take each CD one at a time. I will listen to only one CD, over and over until I am familiar with all of the tracks, it is then that I decide on what I think about the CD, I sort of invest time into each CD. I'm still working on "Airplanes". It has it's ups and downs, while the other two I mentioned are constant ups. Of course all reviews are opinions, so give all of Death Cab's albums a try to see what you think. I look forward finishing "Airplanes" and starting with the next.

Great Product!
If you like Death Cab, you'll love this CD! It is a good reference to before Death Cab somewhat sold out. I'd reccomend this to anyone! ... Read more

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

Features

• Import

Reviews (19)

An outstanding album
I will say right now that this is one of the best-sounding albums you will ever hear.Listen to the last minute of Behind the Drapes, as an example (some clarity is sacrificed for an overwhelming wall of sound, a good choice). I want Rich Costey to produce my album (he gets the production credit in the liner notes).
obscenely underrated
how these danes aren't better known outside their homeland and the UK is incredible. i first heard 'frengers' a few years back after a friend told me about them.i 'acquired' a copy and from the first note i was sold: this is an amazing band.
Finally, an album to top my "Top 10 List"
"Frengers", by the Danish band Mew, has to be one of the most emotinal, passionate, and exciting albums I have ever heard.I have never heard a voice like this before.I'm not usually into the high-pitched vocals, but this is an exception.I heard "Snow Brigade" while watching a Flash video, and I just had to check out their other songs.I previewed the album on their website, and I could not believe such music existed.Ths is one of the few albums where I can listen to the entire album the whole way through with out skipping a song.So with powerful arrangements from the band, and beautiful vocals, you get results like this.Album of the year for me, even though it was released 2003. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bandleader    2. Denmark    3. Dream Pop    4. Indie Rock    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Space Rock   

Editorial Review

Though critics swamped R.E.M.'s 1983 full-length debut with country-rock comparisons to the Byrds, Read more

Reviews (155)

Resusitated the Heartbeat of Music
If you don't count R.E.M.'s first long E.P (extended play) beginning 'Chronic Town,' then their debut starts here.'Murmur' their first album is brilliant, deserving all the accolades that are heaped upon it.With brilliant echo effects, a repertoire of ecclectic guitar, including folk, rock, punk, and new-wave patterns, 'Murmur' would be the crowning achievement of any other band.Having romantic, religious, and surreal images, R.E.M. propulsively and hypnotically lives up to the band name with a solid set of songs that work well together.Before alternative was a household world, R.E.M. came up with an avant guard folk-rock, new wave masterpiece before anyone could give the genre a name.
This album is gold... literally.
I'll keep this short and sweet, because anything I have to say about the actual album has already been said by other reviewers.This particular version is the Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs version, which was remastered at their very high-tech labs and pressed on a 24-karat gold disc.Why gold?2 reasons: it reflects the laser better than standard aluminum, and it lasts longer, too.So what makes the MFSL version of this album so special?Well, to quote Shawn Britton of MFSL, "...the original version was mastered such that there wasn't much low frequency information...."This version is a flat transfer of the original master tape, meaning that all the low, deep bass you were originally supposed to hear is there in this version.
When I learned of this, I knew they would one day be huge
I was a college freshman in the spring of 1983 and already had "Chronic Town" (just the 5-song EP, on vinyl), and my dorm roommate thought they stank and would never release anything else and would fade into oblivion along with hundreds of other Next Big Things.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. American Underground    3. College Rock    4. Jangle Pop    5. Pop    6. Popular Music    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. United States of America   

Reviews (25)

Folk at it's best
Eveningland and The Rabbit Songs both possess a melodic sincerity to them that never slides into sentimentality, i.e. Emo and any country music written after 1974).It is American music used to its best affect: examining the interiors of the soul for the young and rapturous of heart.I would also recommend Wilco's first four and Neko Case's last two albums.
Hem come into their own in this album
They become more of the band they were trying to emulate in their previous CD.

Standing on the Rooftops
Hem's 2nd full CD "Eveningland" works exquisitely well. The track that mesmerizes me is "Redwing" with its catchy melody that soars into a glorious climax, "We are standing on the rooftops; We are circling like sparrows; We are tiny, we are trembling; Scared of everything but the heart is still a red wing."What a lovely classic track!Josh Rouse whose lovely CD "Nashville" is also stunning guests on harmony vocals on the closer "Carry Me Home" with his voice subtle in the mix, "So me & Jessie, we left Ohio -- left him bleeding on the valley floor, I felt so dirty I could hardly stand it -- carrying Jessie on my back."The blend of voices on the lovely melody is beautifully sad.The opener "The Fire Thief" is also a strong melody with Sally Ellyson's vocals understated, yet holding the spotlight."Receiver" is also a strong track, wistful with strings."Jackson" for me is a Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood tune since Johnny & June's version still isn't in my collection, but this Hem rendition softens the edge with a quiet beauty that warrants repeated listening."Eveningland" is a strong set for this low-key lovely band.Enjoy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. "16 delicate miniatures of melancholy and longing, steadied by piano and pedal steel and liberated by Sally Ellyson's warm September morning of a voice." TIME OUT LONDON (UK)    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Alternative Pop/Rock    4. Contemporary Folk    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Singer/Songwriter   

Reviews (23)

Simply put.......Beautiful
Having really liked Emiliana's 'Love In The Time Of Science' and 'Merman', I was initially disappointed on my first listen to 'Fisherman's Woman', but then again I was expecting something more along the lines of 'Love In The Time Of Science', however, about a month after that first listen, on a golden sunny morning I gave it another spin, and it was just blissful, a forty minute moment of clarity, that was over a year ago and I would say this album has become one of my essential albums, when it's raining, when it's cold and your tucked up in bed, when the moon is penetrating the bedroom windows, when your looking out the window of a train in the winter sun, when your........there is such an intimacy to this, it's consoling, like half heard lullaby's from a dream, it's audible medicine! This album has real staying power, and stands up to repeated listens without dulling it's edge, there are few albums that can boast such a longevity, perhaps Stina Nordenstam's 'Memories Of A Colour' or Françoise Hardy's 'La Question', my recommendation is to buy this little gem and let Emiliana soothe your blues

Deception!
Emiliana Torrini's "Love in the Time of Science" was the best album I ever purchased.Conversely, Fisherman's Woman was the worst album I ever bought.The tunes on this album are redundant.There seems to be no variety.I can appreciate mellow music but this is just plain dull.I was so dissapointed upon hearing this album.It's depressing because I think she is an excellent artist.I just dont know what happened this time.

Not Crazy about this Album
I bought this album after reading all the great reviews. Apparently her first album was more trip-hop which I love.But I also like mello.But these songs lack interesting lyrics or unique vocals.Very dissipointed.All the songs sound a like so if you don't like the first song you won't like any of them.Too bad. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Dance    3. Contemporary Folk    4. Contemporary Singer/Songwriter    5. Dream Pop    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Trip-Hop   

Reviews (21)

One of the best of 2006
It is hard for a band to define their own sound and produce a great album from start to finish, but the Hush Sound has done it already on just their second album.Like Vines is an energetic, punchy album with huge scope and intelligent songwriting.All of the songs are "real" songs, there are no throwaways here.I especially recommend the album to anyone who likes to hear bands with fresh sounds, but it should be accessible to almost anybody.
Stunningly fresh
Ten seconds into this album I had the unmistakable feeling that I was stumbling across something I'd be sure to love. The Hush Sound has an absolutely fresh sound, both instrumentation (including the ocassional well-coordinated piano, unusual guitar riffs) and vocal performance (alternating male and female, sometimes appearing together). The overall appeal is excellent.
This CD is a must buy.
This is one of my /favorite/ CDs.The songs are so incredibly catchy and meaningful.I liesten to this CD over and over again and I DEFINATELY reccomend it.It amazes me how a CD so different from my usual genre captures me the way it does.So liesten up, and buy this CD.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Indie Pop    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Guster's formula is quite simple: Take time-tested harmonies à la Simon and Garfunkel or the Hollies, pour them over pleasant acoustic guitars, and add a pinch of congas for toe-tapping made easier. Read more

Reviews (182)

An AMAZING album!
This is the only album I have ever voted 5 stars in my entire life.Guster is a great band, and this is the pinncale of their works.If you are new to Guster, THIS is the album to get!
Loved It IMMEDIATELY
The moment I heard the first track, "What You Wish For," I asked myself, why hadn't i ever tried this cd before??? I own Guster's newest effort, Keep It Together, but mostly for the first two tracks and a few in between i like. But this one - YOU CAN'T BEAT IT. It's just AMAZING. After "What You Wish For," there's "Barrel Of A Gun"...great track in general. But the next two songs, "Either Way" and "Fa Fa" are really exceptional. The latter of the two is the catchiest song EVER that i know i heard on a commercial at some point...it just draws you in, literally. and "Either Way", which i am listening to right at this moment, is a great relationship anthem. Really truthful and the harmonious efforts of the band are UNMATCHED. The next track after those two, "I Spy", has great bongo work, as do most of the tunes. Each song just brings you into Guster's little bongo-driven, pitch-perfect world. Their newest cds just can't beat this cd in catchy hooks, wicked awesome guitar, and quite a few falsetto tunes reminiscent of the Beach Boys and the more recent Jack Johnson. There are even tunes like "Happier," that combine some falsetto with deep pitches that can change in an instant. It's really quite amazing how they can keep their voices so in-check :)
Extremely listenable
I'd say this is the best Guster album, with an overall listenable quality, a few stand-outs being "Happier," "Either way," "Two Points for Honesty," and "Fa Fa."But "Barrel of a Gun," "Center of Attention," and "All the Way up to Heaven" sort of spoil the whole mood.They're fun and nice, but not quite up to the rest of the songs on the album, which is why I'm giving it a four.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Indie Pop    3. Pop    4. Popular Music    5. Post-Grunge    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Recorded in the north of England in a cold garage by a batch of 20-year-olds before they'd ever played a lick live, Read more

Reviews (82)

Definitely grows on you
The first time I ever heard this album, I have to say, I was not blown away.Sure, there were some good songs, but it was not a spectacular album in my view.Then, after hearing it a few more times, it started to really grow on me and I realized what a great album it was.Don't give up on it after one listen, because you will be pleasantly surprised.It blends elements of blues, jazz, funk, and rock to make a potpourri of some great music.I think I might just like this album better than Split the Difference, although it is a very close race.I think my favorite tracks on this album are Tijiuana Lady, Rie's Car, Love is Better Than a Warm Trombone, and Get Myself Arrested.Overall, great album.. I hope you enjoy it.

Gomez started a brilliant career with this one
"Bring it on" wasn't recorded in a big studio. Gomez didn't have any celebrity treatment making this album. They were just high school kids making a phenomenal rock album in a garage.
Really cool psychedelic sound mixed with a bluesy sound
This CD has flavors of the late 60s/early 70s psychedelic sound incorporated into some modern alternative music. The first track Get Miles reminds me a little of the sound of Strawberry Alarm Clock's Incense & Peppermints, while Make No Sound, The Come Back and 78 Stone Wobble could have been extra songs from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Tijuana Lady and Bubble Gum Years reminds me a little of the old Pink Floyd sound when Syd Barrett was the lead signer. Tracks like Get Myself Arrested, Free To Run, and Rie's Wagon have a bluesy sound to them. Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. British Trad Rock    4. Britpop    5. Indie Pop    6. Indie Rock    7. Pop    8. Popular Music    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (164)

A SUBSTANTIVE, SURPRISING LET DOWN...
Over-arranged. Over-produced. Over-everything.
heart-feeling and stunning duo (Want One and Two)
I made a decision after listening Rufus' singing (He ain't heavy, He's my brother) over a radio program, and give a try on Want One and Want Two (the latter has his live concert DVD)
One of the Best Albums of the Last Decade!
Rufus Wainwright's soaring vocals, combined with his intriguingly obscure lyrics and sumptuous melodies, make this an album worth listening to over and over again. A true masterpiece!
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Chamber Pop    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Singer/Songwriter   

Reviews (73)

One of triphop's finest
I got this album back in the days, introducing triphop to me together with Massive Attack's "Mezzanine". This record immediately grabbed my attention with it's unnoticable submerging drums, hypnotical synthesizer/guitar (hardly can tell the difference), the dreamy atmosphere, and vocals which are dreamy-sweet, smoothly gliding over chord changes. It was exactly what I was looking for, and it didn't disappoint me at all. The years went by, and since triphop never really was my day-to-day music, "A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular" didn't visit my cd-player often. But when it did, I rediscovered the clever layers, the haunting hooks and the superb drums all over again, and I was absolutely stunned that the album was able to amaze me for the I-dont-know-how-many'd time.
Just call it great.
Musically, this album is layered from beginning to end with dreamy instrumentals. The beats...trip hop, drum and bass, or whatever you want to call it, really grooves. This is my current favorite cd. While most electronica seems to loose itself while repeating dull lyrics and focusing on just keeping a best, hooverphonic keeps their songs strong with killer guitar riffs much like Spicehouse and the heavier songs by Zero 7. Hooverphonic delivers in my opinion pure beautifull dreampop, with Liesje Sadonius sexy voice, and haunting very emotional music. To me they are comparable to only a few other bands. Don't try to label this music. Some call it trip-hop, some ambient, some dream-pop. It does not matter what you call it-just, call it great. Hooverphonic is one CD you can enjoy no matter what type of mood you're in.

Music Masterpiece
Hooverphonic. Even the name of the band begs you to BUY THIS ALBUM. "A New Stereophonic Spectacular" is one of the most soothing, in-depth trip-hop albums of the 1990s.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Ambient Pop    4. Belgium    5. Dream Pop    6. Pop    7. Popular Music    8. Post-Grunge    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (30)

A completely enchanting, delightful album
Anyone hearing Camera Obscura for the first time will instantly be reminded of Belle and Sebastian, especially if they are aware that both bands hail from Glasgow.There is no question that Belle and Sebastian is the major influence on the band; even if they have other influences--and one can hear many in their music--this one predominates.It isn't just that Camera Obscura's singer (and a very sweet singer she is) Tracyanne Campbell sounds a lot like Belle and Sebastian's Isobel Campbell (apparently no relation--but, then, isn't "Campbell" in Scotland like "Smith" in the US?).The arrangements and feel and touch of the band sound terribly like B & S.That one city could turn out two such exquisite indie pop bands is pretty remarkable, even if the one sounds a lot like the other.
Cool
They are totally unknown here. I only got to know this group on the net and i have found gem in Camera Obscura, with such sweet melodies, angelic voice of Traceyann Campbell and the rest of the band is awesome as well! Im hooked with Suspended from Class, Keep it Clean, Number One Son & Teenager.

Cute 50's-60's stylings. Melodic -- Wonderful.
Seems like many people are mad that this isn't Bell & Sebastian.Well, It's not. It's probably closer to the stylings of The Clientelle or late era Yo La Tengo -- and they're not Scottish...?
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Subjects:  1. Indie Pop    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

A unicorn, a rainbow spitting zebra and what looks to be a horse sprouting a third eye are engaged in group sex on the illustrated cover of CocoRosie's second album. If that leads you to expect something playful and magical but also starkly screwed-up from the recording inside, you are on the right path. With assistance from Antony and Devendra, Read more

Reviews (18)

this band is much better live!
Let me start by saying, i respect these girls immensly. Cocorosie are in a class all their own, they are 100% experiemental. But sometimes as a musician, that either pays off or not so much. In this case, not so much. Although some of the songs are pretty, most of it just sounds like a bad acid trip at a circus. Which makes them really fun to see live. Throughout the whole concert i was mezmerised by their theatrics, their voices, and their stage prescence. Will i put their cd in my player and listen to it alone? No, not in less i want the scary clowns to come out and attack me. Yikes.

save your money
This is a terrible album.Cocorosie is one of those bands that are fun to throw in with a bunch of other bands in a music related conversation to make your taste and knowledge of hip and independent music sound that much bigger than it really is.The cover artwork is pretty funny and cocorosie is a cool name, the only problem is that they make music that sounds like it does and they charge people money to listen to it.

No.No.No.no...no...no...no...no
A sorry excuse for an album. This is not 'different' & wonderful; this is simply annoying noise. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dream Pop    2. Indie Electronic    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Post-Rock/Experimental    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Trip-Hop   

Editorial Review

For bands like the Sundays that put out albums very infrequently (only three in eight years), passing fads cannot exert undue influence; consistency is the key to staying power. Thank God the Sundays never went grunge. On this, their second album, the forthright and spare power of their debut has ceded somewhat to lusher production values and more complex arrangements, but the good news is that the rest of the band's presence has caught up with Harriet Wheeler's crystalline voice. Together they produce such marvels as "Goodbye," "Love," and an off-kilter version of the Stones' "Wild Horses." The Sundays here sound like a more integrated musical unit, and for that reason Read more

Reviews (55)

For Buffy & Angel Fans
I love this CD and recommend all the songs on it, but I confess I bought it for their cover of the Rolling Stones' Wild Horses classic, which I first heard during the episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer where Angel comes to Buffy's prom for a heartbreaking slow dance and good-bye to his true love. In fact I found the lead singer's voice on this song so beatiful and clear and full of longing that I had to call a radio station to identify the singer, as I had never heard of The Sundays before.

holy cow
This has one of my favorite songs of all time wild horses. The rest of the album is so good. This album is very soothing. Listen too it at night before bed. I absolutely love this album

Sundays' Best
This is The Sundays at their best, the full realization of their sound."Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic" is essential with it's "The Smiths with female vocals" sound, but "Blind" is pure Sundays.The consistently haunting atmosphere of this record makes "Blind" my personal favorite."Blood On My Hands" says it all.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. College Rock    4. Dream Pop    5. Indie Pop    6. Pop    7. Popular Music    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Though R.E.M. titled a later album Read more

Reviews (154)

Watershed with a Geyser
'Out of Time,' but certainly not out of talent, R.E.M. reinvented themselves in sound and outlook like never before. The double images of a watershed on the album's cover can't fail to make its point: They will never be the same. To accentuate their makeover, the back photo shows the group in black, mourning their old image. (It is an update to the Beatles at their own funeral on the cover of 'Sgt. Pepper'.) Mike Mills has an all-knowing smirk, and Michael Stipe's arms are raised to embrace the horizon like the tragic characters in Joyce Carol Oates' story, "Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been?" They definitely go to new destinations from here on out. The desperation, angst, and appeals made for divine and human love seemingly gone wrong are brilliantly presented on this their, er..., watershed...album.
Doesn't deserve the bad rap
Out of Time tends to get a bad rap from serious REM fans, which is somewhat undeserved. Yes, it's far from their best album, but it still contains some real gems.
"Out of Form"
REM hooked listeners into 'Out of Time' with "Losing My Religion" and you either bought the album because you wanted to hear that song in particular or you were hoping all the songs were similar to it if you hadn't heard it before. "Out of Time" is pretty much a set of ho-hum little ditties with a jewel thrown in. What gets me is, if a band can construct a masterpiece like 'Religion' for an album, how can they bring themselves to compose really-oh-so-boring music...perhaps they saved the quality for "Automatic For The People" which is their best, and a superior, creation. Two stars for the jewel. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. College Rock    4. Jangle Pop    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

If this CD were to be put in a time capsule to be opened in a hundred years, it would give musicologists of the future a pretty fair idea of commercial-minded pop circa 2005. Rarely has a TV show so captured a certain musical zeitgeist as well as Read more

Features

• Soundtrack

Reviews (16)

Not your regular TV Series Soundtrack!
I love watching the show and love even more that I can listen to the music anytime I want. I was watching some special features from the first season and they had this 'music of the oc' feature; and what I really like about the music selection process is that it's selected based on the emotions and feelings of a particular scene, not just whats on the 'pop charts' at the moment and who wants to pay out tv show to have it aired even though it has nothing to do with the scene! The OC music really connects you with the show and it's a CD that you won't just listen to for a few weeks and put away.

Just like the show...
Reflecting the show upon which these mixes hail from, The OC: Mix 5 has completely strayed from what these CDs once were. This album is inconsistently decent at its best. It's a real shame because I had very high hopes for this one, since the only two tracks I went in knowing were Youth Group's "Forever Young" and Phantom Planet's "California 2005," both of which are amazing songs, but can be purchased on iTunes for less than a dollar apiece. "Rock and Roll Queen" by The Subways is a good enough opening track; it's quite catchy. However, tracks 2-5 all fall flat and are highly uninteresting. I'd say the worst is "Publish My Love" by Rogue Wave, which sounds like a bad U2 cover of some sort. "Kids With Guns" is a pretty good track, but only for those of us who are Gorillaz fans. It wouldn't be surprising for the average listener to dismiss this as a boring track. Simply put, the first (nearly) half of this CD is garbage. The second half, from track 6 onward, is pretty good, but it's still not the mix 1-4 were. I can spin the first four mixes all night long. I'm gonna find myself reaching past this one on the stack whenever I feel the need to listen to an OC soundtrack.

Not "Right Back Where We Started From"
As a big fan of the OC & its subsequent soundtracks - I'm sad to say that the show has gone downhill a bit since its first season.Does that mean the soundtracks have as well?Well in this case - a little bit, but it's not exactly the music director's fault.The best part of the first mix of the OC, and even the second, was that the songs represented key moments of the show - where the song & scene were so memorable the two were forever tied in your mind (ex: South's Paint the Silence is Marissa & Ryan's first kiss song).As the show gets less memorable - so do the songs, but that doesn't mean this isn't a great album regardless.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Indie Electronic    3. Indie Pop    4. Indie Rock    5. Pop    6. Soundtrack    7. Soundtracks & Film Scores    8. TV Soundtracks