Editorial Review

The debate over whether he is punk or new wave is long over; today Elvis Costello is less likely to be found on a list with Strummer and Scabies than he is with Bacharach and David and Jimmy Webb. Lauded initially for his energetic and literate attacks on the social ills of Thatcher's England, he has become a peerless master of the popular song. The evolution of Costello's craft as a songwriter and performer, from the early high-octane polemics, through his stylistic experiments with country and soul, and on to standards written for others, is splendidly documented on this elegant two-disc set. Chronology is ignored in favor of a thoughtful program that catalogs the jewels from his prolific output and a sprinkling of covers that demonstrate the maturing of his singing voice. The 42 tracks here lean generously to the first 10 years with the Attractions, but also collects the best of his subsequent collaborations with the cream of America's session musicians and on through to "She," his contribution to the soundtrack of 1999's Read more

Reviews (37)

Excellent, even for the passing Costello fan
I was never a big Costello fan but I enjoyed a few songs of his. This compilation has enough "hits" to have kept me listening while I learned to appreciate his the lesser known songs. Now some of those are my favorite.
The stand outs
This CD is an great compilation of EC's best work. I have to say my favorite song on the whole thing is unfortunately the shortest. His version of My Funny Valentine has to be his vocal masterpiece. His voice was meant for that song. The other bluesy cuts are excellent (Riot Act and Almost Blue). Yes, the upbeat stuff is great too but I do hope someday he rediscovers that early edgy attitude and does a whole set of blues songs. At any rate, this CD set is a must-have!

It's incredible, but I can't recommend it.
Costello is one of the absolute all time greats in 20th century music. (thus the 5 stars) I cannot say you should buy this album when their is a much better substitute. It will cost a bit more but it is very much worth it: Buy The Best of Elvis costello and the attractions (a different one, not this one). And buy The best of Elvis Costello (Extreme Honey). They both contain many must-have gems that are sadly overlooked on this newer addition to the Macmanus Canon. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. British Punk    3. College Rock    4. New Wave    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Pub Rock    8. Punk    9. Rock    10. Rock & Roll    11. Rock/Pop    12. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

Hall and Oates often enlivened '70s and '80s radio with sharp pop concoctions that drew on a wellspring of R&B influences picked up in their hometown of Philadelphia. They scored frequently enough, in fact, that this 20-track collection--intended to supplement or replace the earlier Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (46)

Super
Great job, very fast with zero complaints.Will continue to do business with them.

Private Eyes... Are Watching You...
I don't care if you can't listen to this album in public for fear of being ridiculed, it is fantastic.Hall and Oates are at the top of their game on this compilation CD.If you don't (and probably shouldn't) want to buy all of the Hall & Oates albums and just want to load this music on your MP3 player - this is perfect.Just perfect.Buy it, and watch out boys... she'll chew you up.JVD

Amazon...They Truly Rock
Amazon...you guys Rock!You always have everything that I order and if you don't, you always let me know.Also, I like the fact that you recommend other great things.Thanks a million. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Blue-Eyed Soul    3. New Wave    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Popular Music    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Soft Rock   

Reviews (22)

Que joya
Todavía estoy sorprendido con este disco. No ha parado de sonar en mi auto, en mi computadora....
LOVE LIVE LAUGH CRY SCREAM SILENCE
All I will say is you will weep, cry, laugh and fall in love. THIS ALBUM IS FOR IT ALL!!! One of the best bands I have ever heard. I can't stop falling in love and crying to the heartfelt lyrics as it beats in my head daily. If you have ever had an emotion in your life this band will bring it out of you at one point in time. Look at a loved one, your children, God,wife/husband, or even a total stranger, this music will feel like one of them. At least if Im wrong about the others, Im right about this to myself. Take care.

Comme un voyage
J'ai decouvert la chanson "how it ends" comme de nombreuses personnes qui ont vu la bande-annonce de "Everything is Illuminated." C'est une chanson au premier abord envoutante et emouvante. J'ai donc decide d'acheter l'album "How it ends" pour decouvrir ce groupe totalement inconnu pour moi. Et je ne suis pas decue.
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Subjects:  1. European Folk    2. European influenced sad bastard music    3. Folk-Rock    4. Gypsy    5. Indie Rock    6. Pop    7. Post-Punk    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop    10. United States of America   

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered
• Soundtrack

Reviews (25)

Absolutely amazing soundtrack @}->---
This is definately one of the best - if not the best - soundtracks in the history of movie soundtracks.You cannot help but love it.It's so amazing.Yes it has that 80's feel, but to me it is timeless.I was 10 when this came out and I love it now even to this day.Manic, What A Feeling, Lady Lady Lady and Imagination are brilliant songs.Gloria was also in the movie but not on the cd.Well at least we got one fantastic song from the late great Laura Brannigan on here (Imagination).
MMMHHH

Splash from the Past!
Such fun, great music, wonderful for bopping around in the kitchen -- the room stops at the "water splash" moment.Highly recommended! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dance-Pop    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Soundtrack    6. Soundtracks    7. Soundtracks & Film Scores    8. Urban   

Editorial Review

So Depeche Mode releases a singles compilation featuring only one previously unreleased song ("Only When I Lose Myself") in anticipation of a major tour. Sound suspiciously like a shameless cash-in? Sure. But Read more

Reviews (149)

Great for the casual DM fan
The Singles 86>98 covers all the hits the popular synth-pop band Depeche Mode put out during this 12 year period. Included are the radio classics "Personal Jesus", "Enjoy the Silence" and "Policy of Truth" as well as more recent material like "Home", the exclusive track "Only When I Lose Myself" and a live version of the old single "Everything Counts." It seems as though this 2CD set was compiled mainly for the casual fans of the band, such as myself, but it still does a good job laying out all of the band's top work in chronological order.That said, it seems as though maybe 2 discs are a bit unnecessary - as several tracks from the second CD don't particularly hold up quite as well as those from the first. Still, this is an excellent package that showcases some of the finest work of Gore, Gahan and Fletcher.
Depeche Mode's best.
All the singles are great. This is a must have for any Depeche Mode fan. Better sound than Violator.

A truly amazing compilation album
This teriffic 2 disc set spanning the second half of Depeche Modes' career is amazing. Among the hits such as "Personal Jesus" and "Enjoy the Silence", this album, along with the original greatest hits, is an essential collection to pop fans everywhere! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Club/Dance    4. College Rock    5. England    6. Pop    7. Popular Music    8. Post-Punk    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop    11. Synth Pop   

Editorial Review

Manchester's pivotal post-punk quartet offer a 16-track opus that skips obscurities and early material in favor of their greatest singles. Highlights include "Blue Monday," "Thieves Like Us" and "The Perfect Kiss" and sparkling Stephen Hague remixes of "True Faith" and "Bizarre Love Triangle." Read more

Reviews (56)

Better than the UK Version
All tracks are classics in their own way a must have for any diehard New order fan as the track listing differs from the UK version. Gone are the tracks found on Substance and in come the opening tracks from new orders first 3 albums + Lets Go(Nothing for me) a barnstormer of a track which I believe is only available on here or on the Retro box set. All in all a fine add on to your collection.

7 Years and Going Strong
That's how long it's been since I've discovered New Order and, consequently, it's also how long they've been my favorite band.I am reviewing this album a second time because I forgot the e-mail and password I had for my other account (brilliant move, I know).With that said, this sweet, resplendent compilation was the second CD I purchased by the group, following Substance.While I love both collections with about the same intensity now, I have to admit that I liked New Order's "Best Of" much more at the start.While Substance is an awesome album of singles that is a nessecity for any true fan of the band, "The Best Of New Order" is more accessible to new fans as well as to those who may be only casual listeners.The songs are short, but sweet: an excellent fusion of rock, pop and techno.It's difficult to choose the standouts, because doing so would mean having to name at least 3/4's of the tracks on this CD.
Very Innovative
I'm a college student, and I find that current pop music doesn't do it for me. In fact, most of my friends listen to music that dates from the 1960s to the early 90s. I love this CD, New Order is very easy to listen to and enjoy. You can even hear the foundations of modern day house music within some of the tracks. The melancholy tone of the lead singer is definitive of a lot of the pop in the 80s, yet he does not bore you. Although I do admit, you can tell that all the tracks have somewhat of a general way of being constructed; so I recommend listening to the 30 second snippets that Amazon provides to decided if you really want to buy it. However, if you want a CD that is somewhat definitive of 80s Brit Pop, and made a huge impact on the Pop scene, I would definitely recommend buying this. It's a great compilation of the music by New Order. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Club/Dance    4. College Rock    5. England    6. House    7. Pop    8. Popular Music    9. Post-Punk    10. Rock    11. Rock/Pop    12. Synth Pop   

Reviews (44)

Amazing.
Blondie is one of the greatest and most important bands in the history of pop/rock to have ever existed.While Grace Slick might have predated one-time Playboy bunny/vocalist Deborah Harry, Ms. Harry still set all of the standards as far as any future women in rock.She showed that it was possible for an extremely attractive female to front an all male backing band and do it with style, sex appeal and genuine raw talent while not coming across as a tramp.
The best Blondie compilation out there
With a few options available for you to get your hands on Blondie's greatest hits, and pretty much little new to say about the guys that blended punk and new wave to perfection in their time, the one thing that can be claimed about this compilation is that it's the best one available. It covers pretty much everything you'd want to have by the band and the quality of the recordings is also the best one around.

Iconic Memory Of Blondie Still Extent!
The works of Blondie are paragons of the new-wave punk genre on their own without any help of compilation or amassing, but the main priority needed to be mentioned is how one can adequately mix these supreme works of sound and emotion into such a phenomenal and superior mix, as an impressive result; "Blondie's Greatest Hits". From the disco upbeat of "Heart Of Glass" to the romanticly provocative single "Denis", from the tropical flare of "The Tide Is High" to the industrial beats and vocals of "The Hardest Part", this album mix, in the entirety of my life of being a Blondie aficionado and music collector, is one that surpasses any limit of Blondie's quality and proficiency, portraying to the world of their appeal, greatness and utter legacy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. Club/Dance    3. Disco    4. New Wave    5. New York Punk    6. Pop    7. Pop/Rock    8. Punk    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (33)

Heady Subject Matter Masqueraded As Satire...Or Not.
I've always admired Men At Work's brief yet substantive output. Though their reign on the charts lasted just a year or so, Their tunes had an infectiousness about them that endures the ages. Clever lyricism married to largely ebullient and catchy arrangements, Men At Work were for a time masters of the pop/rock game. And each tune covered a topic of note.
Their hits are good... but there aren't THAT many of them...
I had great memories of Men at Work from my high school days in the '80s. I really wanted some of their hits in my collection, especially those that only occasionally play on the radio, like "Overkill." They aren't available on iTunes at this writing, so I had to buy a CD.
Nice Compilation
This really is a nice set of music assembled on a single CD.The highlights are all the songs that made Men at Work's first two albums so great.My personal favs -- "Be Good Johnny," "Dr. Heckyll & Jive," and "Overkill" grouped together.Very nicely done! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. New Wave    2. Pop    3. Pop/Rock    4. Popular Music    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

A ghost, a band, a troubadour. Easily the strangest co-op project ever, and easily one of the finest and most evocative albums of the year. British socialist and folkie Billy Bragg was given unprecedented access to Woody Guthrie's unrecorded lyrics. Teaming up with alt-country band Wilco and quoting from more than 50 years of country, folk, and rock music, Billy and company bring Guthrie's politics, poetry, and morality to the end of the century and prove he's as necessary now as ever. Read more

Reviews (124)

Woody Guthrie Lyrics to Billy Bragg Tunes
You'll find yourself singing along after the first listen. California Stars and Ain't Nobody that Can Sing like me are new favorites for me.

Something to Bragg About, for Wilco ,too.
This is an example of the brilliance that results when two great talents join forces to write music and record the lyrics of American folk music icon, Woody Guthrie.Bragg and Tweedy collaborate seamlessly to set to music the words that Guthrie wrote over 50 years ago, and it still sounds fresh today.

Fantastic
This is a reply to those reviewers who think that Guthrie "really wasn't all that left-wing" or that Bragg is, by comparison, too "didactic" or "rabidly left-wing" (as some would have it).The fact is that Bragg can't imagine being as politically radical as Guthrie was, not because Bragg is a closet liberal, but because Guthrie was a part of a radical movement in the United States the likes of which is simply not to be found in the U.S. or Britain nowadays.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Folk-Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Singer/Songwriter    7. Urban Folk   

Editorial Review

This is the only Howard Jones album you'll ever need. HoJo was a founder of early '80s synth-pop, which was as easy to sing to as it was to dance to. The rhythms on this record pop like new wave corn kernels in heated oil, tempered by Jones's high-strung vocals extending over the top. Jones makes good use of the bright synth piano patches available during that time, especially during "Things Can Only Get Better." "No One Is to Blame" is a solid ballad, just Jones and his keyboard. It's heartfelt and regretful--a little cheesy, but in a good way. Read more

Reviews (37)

One of the best singers of the 1980s
There are some songs that I like in this collection like "What Is Love?," "Things Can Only Get Better," "No ONe is To Blame," and "Everlasting Love." HOward Jones has always had a great voice and probably still does. His music is soulful and smooth. I was surprised to like the song, "I.G.Y (What A Beautiful World)," which became a personal favorite. The other songs in this collection like "New Song," "Pearl In The Shell," "Always Asking Questions," "Like To Get To Know You Well," "Life In One Day," "You Know I Love You.. Don't You?," "Hide And Seek," "Look Mama," "The Prisoner," "Lift Me Up," "Tears To Tell," "Two Souls," and "City Song"are only some of his greatest music. I don't think Howard Jones and his music or voice should ever be forgotten. I think his voice is timeless and his songs are classic love ballads.
HOJO...a talent in an age of vision
By the above, I mean the need for the visual, the image.Howard Jones brought these to the table as well.Spikey hair, veggie hippie who made videos that were inventive and quite entertaining.But in the end, it is all about the music, and here is where Howard Jones will leave a mark in history.
After 20 years, a memorable return HoJo-land!
My sister got me hooked on Howard Jones about the same time she got me hooked on Pet Shop Boys and The Art of Noise, circa 1985-1987.This was long before I began forming my own musical tastes, and in 2002 when my wife and I liquidated our entire cassette collection in favor of going strictly digital, I had not intended to re-purchase any of the Howard Jones albums in CD, simply because I felt I had, at age 29, outgrown them.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Popular Music    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Synth Pop   

Editorial Review

The ill will that initially greeted Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (106)

Outside It's America...
This is one of those albums that you just keep coming back to. Here it is almost 20 Years Old (!) and yet, it's solid. If you don't have this album then you've probably been listening to Kelly Clarkson or Justin Timberlake. If you don't have it, pick up a copy, and if you do have it, turn it on and turn it up LOUD!

"[Inside] It's America"
'Rattle and Hum' ranks with the all time best live and double albums of rock and roll.Although there are a few mistakes with the tape acetate in the recording, giving it a shimmering effect that wasn't intended, it hardly mars this fabulous recording.The C.D. showcases the best of their music and harnesses it to a live performance.However, there are new studio recordings as well.Nothing is extraneous and much of it is hypnotic, powerful, or both.
Overrated and Pretentious--It Really Hasn't Aged Well
I saw this movie in the theater when it came out and did like it more than I thought I would based on the reviews and having expected a really terrible set of tunes.I even bought it on Laserdisc after getting it on tape and the soundtrack on CD because there are a couple gems on there.
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Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. College Rock    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Post-Punk    7. Rock    8. Rock & Roll    9. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (193)

Ok, so "Violator" is mainstream Depeche Mode
but I don't think it lessens the value of this recording.
Not as long as "Music for the Masses", but just as definitive!
Whereas "Music for the Masses" was my personal soundtrack for the summer of 1989, Depeche's follow on album "Violator" was my soundtrack for the summer of 1990.Neither as long nor as eclectic as "Masses", Violator still rocked my young world when I popped it into my car stereo in the spring of 1990, and kept me rocking until the first frosts hit in October.
Bliss
I discovered Depeche Mode lately and simultaneously realized why so many sad little kids back in the day loved them so.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Club/Dance    4. College Rock    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Popular Music    8. Post-Punk    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop    11. Synth Pop   

Reviews (39)

Best of Sting is Best
Wonderful compilation of Sting's best songs. Includes most of my favorites.

Pretty good
This compilation, while not comprehensive, either on The Police or Sting's solo career has good songs, just not very complete. What is here is good and the sound is very good, but this is for the most casual of The Police/Sting's fans. If you like a little of the Police and a little of Sting solo, this should be ok.

Great music!
The cd came in a timely fashion and amazon kept me informed of shipping dates.Great customer service! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Adult Contemporary    3. Album Rock    4. College Rock    5. New Wave    6. Pop    7. Pop/Rock    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (18)

Missing Tracks
I'm surprised that this compilation of the Best of Simple Minds omits two of their best recordings:"New Gold Dream" and "Book of Brilliant Things."I suggest buying the "New Gold Dream" and "Sparkle in the Rain" CD's to get those tracks.

A very good collection
The majority of the older "prime cuts": for Simple Minds were on this CD. As a 20-yr. fan there are a few I would have added as I much prefer the older material over the newer.
No New Gold Dream???
What the heck is going on here?New Gold Dream wasn't on Glittering Prize either!I can't understand why the bands greatest track has been omitted yet again!Go figure!Knock one star off for that!Great compilation otherwise. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Post-Punk    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Box set

Reviews (13)

80's Pop Hits
Nice collection of hit songs.I'm really happy to have purchased it, and I've really enjoyed the music.Also, the price was right!Got a lot of danceable tunes to add to my collection.
Great 80's selection!
I'm a big fan of 80's music and this collection is a pretty good one.Brought back many memories!!

Great CD
This set of CD's is just great.There is such a good mix of 80's music, from upbeat to soft and romantic.I love it, it gets more playing time in my car than some of my others that are new releases.If you are an 80's music fan, this is the best cd I have seen yet. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Album Rock    3. Arena Rock    4. Dance-Pop    5. Hard Rock    6. New Wave    7. Pop    8. Pop/Rock    9. Popular Music    10. Quiet Storm    11. Rock/Pop Collections    12. Soft Rock    13. Soul    14. Urban    15. V/a Compilations   

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (22)

Its a Great Beat
I grew up on the English Beat and they are still one of my favorite bands today.There is something about the ska from that era that really appeals to me.My first exposure to them was in the early '80s when my brother was in college and the Beat were a college radio staple.
This is the beat you're looking for..
Definitely could've been another song or two added to this best of, but what a brilliant collection. I can't keep it out of my cd player.
Beat This: The Best of the English Beat
This album is great package, it has most of the songs a fan of the English Beat could want.Durring high school I listened to a great deal of ska, roots reggae, 1st, 2nd and 3rd wave ska from England, the U.S. and Jamaica.I saw some English Beat but other than obscure record collectors its not something the average record store keeps in stock.
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Subjects:  1. College Rock    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Ska    6. Ska Revival   

Editorial Review

Director Wes Anderson's jewel of a comic-character study revolves around the quirks and obsessions of Bill Murray's titular Cousteau-esque deep-sea adventurer and his motley crew of associates. As they did for the director's equally sublime Read more

Features

• Soundtrack
• Content/Copy-Protected CD

Reviews (55)

Mark Mothersbaugh and acoustic Bowie in Portuguese
Like the movie, the soundtrack is about enjoying the details. For example:
Features fine Bowie covers
For me, Seu Jorge's Portguese covers of David Bowie songs were the main attraction of this soundtrack.His voice is rough and expressive.Accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, he reveals the strength of the original material by showing us how well the basic song structures translate to such a different method of presentation.

For Rushmore and RT soundtrack fans
great soundtrack.This is for fans of the quirky and poignantly emotional comedies Rushmore and RT.This soundtrack is fantastic with lots of David Bowie and DB interpreted songs sung in Portuguese...Fantastic. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Folk-Rock    2. French Rock    3. Garage Rock    4. Glam Rock    5. New Wave    6. Pop    7. Pop/Rock    8. Soundtrack    9. Soundtracks    10. Soundtracks & Film Scores   

Editorial Review

Most holidays exclude somebody--on grounds of religious beliefs, political persuasion, or refusal to eat our fine feathered friends--but not good old Halloween, which has a little something for everyone. The same can be said of this 15-track collection, which spans modern music's sonic and sensory spectrums. It encompasses the noisy and danceable, nasty and nice. Most of the set is given over to party-ready tunes like the B-52's' "Devil in My Car" and the Ramones' "Pet Sematary," but its darker corners offer up a few eerie moments--such as MX-80 Sound's rendition of the horror classic "Theme from Halloween" and Sonic Youth's "Halloween." The disc closes on an appropriately creepy note thanks to horror master Roky Erickson, who spins a cautionary yarn called "Creature with the Atom Brain" that's guaranteed to cause more nightmares than a Milk Dud overdose. Read more

Reviews (9)

Great any time of the year!
This is one of two Halloween cds I keep in my car year round. Sometimes when you're coming home after a hard day or just driving around on a beautiful day, there's nothing better than rolling down the windows and blasting this disc.
Halloween Music Rocks
New Wave Halloween has the best halloween music i've heard. I like this cd a lot it has good music and i love Halloween. It has The Time Warp from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, wich is the best song on this cd and the best song from a Musical Movie. This Cd Rocks Like Halloween.
Twisted Halloween fun!
Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Halloween is probably their best entry in that it will have the broadest appeal.A lively party of Halloween-themed music, it swings from the danceable to the dangerous, sometimes with little or no warning.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. American Underground    3. College Rock    4. Halloween    5. New Wave    6. Pop    7. Pop/Rock    8. Popular Music    9. Post-Punk    10. Rock    11. Rock/Pop Collections