Editorial Review

Read more

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (50)

Good album... Original album... But not the 1st Police album I reach for
THE BAND: Sting / Gordon Sumner (bass, guitars), Andy Summers (guitars), Stewart Copeland (drums & percussion).
Still the best...
I am writing this as I am listening to an original vinyl pressing.In all my drunken and drugged up debauchery of
Outlandos d'Amour (Outlaws Of Love)
When The Police released their first punk single "Fallout" in the late 70's and at the height of the punk explosion, everybody thought they were just another wannabe punk group who would have a few hits but no more.Their early singles were different, however, from other punk records of that time.Guitarist Andy Summers was more virtousic than most punk guitarists, often exploding into near heavy metal shredding on some of the Police's harder rockers.Steve Copeland could keep up amazing tempos on his drum kit and lead singer Sting simply had to good of a voice to be a punk vocalist.The truth is the Police weren't really punk at all but had helped usher in New Wave which could both be more arty than normal punk as well as have more accessible pop elements to it.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. New Wave    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Post-Punk    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Ani DiFranco's fondness for cheeky self-effacement marks her fourth album, Read more

Reviews (77)

two and a half
We are all pretty familiar with the concept of over-acting. You know, like Al Pacino in Scarface. But is it possible to "over-sing." I think it is, and I'd argue Ani does it in every single song she's ever written. "eaaarggAh! OhheeeeOO!, UyayayayayEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Probably it does the trick if you're PMSing real bad, but as a dude I have a little trouble relating. For a while I thought she had bad lyrics. But then I tried just reading them straight up and realized hey they are totally decent, it's just the vocals that make them tough to stomach. Shakespeare would probably be bad if you said, "the-e-e-ea-a-a- quAAliteee-e-e-e-eEEEEEE of mer cy is not STRAYEEEYYAAAYYEEEAYYEEEAAAAAAnedahugooooh!...." That said, even though they aren't bad perse, they are sort of annoying. I don't like coffee houses, or people who frequent them. Which seems to be sort of the Ani universe. On the other hand, if you like to get an expresso before catching the subway downtown to catch the Innercity Radical Anarchocommunist Existential Collective's screening of their latest short film about transgender intellectual insurgents in the world of independent media publishing in Seattle, where you'll meet a group of girls wearing different colored socks and quirky glasses, and at least one radical photographer named Jeremy, with whom you plan to go backpacking this weekend on a scenic trail where you'll write obsessively about yourself in a journal, all the while missing the amazing plants and animals because you don't know anything about nature except that you hate corporations who want to destroy it, and you're too busy journalling about the flaky dudes you sleep with, plus your parents were hippies and you're exactly like them and not original at all, you'll probably totally dig the vibe here.
It's all good
That is not what i do....
A little out there just to be out there, but worth it
I don't know, maybe it's me but I get a little "activism-for-the-sake-of-activism" from this album...Or maybe "shock-value-for-the-sake-of-shock-value"...But that doesn't stop it from being good most of the time.
Read more

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

Editorial Review

The gentle hand of Emmylou Harris guides this tribute to ill-fated country-rock avatar Gram Parsons, which goes a long way toward explaining why this star-studded salute avoids the pitfalls that befall many such projects. Harris got her start harmonizing with the patron saint of alt country, contributing mightily to Parsons's two early 1970s solo albums and reviving selections from his small, but indispensable, oeuvre throughout her career. She has a vested interest in finding a true connection between her former benefactor and this cast of Parsons partisans. Here she bands together a flock of followers who range from obvious offspring (Wilco, Gillian Welch, Whiskeytown) to not-so-evident disciples (Beck, the Pretenders, Sheryl Crow). Parsons's partner in the Flying Burrito Brothers, Chris Hillman, teams with Steve Earle on "High Fashion Queen," and David Crosby (like Parsons and Hillman, an ex-Byrd) joins Lucinda Williams on "Return of the Grievous Angel." Harris harmonizes with Beck on "Sin City" and shares the mic with Crow on "Juanita," one of the collection's highlights. Ultimately, Harris has assembled a homage that would've pleased her old mentor. Read more

Reviews (73)

serviceable tribute album but ultimately superfluous
Tribute albums are always a tricky business.It is rather difficult to create a cohesive album of disparate artists trying to re-form familiar songs into their own unique style.This Emmylou Harris produced tribute album for Gram Parsons is certainly no exception.It's not really a bad idea in theory.Gram Parsons was many things, but "great singer" was not one of them, so to have some polished pipes singing his songs was an idea with potential.Unfortunately, hardly any of these artists can put in the emotion that Gram infused in his plaintive vocals. Why you guys don't provide 10 stars for this?
Every tracks of this album are so stunning, esp. Sleepless Nights and A Song for You. You will have to find Gram Parsons's work to guarantee his talent.

A tribute done with class!
It was midnight and I stumbled upon a show called West 57th Sessions, from New York and unbeknown to me, what I was watching was a live performance of this tribute CD, "Return of the Grievious Angel."I managed to record the remaining 5 or 6 songs and hope to see it on video one day.Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country    3. Alternative Country-Rock    4. Alternative Folk    5. Alternative Pop/Rock    6. American Trad Rock    7. Americana    8. British Punk    9. College Rock    10. Contemporary Country    11. Contemporary Folk    12. Country-Folk    13. Country-Rock    14. Folk-Rock    15. Heartland Rock    16. Indie Rock    17. Neo-Traditional Folk    18. Neo-Traditionalist Country    19. New Wave    20. Pop   

Reviews (35)

fan-friggin-tastic
Yeah, I don't know about the album yet, but it looks great and I can't wait to listen to it.I'm really here to comment on the previous review.Amen brotha man.Preach it.

Catchy, fun, sing-along lyrical beauty. This is a fine collection of one fine band.
I rarely review music because more than any other medium, it relies on the personal taste of the listener. I enjoy some Hendrix, Beatles, Mozart, Rammstein, Johnny Cash, and more. I'd be hard pressed to reccommend all of them to each of my friends though.
I heart the Johns.
I'm pretty sure that TMBG is what sucessful psychologists use to turn their patients' lives around. Maybe they pipe it into their offices at an unnoticable frequency. Anyway, this is the TMBG collection to end all TMBG collections. I've never grown tired of listening to it - - it has all the essential giants songs in just the right order. From Another First Kiss to Meet James Ensor . . . this might be the answer to that "If you could only take one CD to a deserted island . . . " question. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. College Rock    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Pop Underground    6. Post-Punk    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (17)

Blondie at their best
Blondie (1976.) Blondie's first album.
best blondie album
crisp, fresh and rockin even 25 years later.most interesting lyrics of any of the early blondie (and who really cares about post-parallel lines blondie?).great guitar and organ.underrated drumming on the solos and breaks.lesbian underthemes (seen later in sunday girl and pretty baby).and that voice, all sex.
Arguably, Blondie's Best
This album sounds like 1966--that blissful year in which so many eclectic sounds, from Motown to Go-Go Beat and British Invasion, to early Mod and pre Psychadelic, co-existed on the airwaves. "X Offender", "Little Girl Lies" and "in The Flesh", which open the album, all sound like Phil Spectorish girl-group recordings, albeit with spicier lyrics. On "Look Good In Blue" the band has the good humor to perform a rock song with a tango beat in dead earnest, as well as the memorable line "I could give you some head....and shoulders to lie on". "In The Sun" in my opinion is the most exhilerating Blondie song ever; the simple melodic hook is breathtakingly catchy, and the instrument playing the main riff sounds like something between a foghorn and a vacuum cleaner! (It is probably a synthesizer). Whatever it is, it is emblematic of the inspired innovation apparent throughout this album. "A Shark In Jets Clothing" is Blondie's homage to "West Side Story", and that closes Side 1 (or it did in the days of vinyl anyway). Side 2 began with the Latin-flavored "Man Overboard" which again revisits the girl group sound, and boasts background vocals by legendary60's songstress Ellie Greenwhich herself. Beautiful keyboard solo by Jimmy Destrisounds makes Blondie sound like The Doors on this cut. Then, "Rip Her To Shreds" reminds the listener that the Blondie of this album was initially a"punk" band from the CBGBs circuit. But unlike most punk rock, the song's aggressiveness is mostly satire--a comic book treatment of viciousness and female backbiting. Debbie is at her vampy best in the spoken parts "Hey! Pss Pss! Here she comes now!....Bye Bye Sugar! And not a minute too soon!" And the arrangement is perfect. "Rifle Range" follows, again with a slightly Doors-y feel. The lyrics are very out-there, in a similar way as Van Dyke Parks/Brian Wilson collaborations. Hauntingly beautiful lead guitar lines highlight this strange and compelling track. "Kung Gu Girls" which follows, is another in the "Rip Her To Shreds" aggressive vein. Again, we are in a comic book, with Debbie hollering "Kung Fu Cindy Sue, Oh I wanna get close to you, you're my Kung Fu Girl!..." Hysterical. Closing the collection is the conga-line looniness of "Attack of the Giant Ants' complete with a mid-song ant-attack with screams and police sirens! When the song ends suddenly, the fade out features lounge music on a piano and the sound of people talking at a party--very Beatles circa White Album! I really miss the Blondie featured here, they didn't survive this incarnation, and by the time of "Plastic Letters" of the following year, a lof the fun was already gone, dissapatingprogressively with each album that followed. I would say it died after "Eat to the Beat". But listening to "Blondie" always purifies my world, cleaning it up and making it all seem fun again. And "In the Sun" is a musical anti-depressant garaunteed to lift you up. You've never heard Blondie like this before. CD extras include the 1975 demos--a trifle lackluster but a must for fans, along with the original 7" versions of "X Offender" and "In The Sun" with alternate vocals---inferior to the album mixes but interesting anyway. They show how much Debbie perfected her studio technique in the few short months between the recording of the debut single and the album. ... Read more

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

Observe as David Byrne finally learns to dance. Non-Western sounds and funky rhythms had infected Talking Heads music prior to this 1983 pop breakthrough, but Read more

Reviews (40)

Superb MASTERPIECE
I picked this album up used at an old record store. Popped it in my cd player and WOW! This is by far the greatest Talking Heads Album Making Flippy Floppy is a really well composed song. What is neat about this album is it has a sort of reggae funk to it with all kinds of random lyrics. YOU WILL ENJOY THIS IF YOU ARE A TALKING HEADS FAN OR ARE NEW TO THEM!

One song too many
ALSO AVAILABLE AS A DUAL DISC WITH SOME EXTRA TRACKS.
Who knew music could be paranoid and danceable at the same time?
Like many others, I believe the Stop Making Sense concert video is the ultimate Talking Heads moment. But in terms of studio albums, Speaking in Tongues is their best.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. College Rock    3. New Wave    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Post-Punk    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

The second in the Hip-O imprint's series of '80s box sets, this three-CD compilation collects 42 hits from the decade of decadence. For those who want to shake their booty, they can get their freak on to Rick James, "Jump" for the Pointer Sisters, and do a little "Safety Dance" to Men Without Hats. Love new wave? Indulge in Flock of Seagulls, Duran Duran, Devo, and Adam Ant. And for those who want to rock--although not too hard--there's Billy Idol, the Pretenders, Rick Springfield, and Scandal. Yes, many of these cuts are predictable, but there are some surprise entries, like Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me," Greg Kihn's "Jeopardy," Peter Schilling's "Major Tom," and Jan Hammer's "Miami Vice Theme"(!).Given this set's diverse artist roster, it's doubtful that you'll love Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (8)

essential
I mix 80s dance music and the number of times when mixing that I find myself reaching for either this compilation or its companion, "I Want My 80s Box," is extraordinary. These are two outstanding collections. They are pricey, but worth every penny. For many people, owning these two will be all the 80s music you'll ever need.
Great Collection, But ...
This is a great collection of awesome 80's music, but I feel that each disc should have had about three more songs on them.Also, I think the title refers to Pat Benatar's HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT.Strangely enough, the song is nowhere to be found on this set???

I don't understand...
...Why does this box set not contain the very song its title is a reference to? If it were to be truly complete, it would contain: HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK, by Ian Dury & The Blockheads. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Album Rock    3. Alternative Pop/Rock    4. Blue-Eyed Soul    5. Club/Dance    6. Dance-Pop    7. Disco    8. Funk    9. New Romantic    10. New Wave    11. Pop    12. Pop/Rock    13. Popular Music    14. Post-Punk    15. Quiet Storm    16. Rock    17. Rock/Pop Collections    18. Soft Rock    19. Synth Pop    20. Urban   

Editorial Review

"And I ra-a-an, I ran so far awa-a-ay...." OK, now that you've got that stuck in your head for the rest of the day, you may as well go ahead and get the rest of the hits and misses from the most badly coifed outfit in synth-pop history. Frontman Mike Score, a former hairdresser, is responsible for this Liverpool band's worst and best aspects, the latter being a talent for almost painfully catchy pop melodies and synth hooks that bounce along nicely over gradually descending bass lines. In addition to the aforementioned "I Ran," this best-of sports two versions of the equally sublime "Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)" and a selection of tracks from AFOS's six-year career, including "It's Not Me Talking." Read more

Reviews (28)

Why this collection is crucial for Flock collectors
For starters, it has the 9 minute 12" version of "Wishing." But it ALSO has the 7" remix of "The More You Live The More You Love," which I've always felt is far superior to the LP version, because it's much more new wave sounding. ALSO, note that the track listing has always been wrong on this disc, including on the CD insert itself. The final track on here is NOT The Story of A Young Heart--it is the FULL MOON REMIX of "The More You Live The More You Love," which was the B-side to the original 12". "The Story of A Young Heart" can be found on the Platinum and Gold Collection.

Image Isn't Everything, but Apparently It's Pretty Damn Close
If ol' Mike Score could have only ditched the seagull haircut, this band might have fully connected with the public in a way that their music certainly did. Only, they wouldn't have been the Flock then, would they?
A great best of the Flock / unique music of the 80's
The Flock of Seagulls were a groundbreaking band in their time. The music is vibrant and very sophisticated. If your name is Earl and you drive a beatup pickup, you probably won't get it. The better known tracks like "I ran", "Space Age Love Song", "Wishing(If I had a Photgraph of You)" are included, but the last track "The Story of a Young Heart" that make this disk so good. This track is an excecise in ambiance and rythm that is all but lost in todays modern music. In sumary the Flock of Seagulls made some great music, however you either get it or you don't. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. New Romantic    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Popular Music    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Synth Pop   

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.
Read more

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   

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (14)

Lords of the New Wave
The 80's gave birth to the most unique genre of music in history. The enigma that was New Wave was appreciated but all music fans. From the pop charts, to the underground it was music with depth, fun and a very catchy sound you could dance to or blast in your car. Yet, one band stands out on top and that is the band New Order.
The Perfect Set for Your Driving Pleasure!!
Though the classic two CD set "Substance" had some amazing mixes, it is a real treat to get the single versions of their many hits over the past quarter century in one place.Some of the mixes on "Substance" went on just a little too long, but here, it's all killer, no filler.Plus, we get their many excellent singles released after 1987, including "Regret" which gets my vote for best New Order song EVER!!
supersedes substance and best of...
compilations are rarely as gratifying as this first-rate collection from one of the most enduring groups of the past couple decades.long-time fans shouldnt feel cheated making this purchase as it contains different and in many cases vastly superior mixes to previous cd releases, and older tracks are given new life with a brilliant remastering.
Read more

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

Features

• Original recording reissued

Reviews (22)

Their pop album (4.5 stars)
At the time they released Special Beat Service in 1982, the English Beat appeared to be on the verge of a breakthrough. While their first album, I Just Can't Stop It, was a ska classic, and their second album, Wha'ppen?, was very deep into reggae, Special Beat Service toned down those genres in favor of British pop. Dave Wakeling's vocals were more compassionate than ever before and their songs were arguably their strongest overall. However, internal dissention would ultimately break up the English Beat and although several of the band members would later find success with General Public and The Fine Young Cannibals respectively, the excellent songs and performances on Special Beat Service make you wonder how far they could have gone if they were able to keep it together.
FEELS GREAT!
It's really hard to keep still when listening to this cd. I've owned it on vinyl, cassette, and cd over the years and it's always put me in a great mood. Friends have always asked about it when they heard it, and subsequently purchased it. Buy it, you won't be dissapointed.

Save It for Later is perfect and we're just lucky for the rest
Save it for Later is still one of the perfect songs of all time (though the extended versions from later are even better).There's some other great stuff off this album, like Ackee 1-2-3, and I Confess, but the whole album is solid.Actually, all of the Beat albums are solid; if you like any of their songs, I recommend the rest of their catalog to you.But Save it for Later is a special gem, so I recommend this album first. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. College Rock    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Popular Music    6. Rock    7. Ska    8. Ska Revival   

Editorial Review

The departure of bassist Pete Farndon, and the drug-related death of lead guitarist James Honeyman Scott in 1982, left Chrissie Hynde's Pretenders in disarray, but she and drummer Martin Chambers rallied to produce the stunning 1983 single, "Back on the Chain Gang" (dedicated to Scott), and over the course of the next year, cobbled together enough material for a new album, some of whose tracks included new members: guitarist Robbie McIntosh and bassist Malcolm Foster. Nontheless, the album held together due to Hynde's uniformly strong material, which ranged from the rocking, bluesy "Middle of the Road" to the near-protest tune "My City Was Gone," to the piercing "Time the Avenger."Read more

Reviews (32)

Good, but not the same band.
The Pretenders never really recovered from the loss of bassist Pete Farndon and guitarist James Honeyman-Scott. Honeyman-Scott in particular was an original talent who was truly irreplaceable. Hynde and Chambers soldiered on with session musicians and still managed to put out a very good album with Learning to Crawl, but the sound is already becoing more "classic AOR", and the intensity, excitement and originality of the first two albums has clearly begun to dissipate. That said, I think this record has stood the test of time fairly well and is not as disappointing in retrospect as it seemed when it was originally released.

Solid
Considering the loss and tragedy within the band, this is a very strong, if not stunning release by the Pretenders and some of their best material!

Awsome
If you don't have this album in your collection, it's a must have... period. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Hard Rock    3. New Wave    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Rock    7. Rock & Roll    8. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (58)

Their best next to Zenyatta Mondatta (4.5 stars)
Although The Police's second album, Reggatta De Blanc, doesn't receivethe recognition of their other albums, it is a very underrated release and their best album next to Zenyatta Mondatta. Sting's tenor and bass playing were in fine form, Stewart Copeland's drumming continued to be very creative, and Andy Summers' distinctive guitar work was more upfront than on their future releases. Even though none of the songs hit the U.S. Top 40, the melodic "Message in a Bottle" and the sparse "Walking on the Moon" have now become timeless classics and continue to receive steady rotation on classic rock radio. While these songs are top notch, several tracks like the power-pop of "It's Alright for You", the solemn piano-driven "Does Everyone Stare", and the driving instrumental title track are just as good. In fact, the best track on the album is the seldom played melancholy love song "The Bed's Too Big Without You." Other strong tracks include the reggae tracks "Deathwish" and "Bring on the Night", the frantic rocker "No Time This Time", and the humorous "On Any Other Day", which is the only Police track to feature a lead vocal from Copeland. All told, Reggatta De Blanc is a great album that would pave the way for the Police to become international superstars. Highly recommended.

Reggatta de Blanc (White Reggae)
After The Police released their debut album "Outlandos d'Amour" they released the single "Landlord".Quite possibly the hardest they ever rocked the single only appeared on the Police box set.It would had been nice if they had tacked it on to their second album "Reggatta de Blanc" but it would had seem completely out of place.Thats because the group had, in some ways, moved away from the high energy post-punk of their debut and instead concentrated on making atmospheric and more moody reggae pop/rock.
Their 2nd Best Album!One of My All-Time Favourites!
This digipak version of this great album is a real treat because they did a great job remastering this.The sound quality is very good and seems to have given the whole album a whole new lease of life; it's almost as if I'm listening to this for the first time.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. New Wave    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Post-Punk    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Taken in one concentrated best-of dose, it becomes evident what a coup the B-52's pulled off when they turned their own concentrated craziness into genuine hits. This is some of the weirdest stuff ever to make the charts, much less be loved by the masses. It's all here though--the mad surf guitar of Ricky Wilson (and later Keith Strickland), the banshee wails of Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson, and, of course, the, um, well, let's say vocalizing of freaky Fred Schneider. "Party out of Bounds" with a "Rock Lobster" on "Planet Claire," or "Roam" over to the "Love Shack" in "Private Idaho." Whatever you do in the B-52's universe will at least be good, clean, perverse fun. Contains two new songs. Read more

Reviews (61)

Hair Today, Here Tomorrow
Every once in a very long while a thoroughly delightful group appears out of nowhere with something new to say and a distinct, immediately identifiable way of saying it.Such is the case with the B-52's who pull off a nearly impossible trick and make it look easy.For starters, they are musically intoxicating and certainly can't be topped for dance party appeal.The vocal blend of Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson is a lovely, natural fit, and Fred Schneider's droll, spoken word additions provide an effective and often hilarious counterpoint.Keith Strickland knows that a band like this needs basic, pure drumming, nothing flashy, and he delivers.The late, lamented Ricky Wilson provided great retro surf guitar, right on time and target.The frequent use of left-field sound effects sprinkles the songs with splendid surprises.
summer of love

Pleased, but wished it had more songs from LUV Shack...
Don't get me wrong! This is a great collection, but I guess I am one of those who fell for the Love Shack & Dead Beat Club hits mostly. And the only other track I still get into is Rock Lobster. But if you don't have any of there cd's. Then I recommend you buy this one to have a good retropective of this band's work. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. College Rock    3. Jangle Pop    4. New Wave    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Popular Music    8. Post-Punk    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop    11. United States of America   

Editorial Review

In retrospect, the second and final album by this Manchester postpunk band seems to point straight at singer Ian Curtis's suicide, which happened a few months before it was released. The band's reverberating mesh of minor-key lines and Curtis's tremorous bass voice are doomy enough on their own, and attention to the words reveals references to blacker-than-black stories by J.G. Ballard and Joseph Conrad; the void and its terrors were splitting Curtis apart from the inside. "I put my trust in you," he sings, and his voice leaves no doubt that that trust has been betrayed. But the music, grim and powerful as it is, points to the direction the surviving members took as New Order, incorporating the mechanical gravity of club rhythms. Read more

Reviews (144)

Music for a bleak world, perfect for ours.
I'm assuming alot of the people reading this review have heard alot of the hype that is around Joy Division these days from various music magazines and bands that have been name checking the group for the last few years.I was like you once, around a couple years ago upon getting into the Cure, the name "Joy Division" popped up an almost unreasonable amount of times in my music research from that point on.Its the people who are like how I was I wish to help.
Possibly the Best Post-Punk
This album is probably the best post-punk music ever made. Even though this record was released in 1980 it is still powerful, beautiful, and creepy.
Debilitating
Make sure you have some energy to recover from this album. That last track gets me every time. It's like being lead into hell or the gas chamber. Enter if you dare, this is the way, step inside. . . ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Post-Punk    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (40)

Gary Numan - 'The Pleasure Principle' (Beggars Banquet)
Review no.40. Originally released in 1979, as I've wanted to see Gary Numan live in concert SINCE this album came out.Recently,after 27 years,I finally got my wish.His new/er material is still good,just more in the goth / industrial vein. However,I thought that his trademark somewhat whiny vocals made his music still very much new wave-like. This CD reissue of the original lp is superb! Comes with four bonus(live)tracks. Most memorable tunes here, without a doubt are "Airplane","Metal","Films",his one big hit in the U.S.-"Cars" and the instrumental "Random". Highly recommended.

Brilliant.
This album still ranks as one of my favourite ever. Numan's first"solo" album and a follow up of sorts to the brilliant album "Replicas" by his former band "Tubeway Army". The album now sounds better than e