Editorial Review

The Cure is bombarding us with disposable product: There's Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (22)

Ignore Show
SHOW is just a cash-in on the pop hits that have been played too many times. PARIS is a fantastic live CD that shows The Cure to be brave enough to release dark songs that are much less well-known. I'm especially pleased with the inclusion of "Dressing Up" from THE TOP. Always a nice song, it's even better live, and no one seems to have ever heard of it, which is a shame.
This along with Show makes for a fine live experience
I had Show for years and really liked it but kept reading reviews that talked about the superiority of Paris.I ordered a used copy from amazon and found the reviews to be true.Show is still highly recommended but if you're a big fan of the group you'll also want to get Paris.
Estaban inspirados
Suena muy bien salvo Lovesong que no les sali� para nada bien.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. College Rock    3. Goth Rock    4. New Wave    5. Pop    6. Post-Punk    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (16)

Tossed about like Johnson's current endowment
Was, is and will always be worthy of our attention.Amazon Rules suggest 75 to 300 words when submitting an assessment of a product but this collection is beyond description.I might ramble further about the ramifications of this product's impact on the early 21st century but I feel time is too valuable.You must obtain this collection immediately.
A VIOLATION OF ALL WE HOLD SACRED
Why must Mark E. continue to torment us so? The only band to lay more "music" to vinyl than the Grateful Dead, and with no end in sight. No musician is more responsible for the ongoing violation of Mother Gaia and the mobilization of vast armies to secure resources to make more records: why do you think the UK is in Iraq? Enlightening us to The Monks is not enough! Any two-bit Mancunian ink-stained wretch could transmogrify rock n' roll long after Manchester United is forgotten. For Allah's sake, the dude doesn't play a guitar and is turning into a hunchback! When will the sonic rapture cease? And who decided to defile the memory of Nudie Cohen? Go ahead. Be a yob. Buy this and turn into some fey Brahmin who thinks Madonna isn't British. I'm warning YOU!!

A great price for a lot of great tunes.
I remember a review of a new Fall release (by Fred Miller?) that
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Subjects:  1. College Rock    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Post-Punk    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (29)

The Banshees' Masterwork
This album sounds like it came out of a twisted alternate-reality world. It is one of the best albums I have ever heard. Credit goes to Siouxsie Sioux for providing her absolutely unearthly vocals and her excellent band. "Peek-A-Boo" is an extremely eccentric hip-hopesque track, even though it dosen't exactly fit in with the rest of the songs on the album. "The Killing Jar" suffers a bit from coming after "Peek-A-Boo", but it is an excellently dramatic song. The exceptional "Scarecrow" has an almost animalistic quality to it. "Carousel" sounds like a slightly psychotic version of the the theme park ride it refers to. "Burn-Up", one of the best songs on the album, sounds like a warped country line dance song. The shiniest song on the album is definetley "Ornaments of Gold". The song is about someone who is more comfortable with riches than the outside world. "Turn to Stone" has an eerie gothic quality to it, with the brilliantly used Latin gutair a pefect foil for it. "Rawhead and Bloody Bones" is the most nightmarish song I have ever heard. "The Last Beat Of My Heart" is an pure, unaldulterated love sng, and it is absolutely lovely. "Rhapsody" is the Banshees at their most dramatic, and it closes the album with a bang. This album is what really brought this band to prominence, and it is their best work ever

My favorite.
I guess because of my age I didn't get into Siouxsie And The Banshees until the late 80's, but I remember getting this and the first Sugarcubes album on the same day, and I've loved "Peepshow" ever since. I'll admit this isn't anything close to punk as some of their earlier stuff is, but I find it a really pleasant mix of goth and pop, that makes it both creepy and catchy. A few of the tracks are similar to the hit "Peek-A-Boo", but much of the rest here is more moody. I believe "The Killing Jar" was a minor hit also, and I like that, but I really love the songs like "Carousel" and "The Last Beat Of My Heart" even more. Overall I'd say that if you like "Through The Looking Glass" or "Superstition", you'll like this. What a voice.

one of their best
i have to say this is probably my favourite siouxsie album.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. College Rock    3. Pop    4. Post-Punk    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

The soundtrack to the Jonathan Demme documentary, Read more

Features

• Soundtrack

Reviews (24)

One of the Top Five Live Albums of All Time
If you can only have one Talking Heads album, then get this one. Frenetic energy, fabulous changes, perfect pacing, it captures the entire Talking Heads legacy. "Life During Wartime" and "Take Me to the River" are unbelievable to end the set. I wish The Clash had something like this for posterity. This compares to The Band's "Last Waltz" for best rock performance in a live setting. Daniel

I like the liner notes better than the music.
I love Talking Heads.I do.But I love them in the way that someone who knows them mainly through hearing his older siblings constantly playing them as he grew up loves them.I don't own many of their albums, and I've never even see the film "Stop Making Sense," though I've watched David Byrne's "True Stories" dozens of times.I picked this CD up out of a bargain bin a couple of years ago, and though I like it, I just don't feel it's Talking Heads at their best.
Big
When he came out in that big suit and started with the funky chicken type stuff.Man, I'm still laughing. Great music too. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. American Punk    3. College Rock    4. New Wave    5. New York Punk    6. Pop    7. Pop/Rock    8. Popular Music    9. Post-Punk    10. Punk    11. Punk-Pop    12. Rock   

Reviews (4)

Buy this today
This collection is amazing, bring it all back for us. I am thrilled to hear Hollow Hills, Silent Hedges, and She�s in Parties once again. The only track missing on this �best of� is Bela Lugosi's Dead and that is the sad part. For those of you unfamiliar to Bauhaus, they are amounth the original Gothic bands from the 1980�s in the UK. Others in the scene are: The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshiees, The Cramps etc� I think you will like this collection of you like them.

Stunning, powerful collection
Get this and get volume 1.Together they're one of the finest "best of" collections ever.

Gothic Masterpiece
What more can you ask for?This album has all the great works of Bauhaus.Most are their early works which are much much better than their last years together.This album is worth every cent.A true gothicmasterpiece.Paranoia Paranoia, She's in Parties, Who Killed Mr.Moonlight? and Kick in the eye are just some of the reasons you should getthis album.If you are going to buy only one Bauhaus album,Buy this one,you won't be disappointed! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Goth Rock    3. Pop    4. Popular Music    5. Post-Punk    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (29)

El disco politico de Depeche Mode
En 1983, Depeche Mode volvio a ser un cuarteto; con la incorporacion de Alan Wilder no solo como tecladista sino como un gran arreglador y vital en el lapso que seguiria hasta 1995. Comienzan a experimentar nuevas cosas, como sampleos (que era algo muy poco usual para la epoca) y tambien una evolucion importante en las letras de Martin Gore, basadas en la teoria marxista; cuyo resultado es el disco "Construction time again" de 1983.
In my opinion ..
In my opinion this is the best DM release,it's arguable but in my opinion it is,the reason i think so is because it's darker than the other releases plus i picked it up really cheap at a record shop a must own!

Mode, part Two
This is where DM began to diversify musically, combining samples andacoustic guitar work with their synthesizers, and it is the first indication of where they would go. Lyrically it's all a bit naive and earnest, but that's actually part of its charm. There's hardly a dud song in the bunch, even the slightly annoying Love,In Itself has a chorus that lifts it to greater heights than it should rightly be allowed. Also here is the first song that can be considered a DM "classic" in the form of Everything Counts, which has the best lyric on the album ( not to mention one of Martin Gore's finest ever.) CONSTRUCTION TIME AGAIN is a real winner -one of DM's best - and it still holds up more than twenty years later. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Sex Pistols singer Johnny Rotten made a definitive break from his past when he reclaimed his real name--John Lydon--and formed Public Image Limited. He was no longer a token punk rocker, but an artiste reveling in his newfound auteur status. The first six songs of this collection feature this vision of the group: hard, uncompromising, idiosyncratic tunes that turn pop music inside out with devastating results. "Public Image" is the residual fury of the Sex Pistols' breakup rendered with spiky guitars and Lydon's patented snarl. "Careering" and "Memories" are skeletal art rock based on the atmospherics of dub music and perverse dance grooves. But by the Bill Laswell-produced "Rise," PiL was no longer a group but Lydon's personal pop vehicle. The music became increasingly accessible, allowing for "alternative" hits such as "Seattle" on college radio and other tunes that, while enjoyable, do not challenge the status quo as advertised. Read more

Reviews (15)

Hey you!Don't buy this!It's no good!
What a silly little man John Lydon was. He took this quasi-band and did not know what direction to take them in. With the first 2 albums, he was, at least, musically adventerous. Jah Wobble and Keith Levene were very innovative and knew how to play. The dub stuff had the potential to be cool. What detracted from the sound was Lydon screeching.
A limited Public Image.
As others have said, this is not a perfect collection, but it is perfect for the new PIL fan. After John Lydon left the Sex Pistols he formed this band, but PIL is far from the punk sound of the Sex Pistols. While I find the whole disc here good, it doesn't become what I would call catchy until the track "This Is Not A Love Song", though the opener "Public Image" is rather good. The biggest hits to the casual fan will probably be "Rise" and "Disappointed". Both are late 80's alternative classics, and both are over six minutes long. Minor hits like "Seattle" and "The Body" I like also. I'm happy this runs in chronological order, and it ends with the alt/pop sing-a-long "Don't Ask Me", which is hard not to like. Overall it's probably the only disc most fans should need.

Severely Limited introduction
Slender but reasonably comprehensive package which if nothing else serves as a good intro into for the novice into the PiL oeuvre. John Lydon actually had to haggle with Virgin Records (Virgin originally wanted a mere 8-song set), but the end result is still frustratingly meagre. Inevitably, many gems are absent, and sadly the LP remake of "This Is Not A Love Song" is included instead of the original single version which, ironically enough, was PiL's greatest (commercial) hit. Still, there are superior remixes of "The Body," "Rise" and "Disappointed," and the set is closed off nicely with the supremely catchy eco-pop single "Don't Ask Me." But there's little need to revisit this collection once you get all the PiL albums. ... Read more

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

Reviews (4)

What Am I Doing With a Devo Album!?!
I must confess that I am not a fan of New Wave. I can certainly "stomach"...and in some cases really enjoy certain bands from the genre such as The Cars, Talking Heads and The Fixx, but I absolutely adore "New Traditionalists". I actually "unshelved" this CD recently after many years of not listening to it...and it brought it all back for me and prompted me to write the one and only review I'll likely write for a New Wave release. It also got me wondering exactly how (and why) I ended up with this recording---- usually I can remember who, how and where I was "turned-on" to a new artist or band...but for the life of me, I can't remember how "NT" found its way into my collection? I don't own any other Devo albums, and probably never will---- I grew up with Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and a small portion of Pop Rock and Singer/Songwriter music....so I KNOW I didn't purchase this (besides, the mention of a band like Devo would have gotten me laughed right out of the Rock/Metal band I was playing in at the time I "aquired" this album). Anyway...enough of my ramblings. Without going into individual songs, I can say that I really enjoy every track on the original release....though I can do without the extra tracks here on the remastered CD. If pressed to name favorites, I would pick "Pity You", "Going Under", "Through Being Cool", "LWA" and "Beautiful World". Other reviews here mention how the band was trying to "say" something within the individual songs on "NT"---- I guess I can see (hear) that, however, if I want a listening experience with a "message" and social commentary, I'm not going to grab for this to get that "fix". On the other hand, if I'm in the mood for some cool, quirky and fun music that doesn't take too much "brain power" to enjoy, this exceptional release is always on 'stand-by' for me. If your looking for an 'initiation' into this band, I would (and can only) recommend looking no further than "New Traditionalists....4.5 stars

The Spud Boy's Fourth Album
Really, this is where the Spud's edginess ends. A very solid CD by the boys from Ohio. Some great videos came off this CD as well (Beautiful World, Love Without Anger).
23+ years of listening bliss (just ask my sons)!
I wore out the vinyl and my parents' eardrums when this LP came out in 1981. Who could have predicted that, years later, my sons (the oldest of whom is the age I was when "Whip It" came out!) & I would be singing along together as the CD blared from my BMW's speakers?(They even think their old mom has great taste in music.) "Mecha Mania Boy" makes the special edition worth the extra dough, but that doesn't mean you can get away with not buying "Duty." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. American Underground    3. College Rock    4. New Wave    5. Pop    6. Post-Punk    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Synth Pop   

Editorial Review

Following in the footsteps of Foo Fighter Dave Grohl, American Hi-Fi frontman Stacy Jones put aside his drum duties with Veruca Salt and Letters to Cleo to form American Hi-Fi--a wise move since Jones proves here to be a gem of a singer-songwriter and guitarist. The quartet's 13-song debut disc runs the gamut from booming, bubblegummy rock with edgy undertones ("Surround") to infectious, Offspring-like pop punk ("Flavor of the Weak"). Muscular guitars create an arena-rock feel, while producer Bob Rock (Metallica, the Cult) helps make the group's stylistic shifts seem smooth as they move from the metallic "My Only Enemy," which sounds like a more organic Nine Inch Nails, to near Nirvana on "Hi-Fi Killer." American Hi-Fi cranks out delectable ear candy for fans of pure, guitar-driven power pop. Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (95)

Thank God for Parties!
A few years ago, after a party at my house, I found a burned CD with Flavor of the Weak on it. I absolutely loved the song and so I looked up the band online and consequently bought this CD. -Absolutely love it! The band is great and is still on my favorites list after years. I'm looking forward to purchasing their other albums.

If I hear Flavor of the Weak one more time I'll kill somebody
Think I said all I needed to in the title of this review, but I'd also like to ask what is up with these teenage punk bands with the hold-my-nose-while-singing vocals? Maybe I'm just an old and bitter ex-punk rocker, but seriously kids, the bad singing has got stop.

I wish I could make her see...
I bought this primarily after hearing "Flavor of the Week", which could well be one of my favourite songs of all time.
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Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Post-Grunge    3. Post-Punk    4. Punk-Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Live

Reviews (4)

Ease on Down the C21st
With due respect to both artists,'Summer in the South-East', evokes the moral gravity of Kurt Cobain's,'Unplugged' session. It's an uncanny presence and something to do with their respective intensity; that a certain visual and tonal depth is shaped by pain and the questions arising from it. This would be unbearable, and far from the visceral pleasure of the music, if it were the full story. Its compelling intimacy, in part, derives from its rough impurities. Even the counter harmonies are delightfully skewered to add to Oldham's 'darkness'. Affecting a phraseology that would sit comfortably in the mid C19th while probing his inner state with existential concision, he's fashioned a folk vision for our times, which, in this setting, rocks out. The selection is a virtual encapsulation of Oldham's 'greatest hits', and for this listener, they read as an emotive landscape of terror and beauty. The set has a sweetly balanced feel, raking the best versions from several performances to deliver the graceful contrasts of expanded and contracted space, speed and colour. You get a whiff of Neil Young and Jim Morrison in here, but Oldham is a total and welcome original to the fin de siecle. I've rarely been moved this way, though I do remember the first occasion when the tubercular rasping of Dylan's voice whopped me from behind in '65, and the world seemed to shift a few important degrees.

Bonnie Prince Billy on Steroids
This album is great on so many levels. Will is in fine form, delivering a heart wrenching performance and the band is spot on while still retaining a ruggedness which gives the songs character. Also, the songs are beefed up to full out hard rock mode which approaches the most ragged Neil Young or (dare I say) Pearl Jam. Tracks from the album 'Master and Everyone' benifit from this reworking, giving them a force and power that was perhaps lacking on that record. Recorded prior to the release of 'Super Wolf' you can hear the germs of that album here as 'Summer in the South East' prominently features Oldham collabrator Matt Sweeney and his more rock oriented guitar playing. The recording itself reveals what sounds like a very intimate affair with audience interaction and between song banter. Tack on another half star to give this an overall rating of 4.5

Pink Nasty
I have to say that Pink Nasty is one of the most talented singers out there today and she gets to show off her vocals with the best singer/songwriters out there.Don't ever change.
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Subjects:  1. Garage Rock    2. Indie Rock    3. Lo-Fi    4. Pop    5. Post-Punk    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Singer/Songwriter   

Reviews (11)

Highly Recommended! Great compilations of non-typical 80's hits!
The Living In Oblivion series of CD compilations does something that many similar compilations do NOT do: they give us some great variety of "hits".
THIS AIN'T NO TIME-LIFE SERIES PEOPLE!
I own all 5 of the LIO series and must say that v.5 stands out as the issue that most personifies (what I believe) is the point of the series.Many of the songs in the series were songs I may have heard only once in the 80's (in clubs, on the radio, in movies). But were it not for the LIO series, many of the tunes would definitely be relegated to musical "oblivion". (Hint to the LIO naysayers: Just because you never heard it before, doesn't mean it isn't "GOOD"! If you want only what was in the TOP 40 in the '80's, try a TIME-LIFE series!)
hit list
I used to earlier buy the NOW compilation series thinking the best songs were found in the NOW compilations but i now realise i wasted a lot of money on the now scrap only after coming across the Living In Oblivion series of 80s hits i had listened to volumes 1 and 2 and feel this is the type of music i always wanted ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 80's    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Club/Dance    4. Dance-Pop    5. Disco    6. Jazz-Rock    7. New Romantic    8. New Wave    9. Pop    10. Pop/Rock    11. Popular Music    12. Post-Punk    13. Rock    14. Synth Pop   

Reviews (24)

Curtains for now
As you already now this is the final release out of 6 albums for John Frusciante, pulling the curtains down on a busy and very productive period before its back to work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. While this may not appeal to everyone, any fan of acoustic music should appreciate this. The album is soft, mellow and reserved, and it is clear John has really evolved as a musician and songwriter over the years.
Nice album, yet a little melancholy in its mood
This, in my opinion, was good acoustic album by John, a nice try. It was the last of John Frusciante's solo endeavors, and, like all of the others, has a certain feel to it. This is both good and bad, because while this is a nice album to listen to, it is a little sad at parts, and a little bit silent for my taste. Don't let this stop you from buying it, however.
Curtains
This album is magnificent, I have a copy of it on vinyl (recordcollectionmusic.com) but unfortunatly not on CD.I say unfortunatly, because while the quality of vinyl is so much more alive, it is extremely difficult to carry around.I suggest buying both, the CD for the car and the Ipod, and the Vinyl for relaxing at home to the musical stylings of, in my opinion, one of the century's greatest musician.John Frusciante has never disappointed, and he exceeded my expectations astoundingly with his newest works.The Vinyl has a different arraingment of songs, which I think flows better.
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Subjects:  1. Lo-Fi    2. Pop    3. Post-Punk    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (107)

Unique, diverse, rich
Man oh man oh man; I cannot fathom these 1 star reviews by people.There must be SOMETHING they just DON'T get about this album, because it's brilliant.I won't go into specifics, but let me just say that I own every single Cure album and song ever released, from Three Imaginary Boys in '79 to Self-Titled in '04, along with the Join the Dots (B-Sides and Rarities) release in '04.In any case, my point is that I know ALL Cure.Everything.Many fans will compare this to other Cure releases such as "Disintegration" or "Pornography" or "Faith" or "Wish" and diss the heck out of it...just seems bizarre and strange to me.This album has so many eclectic features and and an incredible range of diversity, yet it is still held together by all things Cure.The songs are downright beautiful.For people to call this slosh and self-indulgent is just plain ignorant.To attack the lyrical content is downright immature.So what if he's singing about cheating?Each song is unique with a wide array of themes.Pay no regard to the bad reviews.You can trust me as someone who has everything The Cure has released that this is a more-than-worthy addition to your collection.I actually prefer the second half of the disc more than the first, but still love the first half as well.Do it up and treat your ears to a real work of art.

I tried
I was a huge Cure fan in the 90s. When this came out I really really wanted it to be great. I listened to it many times. I remember none of the songs and didn't like ONE song on the CD. If you want an underrated Cure CD, go get Wish. Don't even bother with this one. Completely forgetable.

Much Better Than You're Being Led To Believe
Wild Mood Swings is not a bad cd.Many of the negative reviews come right out and admit to trying to pull the rating of this cd down.Why?It usually comes down to being stuck in the past.There are a lot of people who cannot accept Robert Smith doing anything outside of Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me or Disintegration.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Goth Rock    3. Pop    4. Post-Punk    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (17)

Oh David what were you doing?
I will start by stating that this review will concern the Mesopotamia section of this release.I remain unacquainted with Party Mix.
To try and clarify
Leaving aside Party Mix which was fairly inspired at the time but a bit superflous now, Mesopotamia has a bit of a back history. This is my understanding of it, feel free to correct me if i got it wrong, I would like to know for sure myself
Time to PARTY!!!!
The first half of this CD is a terrific remix of B-52s classics like 52 Girls, Lava, Party Gone out of Bounds, etc. Basically the best of the first two B-52s CDs. The second half is a reissue of thier third CD. It was a disappointing effort and would continue with thier next CD "Whammy".
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. College Rock    3. New Wave    4. Pop    5. Popular Music    6. Post-Punk    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. United States of America   

Reviews (6)

Great-sounding collection, with a retro gem
This CD has the first Creatures song I ever heard, the delirious "Right Now," which if I recall dates back to 1983.This Las Vegas-like number sounds sort of like what Siouxsie and Budgie might do if they were to lure Frank Sinatra into some type of bizarre collaboration.Siouxsie kicks off the song in a tense, husky warble that soon explodes into an all-out swing dance, with bongos and a brass section that could have come straight out of the 1960's.
far edge
terribly fascinating and soothing tracks with a master percussionist and his visionary goddess on magical vocals. Souxsie and Budgie make love in public
I remember so well when the first Creatures EP came out. It was perfect and visionary. I played it for years and I am pleased that I just found it here for Amazon to rush into my current playlist.Read more

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

Reviews (14)

Rhino Stumbles
I really expected more. Rhino, the author of the Stiff Records and 'Left of the Dial' box sets and the 'Just Can't Get Enough' series assembled this tired set of eighties new wave? Wow.
New Wave just Can't Get Any Better!
This CD is for ultimate parties! I love it! This particular collection made me get a bunch more albums by the artists on this CD. My favoriet one on here is Gary Numan's "Cars", and A Flock of Seagulls, "I Ran" As mentioned before, this CD has Rhino's top of the line digital remastering, and it does sound extreamly good on all CD players of all different qualities. If anybody wants to get a collection of 80's New Wave, this is the one to get and it's worth it! (In fact,) I'm thinking of getting a second one so in case something happens to my first one, I'll have the second for a backup. It's that awesome!

Rhino Remastering Makes These Hits Sound AMAZING!
Thumbs up to Rhino Records for actually putting out good music on their compilations!I'm not just referring to the music included but also the sound quality.I was blown away when I stumbled upon another "Millennium" release by Rhino.The sound quality is amazing.So I was inspired to buy 3 (!) more of their "Millennium" compilations.According to their website, they look for the best available original master tapes and use the best state-of-the-art equipment for remastering these songs, referring to the "remastered in rhinophonic authentic sound" logos on the releases.Most labels don't even remaster the material!I'm really big on sound quality and I've never heard any of these songs on this collection (or any of their other "Millennium" releases) sound so crisp, bright, and clear!Take for example, "Sweet Dreams" or "Whip It," recorded in 1983 and 1980, respectively.The bass stands out like any song released today.A must-have just for the quality!Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Dance-Pop    3. New Romantic    4. New Wave    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Post-Punk    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop Collections    10. Synth Pop   

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (19)

Spaciously coiled, sonic tension, brainy brawn
One of the first CDs I bought was Rykodisc's 1987 MoB complete compilation; it was at the time the longest CD yet issued! The sound on that, I thought, could not be bettered, but after waiting a while to buy the remastered EP, this is not a cash-in job simply getting you to pay for the album again in (for me) its third form (counting my vinyl). I tend not to 'upgrade' a CD unless absolutely convinced it's one needing improvement. On this, I admit I gambled. I thought MoB sounded fine on that pioneering CD, but this re-issue nearly a decade later shows the sound's tighter and ratcheted up a bit more in intensity.
the pinnacle of post-punk
I first encountered Burma on the radio; "Academy fight Song" and "Revolver" were actually "hits" on a major Boston radio station -- this being waaay back in the day before Clearchannel bought up everything and radio became the same sucky suck on every channel. Good catchy punk songs, they grab you quickly. (Though "Academy" really reveals its multi-tracked mystery in headphones...) It wasn't till some time later, coming down on clear MIT-blotter acid one misty dawn, that I heard "Signals, Calls, and Marches" in full, but when i did, it completely redefined what I thought was possible with a guitar, a bass, and some drums. (And tape loops, aaah, the tape loops...) "Revolver" pulls you in with its angular intensity, shakes you around ("and now the sky is empty, but that is nothing new..."), then leaves you hanging on this melancholy chord, which --before you ever have time to process it-- has Peter Prescott pushing you with his kick drum into "Outlaw", which kicks in with a jagged, ideologically choppy riff. "Fame and Fortune" rolls in on an epic, moody wave, and build in intensity before crashing into this haunting, spacious breakdown that has Roger pulling all sorts of sounds out of his guitar. And for two guys who never really put technique before passion in their vocals, Roger & Clint always come up with these rough harmonies that seem all the more effective for rising out of a sea of noise. (Something Husker Du would later take to the bank...) Side 2 (oops, showing my age) kicks off with "This Is Not A Photograph" which features Dada-esque lyrics, an absolutely PRIMAL riff, and some sicksickSICK slide guitar plunges from Roger."Red" is a journey through all sorts of terrain; "there's a window in my head", don't you know it. This one starts off thrashing, and dissolves into this abstract chaos, a looping octave-jumping bassline with a completely note-free guitar-solo, and swirling loops of vocal madness that just take this BEYOND. Then it all comes down with the chiming, double-guitar chords of "All World Cowboy Romance", perhaps Burma's most melodic track, and all without a vocal (except for their trademark "oohs" in the background...) Rhytmically, structurally, tonally, lyrically, this band was capable ofstuff I haven't heard anyone equal since. (OK, well UZI and early Sonic Youth came close.) But with this band, it all came down to an indefinable mad passion and intensity, and that comes across clearly on this record. I remember deciding to listen to this every day for 100 days straight, and I did, because I wasn't sure I'd ever hear anything as good and I wanted to savor this album, to burn it into my brain so deeply that it would cut the grooves on the grey matter. To this day, I can hear this album note for note in my head, and that's an intimacy I have declined to share with any other record.

Effusive praise, barely restrained
A crystalline distillation of everything that was Boston's MOB.Grrrrrrr-eat songs like "This Is Not A Photograph" and "Acadamy Fight Song" punctuated with Roger Miller's twisting guitar.This is an envigorating listen, right up there with "Spiral Scratch." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. Pop    3. Post-Punk    4. Punk    5. Rock   

Reviews (15)

Weak in both music and lyrics
I am a fan of the B-52's and for a long time I never had the desire to buy this CD, but eventually decided to give it a try. I was disappointed with a number of things with this CD. First was the music itself. It seems as if the band was either not motivated to write and record or they were maybe in a slump. It's just that none of the songs have a strong impact and leaves one wanting.Possibly it's the way the songs were produced, they are just missing the extra bit of punch. Lastly I have to say the lyrics seem to be something my son could have come up with; nothing creative or inspirational.I know that the songs are suppose to be fun, but not this simplistic. Compared to the first two albums, this one falls far short.

Work that skirt!
The B's had fun with this cd, and it comes across well! Very dancable, very silly, and loads of fun. "Butterbean" And "Big Bird" are the goofy songs, and the mst enegetic. "Moon 83" replaced a cover of Yoko Ono's "Don't Worry" Don't worry...it is a welcome replacement because if "Don't Worry" had still been included I would have lowered my stars by one.Get this and dance along!

These collections continue to impress......
WHAMMY the B-52's 4th collection arrived back in 1983 and at the