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It's perhaps inevitable that Keane's debut album, Hopes and Fears, will draw numerous comparisons to Coldplay. Like them, Keane were discovered by indie label Fierce Panda, who released a single ("Everybody's Changing"). And, like Coldplay, Keane also do a fine trade in catchy and heartfelt indie-pop, all bruised verses and soaring choruses. But though their sound is sure to please fans of Coldplay and Travis, the reality is that Keane manage to sound that little bit more delicate. This could be down to the band's relatively unusual make-up: rather than guitars, the trio use a piano.

At its best, Hopes and Fears is reminiscent of Bends-era Radiohead and singer Tom Chaplin's voice is closer to Thom Yorke's falsetto than Chris Martin's cracked whine. On tracks such as the hit single "Somewhere Only We Know," they manage to squeeze an epic-sounding poignancy from their stripped-down sound (a lot of this is due to the album's superb production). Across 10 tracks, all this slow-burning melancholy skates a bit close to self-indulgence and you can't help but wish they'd rock out a bit. But Hopes and Fears is still a remarkable and surprisingly mature debut album from a young band with a bright future. --Robert Burrow ... Read more

Reviews (79)

A Refreshing Album
All the people comparing this album to Radiohead and Coldplay obviously aren't fans of either band. They're kind of like this friend I have who hears a song and says "hey, don't you think this band sounds like..." This is a really good album with several songs that you'll sing at the top of your lungs as you cruise down the street (This is the Last Time, Bend and Break, Can't Stop Now). Everyone wants to compare Coldplay to Radiohead because Chris Martin was strongly influenced by Thom and the boys, but the music is quite different if you actually listen to all of their albums. Now people want to lump Keane in with those two outstanding bands and say that nothing distinguishes them. The thing that distinguishes bands like these is the fact that these bands write songs that mean something. When bands strive to do this, the songwriter's soul is bare. Thom Yorke, Chris Martin, and the boys from Keane are different people with different experiences and that comes out in the music. If you want to talk about generic music, then look no further than American rock music. Before the Strokes and the White Stripes took off, who didn't sound just like everyone else? This is a good album and is worthy of a listen, but if you are not a big fan of Coldplay or Radiohead then you might feel like some of these other reviewers. By the way, what exactly is wrong with Coldplay? Nothing.

A bold and brilliant move
The biggest thing anyone who is considering this album should know is that there are no guitars. Although almost every rock band for the last 50 years has depended on guitars for the essence of their sound, here the axe does not seem to matter one bit. Although it is easy to compare them to other British pop bands such as Coldplay, they are certainly not the same. Instrumentation aside, Tom Chaplin is an excellent singer with a wide range, and this is utilized to full effect on Hopes and Fears. The songwriting is top-notch, and there are plenty of songs that seem to resonate with me, either due to their catchiness or cleverness. Some of my favorites are "Somewhere Only We Know" and "Can't Stop Now", but there are other slower songs that are equally compelling and well done. Perhaps I simply have a tendency to favor piano based tunes over guitar based, but this album is a welcome change from guitar thrashing, and extremely well produced and planned. I would recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed British Music in the post-Oasis era.

GET IT !
If you're even doubting about getting out and getting this album, DON'T. This is one of the greatest album I've even bought. The music and lyrics go perfectly in sync with each other. The band does a perfect job staying true to their songs. In a world filled with tampered pop music, this is so untouched, raw. It's exquisite. Go out and get it, you will defnitely not regret it.

Keane is Amazing!
As soon as I heard the single Somewhere Only We Know, I was amazed by Keane. They remind me of Coldplay, but I think they are much better! Their album is awesome and I can't get enough of it. Some of my favorite songs Somewhere Only We Know, Everybody's Changing, and Bedshaped. Anyone who hears the lead singers voice will fall in love with it! The combination of piano, bass, drums, and Tom Chaplins' unbelievable voice has made Keane one of my favorite bands, and I recommend that everyone give them a chance, you will not be disappointed! I have been telling everyone I know about Keane, and I listen to them constantly! I can't wait for them to tour the U.S. again, I will be sure to go see them live.

Forget about all the comparisons......
...just listen. Keane are very good at what they're doing. If you've heard their singles and liked them, the album will not disappoint you. ... Read more

Amazon.com

What's great for Ben Folds fans —true fans, not the kind who signed on after hearing 1997's un-Ben-like radio hit "Brick" —is that Songs for Silverman picks up right where the excellent Ben-comes-into-his-own Rockin' the Suburbs left off in 2001. These are heartfelt songs: sometimes cheeky and occasionally heartbreaking. "Gracie," written in a hopeful key for Folds' young daughter, unravels to playful but brilliant piano plinks; "Late," for the departed singer/songwriter Elliott Smith, sidesteps straight-on sadness to convey a sense of lost camaraderie; and the clear-eyed "Landed," delivered in Folds' unadorned, tree-trunk sturdy voice, will inspire untold revelations for those stuck in stalled relationships. The music, meantime, maintains its sharp edge: "You to Thank" juts out with the help of a two new players in a celebratory jazz direction, while "Give Judy My Notice" dabbles in country and a chorus swells for "Jesusland." Throughout, Folds' piano work remains a pop-music goodie bag that defies duplication. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (54)

Decent CD but BEWARE!!!
The music is pretty good (though still not as good as Ben Folds Five), and the DVD features are kind of a cool bonus.But frankly, I would rather have had just the music in a format that would play on all my CD players.The audio side would only play on 2 of the 4 players I tried it on (haven't tried my car yet which is obviously important).

"Why you gotta Act Like You Know When You Don't Know"?
Ben Folds brings a certain classicism with his signature style on SONGS FOR SILVERMAN.It is obvious that Folds is a brilliant songwriter, vocalist, and phenomenal pianist. The reason I think that Folds is underrated as an artist is because he is for some an "aquired taste" per say.He isn't your typical rock or pop artist.He is in the elite league of the "piano-power" artist which includes himself, Tori Amos, and recently Vanessa Carlton.I think that if more people were to hear Folds, he would surely be more popular because as an artist, he has a lot to offer.I'd be certain that if more jazz listeners were to hear him just play they'd certainly be wowed by his pianistic skills (I'm a jazz listener and musician that is wowed).

But SONGS FOR SILVERMAN did give Folds his largest opening as well as his largest debut numerically.The biggest trap that Folds falls into is filler material. The best song is offered right at the beginning and it is "Bastard" which experiments with odd meter and an incredibly enthralling fuzzy bass line. His incredibly catchy line is the title of this review "Why you gotta act like you know when you don't know", he sings enthusiastically.

"You To Thank" and "Jesusland" are fine tracks as well. And there are certainly other enjoyable listens.The true highlight is "Bastard" though. Folds piano skills and his vocal sophistication are flawless on hits as well as non-hits.This music has a light feel that is not boring in the least.This is a very nice album.4 stars.

Where is The G.I. Folding Action????
I Went To A Ben Folds Concert To See Ben Fold Something...Boy was I dissapointed!

A Must Listen For Any Fan
This latest release from Ben Folds is by far his most mature offering, and not simply for a second song written for his children. The lyrics are incredibly witty and real, not unlike the story-like albums "Ben Folds Five" and "Naked Baby Photos." Ben continues to make dynamic and gripping rock 'n roll with his piano, while delivering vocal tracks that make you swear he hasn't spent most of the last decade on tour. For anyone who will have an appreciation of where this album fits into his life, pick it up and listen to it. Again and again and...

Silversongs for man
Ben Folds, completely ignored in France, deserves all the attention of all those which likes the pop one and the songwriters with subtle melodies and refined harmonies. I draw the attention of those particularly, inconsolable as I am to it myself, of the disappearance of Elliott Smith. Because Ben Folds forms part of this family of musicians who can find melodies and athmosphères immediately captivating without never falling into the facility. The two men knew each other and estimated themselves mutually. Ben Folds offers to us besides in this album "Late" a very beautiful song dedicated to Elliott, simple, and direct - one could not make any more beautiful homage. If Elliott were a guitarist: Ben Folds is a pianist (and a good one !). All its songs are arranged around a base piano-bass-battery (traditional formation for the jazz but less in the pop one, Ben not hesitating besides flirting with jazz, as in "You to thank".) Strings, choruses and guitars come enjoliver these beautiful melodies. Its texts are full with humour, full with an irony which would surely make smile Randy Newman itself ("You to thank", again). One will appreciate this familiarity which one immediately has with the musical universe of Ben folds, who releases an obviousness which had with the musical culture of the artist and the very personal transformation of his pop influences into catchy songs. One will precipitate several times of continuation on Jesusland and especially Landed, potential hit, which would have made green of jealousy the Elton John of the great time - that of Tiny Dancer.
It should be noted that this disc exists in a Dualdisc edition: a universalCd side, a DVD side. the dvd one has the advantage of offering one mix 5.1 of the album, a making of of the album which introduces Ben Folds well, and an alternate version of Landed with strings which does not have anything gadget. ... Read more

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Irish troubadour Damien Rice doesn't so much reinvent the folk genre on this lush, impossibly mature debut album as push its boundaries in several compelling musical directions at once--all the more remarkable considering the album was largely self-produced and home-recorded. His songs revolve around familiar, bittersweet concerns of life, love and their attendant frustrations, but delivered with conspiratorial intimacy on melodic wings that (like on the graceful "Cannonball") Rice seems almost embarrassed to share. If there's anything like a template here, it's "The Blower's Daughter," the song that first attracted the interest/stewardship of film composer David Arnold (whose guest production provides "Amie" with expansive cinematic elegance) and became a massive Irish hit. His plaintive vocal, embroidered by the mournful solo cello of Vyvienne Long, is suddenly brightened by an instrumental flourish and Lisa Hannigan's vocals--before just as quickly wafting on the breeze. With touches that range from "Day in the Life"-styled string collages to the dizzy, exhilarating neo-operatic excesses of the 16-minute "Eskimo," Rice's musical palate here is as adventurous as his songs are grounded in emotional intimacy. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (154)

Haunting and Beautiful
Damien Rice has a beautiful Irish tenor voice. And it works wonderfully in his folk aranged album. He also has a female companion who harmonizes with him, and she is a fantastic vocalist. This album is composed of guitar, the two vocalists, some percussion, and generally a cello or small strings arrangement. That makes for a wonderful album to listen and relax to.
The song-writing on the album is amazing. Rice writes songs like conversations and uses the wonderful (and beautiful if you've seen the video) female to sing the response. Many songs are about lost love or bad love or just love, but they are not just simple, stupid, pop love songs. They are incredibly crafted lyrics that can stand alone without music, which says a lot about Rice's songwriting skills.
Buy this album if you enjoy folk/pop music. James Taylor, Angie Aparo, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, Gark Jules and David Gray are a few musicians I would say if you like you'll enjoy Damien Rice.

The most beautiful album I have ever heard...
Searching for words to describe this album are like trying to count the stars in the sky. (I know it's cliche, but it works). This album is amazingly beautiful.

Back in May I picked up a friend of mine in Chicago after she spent the semester in Ireland and the whole way home (a 3+ hour drive) all we listened to was O. After we arrived home, I decided I had to have the album. I ordered the import off amazon and before it arrived, I got to see Damien back in Chicago at Schubas. If the album itself doesn't amaze you, go see him live and you'll fall in love. Just a few more weeks until he plays Chicago again.

This album ranges from soft ballads (The Blower's Daughter) to heart-wrenching rock (the second half of I Remember). Unlike many albums from folk singers, I think this one is best listened through all the way at once. While there are great standout tracks (Amie, I Remember, Delicate), the whole album tells a story. There is a gradual almost epic-like progression throughout that sends the listener on a roller-coaster of emotions.

One of the greatest things about this album is the fact that Damien recorded this (mostly) in his basement over the course of a year. Instead of being thrown into a studio for a month to record the album using manufactured emotion (having to record on days you don't feel like it), Damien recorded each of the songs when he was "feeling it". That's why all of the emotion in these songs are SO real, so genuine. There is nothing manufactured about its sound. Another magnificant thing about it is the range of instrumentation and musical genre used. As I said, there are the slow, soft ballads, and rocking songs as well as Operatic elements (Eskimo)and beautiful orchestration in "Amie" and "Cold Water".

From listening to the album and several live shows I have, I can tell that Damien does not have a powerful, controlling, confident voice. Rather his voice sounds strong at times, but is usually more reserved and cautious. This cautious tone makes the album all the more believable, showing it is true emotion that has not been overproduced or forced.

I really can not say enough good things about this album and if I could give 10 stars, I would. As I said, my favorite tracks are #1 Delicate, #6 Amie and #9 I Remember, but there is not a bad song on the album.

As one other reviewer already said, my only complaint is that the last song (Eskimo) has 2 "hidden tracks" [Prague, and Silent Night (a song set to the tune of the traditional Silent Night Christmas song, but with different lyrics)] that should have been seperate tracks finishing off the album with 12 instead of 10. But as my only complaint, I must still recommend this album.

E-mail me if you have any questions whatsoever.

Loved it!
Damien Rice is such a talented musician. His music never gets old, you can listen to it over and over again. His soultry voice is always nice to listen to. I highly recommend it!!

Fearless
This is my first review of anything on Amazon, though I am a constant reader. I simply had to talk about this album.

The best way to describe this album is fearless. He takes the road less traveled by other up-and-coming singer-songwriters. While the new batch has had some very good singers, nothing compares to this album. They seem more interested in making a "clean" album, while this album seems like he is alone in a room baring his soul.

Though the strange thing is about the album s that you know he could not have been alone in a room. There is so much going on, so many chances taken that it is hard to descibe. Simply saying that it is an acoustic album is wrong. The album brings in much more.

Fearless in his atempts to expand beyond just him and his guitar. Consider how at the end of Amie, out of nowhere comes what sounds like an entire orchestra. It sounds beautiful and it becomes almost impossible to imagine the song without it. Then the gorgarian (sp?) chants that enter into Cold Water. By the end of the album it seems only appropriate to have an opera singer at the end of Eskimo.

But the wonderful things about the album is that it doesn't rely on these tricks. They are simply used to enchance the songs. Cannonball is simply him and his guitar, and it is one of the best songs on the album (a song friends of mine have confessed crying to when they heard it).

Another huge difference between him and others is the feeling involved. I have yet to hear another singer coming out now who you can feel their pain so clearly and identify with it(Howie Day is close). The only line in the chorus of The Blower's Daughter is "I can't take my eyes off you..." The way he sings it and the passion in his voice make the line more romantic and meaningful than an entire boy-band album.

Just the other night I went outside with my CD Player to sit on the front porch and listen to music while I smoked a cigarette. I started at track one, and became so engrossed in the songs, I just sat there until the album finished. It is THAT good. And it is that feeling that is put into every song that gives me the impression this album will age very well.

I agree with others that he brings back memories of when Jeff Buckley was around. They invoke the same spirit. And that is nothing but a compliment, because if there is anything music needs now, it is someone who can do to people what Jeff did. Even though Jeff died too soon, people are still listening to his music because it means so much to them. I have the feeling that this album will do the same. It is Damien Rice's "Grace".

My only concern is the same as others. How in the hell is he going to follow this up? But here is the fun part, imagine if he somehow makes a better album?

Finally...
When I first heard Damien Rice I immediatley felt pleasantly confused and relieved, thinking to myself, "Finally someone new with passion and true emotion".

I highly recommend this CD and hope more people discover this wonderful collection of songs. A true music fan will appreciate this one. Damien Rice's music is honest and full of heart. His backing vocalist, Lisa, is a purely gorgeous angelic voice that compliments Rice perfectly. The comibation of acoustic guitar and cello is simply beautiful. This CD has a refreshing classical feel that is delicate but full of power. The album was made to be heard loud from the first track all the way to the end. The songs are ordered to perfection and have a lot to give out to its audience. Don't miss out.

We need more artists like Damien Rice and it's wonderful to know true artists are actually creating good sound somewhere. It's difficult to believe this is Damien Rice's debut CD, the possibilites are endless for a follow-up. ... Read more

Reviews (122)

Which song is which?
Lifehouse made a big name for themselves in the late 90s with their album, No Name Face.

I actually wasn't even aware they released a second one.The third one was released recently at my record store, and I decided to pick it up.

The vocals are nice, the guitar is nice...but overall this disc is a little boring.The tracks, whether played as numbered or randomly, run into eachother creating a musical blur that is somewhat mind-numbing and a little sleep-inducing.

I cannot name specific songs which jump out at me, either.Perhaps if I listened to them solitarily, they might have a greater impact but all I can think of right now is taking a nice big nap until another CD comes on.

Excellent Band
Lifehouse never ceases to amaze me. I have every single one of their albums, and there is not one song on each of them I don't like.

Simply Amazing & Marvelous
I am probably one of the biggest Lifehouse fan's that there is. This album is simply amazing and I love listening to it as much as I can. Jason Wade has exceeded with his voice and actions in this sojourn through a softer melodic path in their career as a group. 'You And Me' and 'Into The Sun' are the hits of this beautiful album. This album is for a bona-fide Lifehouse fan and any fan of romantic moody music. There is songs in this album that are for romantic evenings, wedding dance songs, candlelit dinners as well as just sitting back and relaxing.

This is Lifehouse at their best. This album isn't as good as 'No Name Face' but it sure comes close. My two all time favourite Lifehouse songs are 'Simon' and 'Everything' followed by 'Storm' and 'You And Me'. This album continues the great work of the past albums and continues the evolution of this great group. The video of You And Me is beautiful to watch.

I hope Lifehouse brings out a DVD of many of their songs, it would be fitting for this group of talented young men who are well on their ways to achieving some great accolades and fame. Thankyou Lifehouse for your music that is some of the best I have ever heard as well as inspiring, joyful and retrospective.

This is a good stuff!
My first impression for this album was actually not that good. Perhaps I would give it 3 stars, but definitely this album wouldn't be as good as their previous releases. But after listening to this album 2 or 3 more times, I've become addicted to it!

Lifehouse has smoothen their path a bit, with fabolous result! "You And Me", with its beautiful lyrics and melody, will surely be a favorite love song in no time. "Blind", "Better Luck Next Time", and "We'll Never Know" offers rather hard guitar riffs and infectious chorus. You'll find yourself humming through these songs. "Come Back Down" and "Days Go By" are both warm soft-rock songs; nice tracks to listen to when you get stressed out. One of the highlights is "Into The Sun"; this song is very Lifehouse and it sounds a bit mysterious, which is good! However, The three last tracks are the best ones. Track 10, "Walking Away" starts off with sharp but slow-tempo drum rolls, then the guitars ride in and the song turn so melancholic. I really like the part when Jason sings, "Hey, remember me/ I remember you/ Walking Away...". Talking about a touching song. Then "Chapter One" begins. The intro is soft and sounds a bit unusual for a Lifehouse track. The melody is nice, the lyrics great, what else could you ask for? Then the closing track, "The End Has Only Begun". At first I didn't like it, but when it comes to the bridge, it turns to be a very promising tune. Perhaps this should be their next single. This track leaves you wanting for more songs from the band! Luckily, I bought the Asian version, and there is a bonus track, "Today". This track rocks! Literally. The drum rolls are heavier than any other songs on this album. I think it should be in the album, replacing "Come Undone" or "All In All" (the two tracks I consider rather weak).

Many claims that this album is not their best, but I disagree. I think this album is as good as their previous albums. They do choose the smoother track, and their music sounds lighter than usual. But then, Jason Wade has always had a smooth voice, and it works best on this album. I say if this album doesn't sell well, it's just a matter of luck.

Great album...gets even better each time you listen to it!
I have been listening to this album for two weeks now, and it is better every time. Some people who have written reviews of this are full of hot air.
Songs 1-9 are near perfect and the best yet from Lifehouse.
It makes you glad to be alive.
BUY THIS NOW!!!
... Read more

Album Description

Montreal's Arcade Fire brings a theatricality, an intensity, an insanity, and a penchant for amazing hooks to their debut full-length. You've never heard such energy, beauty, and emotion from such a young band. Fans of Neutral Milk Hotel, Broken Social Scene, and Roxy Music's first two albums will have a new favorite band. ... Read more

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Australian-born Keith Urban, hot off the double-platinum success of his 2002 sophomore album, Golden Road, is kind of like contemporary country's Tom Cruise. The kid is just so unjustly talented, likeable, and good-looking that it's hard not to hate him. But such jealousy is apt to melt into begrudging admiration and affection after a quick listen to this third album. True, some of Urban's self-penned adolescent love laments and bright-eyed paeans to life in the slow lane do sound a bit callow and derivative. But, with his resolute tenor and his dazzling lead guitar work, he breathes real pain and passion into moving confessionals like Matraca Berg's "Nobody Drinks Alone," "Tonight I Wanna Cry" (a heart-rending ballad co-written by Urban), and a gentle Rodney Crowell gem called "Memories of Us." --Bob Allen ... Read more

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Conor Oberst is running on dangerous ground: getting his first Dylan comparisons at age 12, frolicking with Winona Ryder, releasing two separate albums at once. Didn't he learn anything from Ryan Adams's mistakes? It's a good thing he can write such haunting, intimate songs. I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (released simultaneously with Digital Ash in a Digital Urn) is the album the Omaha native has always threatened to make, channeling his country rock influences into articulate, witty ballads that come to life with gorgeous harmonies supplied by Emmylou Harris. The tumbling "We Are Nowhere and It's Now" might be his first actual masterpiece, while the words of album closer "Road to Joy" ("I could've been a famous singer if I had someone else's voice/ But failure's always sounded better") indicate that Oberst might have his head screwed on right after all. -- Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (113)

A Great CD, but not Bright Eyes' best
I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning is a refreshing change from a lot of the same kind of music that's being put on the market right now, it's lyrically splendid, like poetry. Although Conor's voice isn't great, it starts to grow on you after a while.

I was actually first introduced to Bright Eyes through this album a couple of months ago. I think it's a fabulous album, and I really don't have a complaint about any of the tracks, I wouldn't say you would be out anything by buying this CD, but just as far as the band is concerned, it's not Bright Eyes' best. I would suggest investing in the Fevers and Mirrors album instead, or at least in combination with this one.

More hype, more bad music
Bright Eyes joins bands such as The Decemberists and Bloc Party as contenders for most overhyped indie outfit. All Bright Eyes seems to display is an acousitc guitar awash with boredom.

just AWESOME
this cd is wonderful, the raspy, REAL voice of bright eyes is beautiful!

Yecccchhhhh!
If you like self-important garbage with a simplistic, childish view of the world, this is the cd for you.
I would have given it zero stars if I could have.
He can't even sing!

Best CD of the Year!!!!
This is Conor Oberst's best work yet.We get his beautiful, abstract poetic lyrics and also get haunting, simple melodies that will not leave your head. It's primarily an acoustic album with a country/folk/rock sound, featuring guest vocals by Emmylou Harris and Jim James of My Morning Jacket. Both harmonize and sound excellent with Oberst's trembling tenor voice (which evokes innocence and passion).The entire CD sounds like he is sitting across the table from you, beer in hand, telling you a story in song. A very cohesive work, somewhat reminiscent of Sixties folk rock, from one of the best songwriters I have heard since then.It got me hooked on Bright Eyes and finding all his earlier works, and wondering why I just discovered him! Definitely the best CD of the year! No wonder they call him the King of Indie Rock! Great job, Your Royal Indieness! ... Read more

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Pink Martini should be known as the little orchestra that walks a fine line in its music. The Portland, Oregon, outfit is deeply influenced by Latin music, jazz, cabaret, cinema scores and a smattering of other styles. But rather than simply aping legendary artists in their prime – and fooling only a few dim bulbs in the process – band shakes things up by writing its own material, or at least creating tasteful new arrangements that fit within the band’s unique post-lounge framework. The band keeps the playful musical vibe on Hang On Little Tomato, but jettisons what kitsch factor it had, choosing to focus wholly on original material or stuff that isn’t recognizable to the average music fan. It’s been a seven year wait for fans since the band’s fun debut, Sympathique, and while the blush is now off the rose, the band’s creative ambitions and talent are never better displayed than here on its second effort. – Tad Hendrickson ... Read more

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Jack Johnson has found himself a groove. Indeed, the Hawaiian surfing champion turned alternative pop-folk star really hasn't changed things one iota for his sophomore release. Fans of Brushfire Fairytales should be delighted with the results. The groove is a mellow one--most of the 16 tracks here are semi-acoustic--and that easy-going spirit filters into Johnson's lyrical philosophies. "What will be will be / And so it goes" he sings on "Times Like These," the opening track. Thankfully, Johnson is never too mellow, and there's a "Don't worry, be happy" vibe to most of his music. "The Horizon Has Been Defeated" even has a pseudo-reggae feel to it. Although classified as an alternative musician, the singer-songwriter's compositions owe much to past hits. "Traffic in the Sky" is reminiscent of Jim Croce's "Operator" and Looking Glass's one-hit-wonder, "Brandy." On the splendid "Taylor," Johnson sounds an awful lot like Donovan. And "By The Way" recalls the Lovin' Spoonful. -- Bill Holdship ... Read more

Reviews (206)

Means Well
Jack Johnson's sophomore effort is good; it's nothing more, nothing less. He continues on with some pretty creative songwriting, but fails to take it to a new level. Lyrically he's the same "loveable, I'm a really nice person trying to please everyone" Jack that we grew to love on "Brushfire Fairytails". Some lyrics are quite confusing, for example, a lyrical excerpt from track 2, Jack boldly states "Hallelujah Zig Zag Nothing". Could anyone tell me what that means? Another insightful lyric from track 8, "The children were playing cricket with no shoes." Where does that lyric fit into an acoustic pop album? However, there are several stand out tracks on this album that will no doubt grab your attention. All in all, it's a good album to chill to, but it won't hold your attention for too many listens. One thing definitely remains clear...this guy loves surfing.

a genius work that i wish i could better describe
frankly, words don't do justice...
I liked Brushfire, but i cannot get over what an incredibly RICH album On and On is! I cannot take this album out of my cd player: at home, in the car, at work, back in the car, and finally at home again. you get the point.

those who don't see the genius in Jack's soulful simplicity are missing the point. sure, at first, one might think "geez, it's all a bunch of somewhat repetitive chords and basic rhythm structures." well, my advice is that give the lyrics, beats, and melodies a very close listen - a collection of textures and moods that conveyed so beautifully, they'll move. This is one diverse and talented assembly of musicians. These songs are the raw and genuine goods - no additives. There's a time and place for the hoochie-mamma bump-n-grind Miller commercials, this sure ain't it. Amen. this album will remind you what is born of true human thought and talent.
Please, do yourself a favor and buy this album - then, sit and take in the smoothness of this hawaiian bruddah. pure rapture. Thank you sooo much Jack Johnson for this wonderful gift. You've earned yourself a lifetime of good swells on whichever beach you happen to be surfing. Ikaika brah!

Great CD
Jack Johnson's On And On is a great CD to just chill and listen to. Has great guitar and vocals throughout the whole CD, not just a few good songs like most. My favorites are Gone, Taylor, Holes To Heaven, and Wasting Time. Also, most of the lyrics on his songs hit deep and actually mean something. I would recommend this album to anyone who likes Ben Harper, John Mayer, or OAR. They all have that mellow and laid back vibe.
1. Times Like These-great song, i love the verses in the song, not a great chourus
2.Horizon Has Been Defeated-great sound, not great lyrics but good to listen to
3.Traffic in the Sky-one of my favorite songs on the album, I believe that many people who wanna mellow out will enjoy this.
4.Taylor-great guitar, decent lyrics, one of my faves and shows a good message if you pick up the subtext
5.Gone-in my opinion the best song on the CD, great lyrics and decent music
6.Cupid-good song not my fav but still good
7.Wasting Time-decent sound but GREAT lyrics i love how he points out "Everybody else"
8.Holes to Heaven-good guitar, good lyrics, good vocals, good bass, and good percussion, all around good song
9.Dreams Be Dreams-like this song because I think Jack shows your part of himself and what he is feeling
10.Tomorrow Morning-starts kinda slow but still a good mellow out song
11.Fall Line-again not one of my faves but still easy to listen too
12.Cookie Jar-nice'n slow
13.Rodeo Clowns-a little more upbeat kinda reminds me more of ben harper with a little less bongo
14.Cocoon-very slow and a nice chorus
15.Mediocre Bad Guys-doesnt sound like typical Jack Johnson but I love the chourus
16.Symbol in my Driveway-good way to end a CD and I think its a nice song
Anyone I have ever entroduced this CD to has loved it. No matter the age, sex, race, or anything everyone from my dad to some of my friends we all love it and I would reccomend it to ANYONE

the best
this cd is mello and relaxed but at the same time it is interesting and ear catching and it is great for repeated listening. it has a simplistic style that cannot be touched is is by far the greatest thing i have heard in a long time.
im going to go see them in tahoe in august and i can not wait!!!

overwhelmed with overhyped and underfed lyrics
when jack johnson's audience turned the corner from cult surfing followers to AAA radio america, he didn't change anything and that, right there is a positive. regardless of genre, whenever that corner gets turned on its preverbial head, the music changes - mostly for a poppier and more horid direction. so congrats to jj for staying away from the trap. however, just because he stayed away from the trap, does not validate the critical calls of "classic!"

cries of deep lyrics are pseudo back handed. when compared to many of his contemporaries, songs like "cookie jar" may hold some weight, but overall this album still enduces those frat boy party mentalities. which, in all honesty, is the audience around the corner - doing a keg stand. it still remains that the height of lyricism remains from the hungry unknowns. if the minimalistic acoustic driven rock is your fancy and you need some lyrics worth a second thought, my you might want to check out Blue-Eyed Son's "West of Lincoln." i heard "The Tide" on a local college station and at first was appauled that his voice reminded me so much of Elliott Smith, but all was soon forgotten with the catchy hooks and wonderful melodies. i broke down and bought the CD and was happy. And if you're reading this review, you might want to think of turning another artist's corner - or at the very least, checking it out.

there are positives to say about mr. johnson. sure, you throw it on at a party and the guy pouring the shots at the ice luge might hit you with a double b/c of his fascination with this surfing/acoustic ape of an artist. but please, don't fool yourself into thinking that this is some of the greatest song writing of the last century, its not even the best over the past five years. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Blinking Lights and Other Revelations is a big, important record that's also devastatingly somber. Which, depending on how serious an Eels fan you are and the sturdiness of your psyche, can be taken as an endorsement or a warning. Shades of the band's superb sophomore effort, Electro-Shock Blues, recorded after the suicide of Everett's sister and the death of his father, show up here on such wounded tracks as "Checkout Blues," "If You See Natalie," and "I'm Going to Stop Pretending I Didn't Break Your Heart." Permeating those are instrumental snippets, some sad and ponderous ("Theme from Blinking Lights"), others bordering on bright ("Theme for a Pretty Girl that Makes You Believe God Exists"), and a handful of ironic exercises in straight-up pop (the winking "Going Fetal" and the cynical but upbeat "Hey Man [Now You're Really Living]"). Spread over two discs, the mood of Blinking Lights burns in fast and builds in its ferocity, so that when lighter moments like the funny "Whatever Happened to Soy Bomb" surface, they seem like ominous breaks in the storm. Though these songs make it easy to forget that Everett's gruff, fuzzed-over vocals have also graced fare breezy enough to be included on the Shrek soundtrack, their beauty delivers a thoughtful listener from caring. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Excellent!
I saw the Eels perform on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno the day the album was released.I had to have the album after hearing "Railroad Man".Once you put the CD's in, you can just sit back and listen to it again and again.This album should win album of the year.

perpetual motion machine
E is Velocity Boy and he's invented the perpetual motion machine. Well he hasn't really invented the perpetual motion machine. He's just made sure that his poorly crafted wagon is on an endless downward slope. And it's gaining reckless speed. In perpetuity.

Eels peaked at Daisies of the Galaxy, started to junk out on Souljacker--which at least had a few great songs. Then Shootenanny? Are you kidding me? (Okay, Fashion Awards was funny.) And now Blinking Lights...?

Bland, forgettable songs. Tired, entirely guessable rhyming couplets and the same old four riffs he's been dry humping since Electro-Shock Blues--which, incidently, was a great album. Buy it. But don't buy Blinking Lights.

(...)

A glorious return to form ****1/2
I'm one of these nutters that truly believes in the healing power of music, and if I'm right in my theory then Eels frontman E must surely be one of the artforms foremost practitioners. Electro-Shock Blues broke my heart then put itback together all within the 40 or so minutes of the album, which is why I can barely articulate the crushing disappointment I felt when listening to the Eels last couple of albums - the uneven Souljacker and the downright dismal Shootenanny.

While those albums must have been some kind of retreat from fame, if not out and out career suicide, E's new album Blinking Lights And Other Revelations is a reawakening of the inner genius inside of himself. Blinking Lights is... quite simply a masterpiece, long - yes, but not a moment is wasted and everything just seems to fit perfectly to my ear, oh yeah... it's also his most personal, honest and beautiful record since Electro-Shock Blues.

E bares his soul to striking effect on songs such as 'Son Of A Bitch', 'The Other Shoe' and 'Dust Of Ages', in his hands a simple lyric or a string of notes can be devastatingly poignant, and this album is full of those sort of moments - an embarassment of riches really.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and this album mightn't be for everyone, but frankly it beggars belief that anyone with a working pair of ears could possibly give it one star (as the odd reviewer has done). Blinking Lights is nothing short of a triumph from this reclusive, insightful and above all talented man.

The Eels are back
I've bene through this album about 10 times since purchasing it, and it has emerged as one of my favorites of the Eels albums. The album does have its share of slower songs utilizing spare arrangements that have more in common with Levity than prior Eels albums. However, give these songs a chance - the majority of them, including the variations on the Blinking Lights themes, are terrific.

And that is not to say that there aren't a collection of upbeat songs such as Magic World, Trouble with Dreams, The Other Shoe, Railroad Man, Old Sh**, Hey Man, Losing Streak . . .You can get 33 songs for the price of a single album, and there are enough good rock songs to fill one full album, with another album of slower material that grows on you quickly. This album is a deal, and I can't stop listening to it.

I personally was disappointed with Souljacker and Shootenany, and my personal favorites are Electro-Shock Blues and Daisies. This album is a return to form, and is one of the best albums of the year. Buy it, enjoy it, and don't get hung up on the fact that its a double album. That fact seems to have derailed a lot of other rational reviewers. You're getting more than twice the music for free, people! Relax! Enjoy!

Major Disappointment
I don't know what some of you people are listening to, but this was awful.There are about 4 songs that I could actually listen to.Let's face facts, Souljacker is FAR and AWAY the best EEL'S album.The best part about this one is that they only forced us to pay once instead of splitting this garbage into 2 releases.
They put WAY too much garbage on this. I HIGHLY recommend against it unless you like to torture yourself. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Styled more along the lines of a revolutionary cell than a band, Bloc Party approach the medium of rock'n'roll with the sort of high seriousness usually reserved for philosophy lectures. Yet on Silent Alarm, this "autonomous unit" of smart, wiry London youth don't just succeed in reinvigorating the artform--they come pretty close to reinventing it from the ground up.Whereas early singles like "She's Hearing Voices" found the band still attempting to chisel their own image out of familiar post-punk reference points--The Fall, Joy Division, and Gang Of Four, to name but three--newer tracks such as "Like Eating Glass" and the prickly "Price Of Gas" find Bloc Party pioneering a freshly-minted template of staccato percussion, expansive soundscapes, and cryptic lyrics that artfully straddle the political and the personal. Russell Lissack has forsaken that overdone hallmark of post-punk, brittle tortured-fretboard skronk, in favor of an effects-laden guitar sound that adds genuine prettiness to Bloc Party's edgy rush. But it's Kele Okereke's vocal that's the band's most flexible facet, morphing from frothing anger to breathless desperation. "Are you hoping for a miracle?" he bays, on "Helicopter". Yes? Well Silent Alarm ably fits the bill. --Louis Pattison ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Don't let the cheesy name scare you away-These guys RULE
This band is great and the album is a must have.Every single track is excellent.The songs are very well written, the vocals are from the heart, and the musicianship is tight and very interesting.Great drummer too.He reminds me of Stuart Copeland from the Police...Very inventive, intense, and precise.This vocalist has great range, and he hits notes that will make the hair on your arms stand up. Much of the vocals remind me of H.R. from Bad Brains.Listen to Bad Brains "The Omega Sessions" and tell me there's not a similarity there.There are alot of bands currently trying to capture that raw British,70's and 80's alternative rock sound; Bloc Party is the only group that has successfully gotten it right....And they nailed it!They are so authentic that you'd swear this album is from the past, not recorded in 2005.Give it a try, it's worth your time and money.

Top 10 album of the year!
Ill get to the point, bloc party is the surprise of the year and they dont dissapoint. For all you killers and franz ferdinand fans your simply wasting your time with those bands not to take anything away from them but there album just seems boring compared to bloc party. Banquet ofcourse is the flagship of this album but offers so much more than just banquet, positive tensions awesome, helicopter great, she hearing voices just awesome, pioneers brilliant, i can go on but this is as far as im going. To all you looking for an album that will be worth your 13 bucks i say take a chance you wont be dissapointed. This album clearly should be atleast in the top ten album of the year its that good.

Interpol? Are you kidding me?
You know, I'm getting really tired of reading these amateur reviews of new albums using such repeated names as Interpol, Franz Ferdinand, and the GODFATHER of the most overused... Joy Division. Really, kids.. just stop it. First of all, the first two are recent bands, and this group obviously pulls more aged and matured influences into the mix. We're talking about Bloc Party here, not the Bravery. No need to bring recent names into the list.

I will tell you that this album has it's cup runneth over with bass lines that will move you, verses that will hook you, and guitar riffs that will taunt you. I know that sounds horribly cheesy, but it's the only way I can think to describe it. To me, I hear a bit of Public Image Limited (pre "Compact Disc"), a tad of Gang of Four (yes, I know that's overused too), and a touch of Wire. There are many other influences I could add as well, but I really don't have that kind of time.

Listen, I know it's the elitist way to put down any band that makes it "mainstream," but this album is definitely worth all the fuss it's getting. And this is coming from someone who spends hours browsing various audioblogs and record stores each day trying to find something different and unheard of for next week's bar crowd to enjoy.

But don't listen to me. Listen for yourself. Stop caring about what other people think and love music for what it's meant to be. An escape from reality and a jolt of emotion. It's NOT a popularity contest.

Crash and burn
Another great British post-punk/pop hope crashes and burns on account of mediocrity.There's just nothing that works here except for youthful energy and misplaced outrage.There's nothing clever or accomplished about the songwriting or musicianship, and the politically pretentious and adolescent lyrics make this perfect for anyone under 21 . . . and boring for anyone over.One thing is for certain:one can always count on the British music press and industry powers-that-be to pick out the most temporary, of-the-moment pieces of crap and sell the hell out of them to the undiscerning, dumbed-down masses . . . and succeed!If this cracks America, I'll be seriously disappointed.

Great CD
I rarely write reviews,but I'm absolutely dumbfounded by a lot of the user reviews - this is absolutely a great CD, from start to finish.Comparisons to Franz Ferdinand?"Take me out" was an amazing song, but the rest of the Franz CD was less than mediocre.Silent Alarm is rare in that it's good from start to finish, not just front loaded.These guys are very talented - there are hooks in most of the songs, and the harmonizing is both complex and subtle, with the many of the melodies staying in your head.Each song also has enough variation to truly unique - in comparing to 80's bands, I just purchased the latest New Order CD, and Silent Alarm blows that one away.This is a must own, and the only fair comparisons are to Kaiser Chiefs, another really great CD (start to finish) and british pop band. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Picaresque is yet more proof that the Decemberists' Colin Meloy is the songwriter who loves love—especially when it ends in death, ("We Both Go Down Together," "Of Angels and Angles"), disease ("The Mariner's Revenge Song") or in some other tragic way. This CD spends some time in the band's familiar old Europe setting, although Meloy also touches on politics, espionage, and even soccer. (Proving he knows his fan base, Meloy's "The Sporting Life," is the perfect shout-out to the kids who preferred the library to the gym.) Long-time fans will know what to expect from this album, which compares favorably to the other LPs on their catalog, and withDeath Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla on board as producer, the band seems poised to reach the greater audience they deserve. If you're not already a listener, don't wait another second to become one. With their remarkable vocabulary and bawdy-yet-literary imagery, the Decemberists are guaranteed to make you smarter even as they make you weep. Pop this in your CD player, grab a dictionary, rock and learn.--Leah Weathersby ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A Flair for the Dramatic
The cover of the Decemberists' new release is the first hint of what to expect: a literate yet melodramatic set of songs, done with an unusual musical blend of British folk-rock and old-style musical theater.Colin Meloy hasn't shaken his penchant for writing songs about doomed and tortured souls."We Both Go Down Together," for instance, is a rather upbeat tune about two lovers' suicide.And then there's "The Mariner's Revenge Song", a sea-shanty epic that reminds us in a colorful way how revenge is a dish best served cold.No one has really done music like this since Steeleye Span, and The Decemberists have definitely created a unique sound in carrying on this kind of musical tradition.They're obviously not for everyone, but anyone who enjoys rich, dramatic storytelling in the style of the old English ballads, will enjoy this CD.

Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before...
Hmmm...the kids sure love this.Third time's a charm, huh?Pretty simialr to the first two.

Really, this sounds like Jethro Tull's, "Songs From the Wood," which is to say, like "Aqualung" without the rockin', heavy bits.That's no good!

After recently cranking the ass-ripping, scrumtrulescent wonder-phantasy that is "Bittersweet" from Roxy Music's, "Country Life," it's an absolute wonder to me that Bertolt Brecht-esque vaudvillian showtunes and sea shantys are such the rage and so "new-fangled" with all the younguns...

Good but just extremely overrated...

rapturous pop music
I bought Picaresque after downloading The Engine Driver from this website and was hooked.This CD is one of the finer acoutic-folk records ever recorded.The vocals are nearly pitch-perfect and the lyrics are immaculately conceived.From We Both Go Down Together to On the Bus Mall and on through Of Angels & Angles, this CD had me hooked with Colin Meloy gryocentrically spinning lyrical hurricanes between my ears all culminating in a record that is instantly one of the best I've heard all year.I haven't heard any of their other stuff, I must confess, but the Decemberists are easily one of the best bands out there right now and this is a must-have.Having been a fan of Bright Eyes and the Arcade Fire, to hear the two merged almost seamlessly into one became a listening experience unlike any other.This CD has led me to begin to explore music like Neutral Milk Hotel and Sufjan Stevens, both of which I hope to purchase soon (maybe even from this website).Above all, this CD is marvelous pop music, with influences from R.E.M. to the New Pornographers (see 16 Military Wives).If you own the new Weezer CD, when you're not crying, try listening to this, it'll make you happy.If you are looking forward to the new Audioslave CD, try this out and maybe you won't be disappointed as much when you buy the new Audioslave CD because you've got this to fall back on.Any fan of pop music should love this CD.Flaming Lips, Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes, and Decemberists all belong in the same company of modern musicians expanding upon pop music and creating sublime pop masterpieces that will one day be viewed as landmarks in an era that will one day, I am convinced, be viewed as one of the most, if not the most, musically vital period in the history of pop music.Again, just buy this CD, it awakens ambition.

Picaresque
If I was rating this in comparrison to the other cd's in my collection, I would give this a three, but here on Amazon, it deserves at least a 4. I have known of the Decemberists for about a year and a half or so, and was looking forward to this release. For the most part, they come through, but they record is just a little to dreary. Great production and all, but this is my least favorite just because the record is consistanly two dark. These songs are great, but even when you "vibe" with the spooky/rainy feelings, out of knowhere comes "17 militrary Wives" which is awesome, but just so out of place at this point in the cd. Worthy of purchase,

Picaresque by The Decemberists paints stories
If there was ever such a thing as 'theatrical folk pop', Picaresque would certainly fall into that category. There are the comparisons to Neutral Milk Hotel, but I would also place The Decemberists somewhere in between that and psych-folk artists like Mull Historical Society and Badly Drawn Boy. The main storyteller/vocalist/songwriter is Colin Melloy, a balladeer who weaves his tales amidst a backdrop of strings, acoustic guitars, and organs. Melloy's nasal-type vocals straddle Lee Mavers and Colin McIntyre, but that's almost secondary to the story he wants to tell, the picture he wants to paint. 'Picaresque' is catchy, safe, middle of the road pop/rock, and although it doesn't exactly push the envelope of music experimentation, music is also about telling stories, which is what 'Picaresque' and The Decemberists are, inheriting the tradition of story tellers, a folk-rock escapade guaranteed to brighten up your day. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fans of Willy Porter, Ben Harper, and G. Love will all want to check out Jack Johnson's engaging folk- and blues-inflected pop. Born in Oahu, Hawaii, Johnson, a former surfer and film-school graduate, has a knack for acoustic ballads whose calm surfaces hide a subtle but strong lyrical undertow. "It seems to me that 'maybe' pretty much always means 'no,'" sings Johnson on "Flake," which features crony Harper on slide guitar. Production by J.P. Plunier (who also handles Harper's recordings) is simple and uncluttered: acoustic guitar and drum tracks share the foreground with Johnson's easygoing vocals, which evoke everyone from G. Love (who recorded Johnson's "Rodeo Clowns" on his Philadelphonic album) to Nick Drake to Willy Porter. And while Johnson may not have Porter's guitar chops, these songs have a relaxed beauty and understated depth that reward repeated listening.--Bill Forman ... Read more

Reviews (415)

Incredible album from a mellow fellow
I have owned this cd for quite some time now but only recently has America decided to jump on the Jackwagon. You will be seeing and hearing "Flake" on tv and radio but the real essence of Jack Johnson can be found throughout the album. The thing that sets this artist apart from everyone else is the mere fact that Johnson could care less about being a rock star or selling music, but in writing and delivering his personal songs, he has become just that. But I promise you there is no one better to choose as a role model. Just listen to "The News", a tune about how we broadcast violence in society, or put on a smile and groove to Johnson's "Bubbletoes", a catchy jam inspired by his wife, Kim. (Many thanks to Kim, for rumor has it she is an inspiration for many of Jack's songs.) Those were only two examples but the list could go on and on. Every song is AWESOME. I never could get sick of this album, NEVER. If I could recommend this album to everyone, I would. And I guarantee if more people lived by the principals of Jack Johnson, we would not have to worry about world peace.

Slow down, everyone, you're moving too fast.
This CD is terrific. Where did this Jack Johnson guy come from?

I bought this on the recommendation of a friend, for I work in a music store and had seen people, mostly teens in Gothwear, buying it. I thought it would be your usual, angry-rock, run-of-the-mill crap. Boy, was I wrong.

Jack Johnson's self-titled CD is one of the most fun, studied pieces of pure, instrument-and-rhythm-driven music that I've heard in ages. When it begins, "Inaudible Melodies" is soft, folky, but then the drums come in, the rhythm kicks it up a notch, and Johnson, with his earnest, skilled delivery of the most complicated, tongue-twisting vocals, just wins over your ears.

And every song on the CD is that good.

It wasn't until I listened to the whole album that I realized that this is the guy who sings that "Bubble Toes" song. I loved that song whenever it came on the radio, yet I bought the album featured on it without even realizing I'd done so.

That, in its own way, speaks to Johnson's talent over his hype. I bought this on a lark, and I'm very glad I did.

Awesome.
This guy has an incredible amount of talent, both of his cd's have struck me well. You can listen to all of his songs, and be content. Their all good in their own way. Highly recommended.

AWESOME ALBUM
I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY OTHER THAN THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS I HAVE EVER HEARD. NO MATTER IF YOU LIKE ROCK, HIP HOP, POP, WHATEVER. IT IS JUST INSANELY GOOD.

I am a METALHEAD!
I am a hardcore metalhead (Shadows Fall, Megadeth, Dimmu Borgir, Slayer, Opeth...) but I love this album. This album is beautiful. So good. Buy ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Something extraordinary is afoot in Albuquerque. The Shins' first big-timerecord, Oh, Inverted World combines mysterious narratives with golden songstructures, resulting in lavish and opulent indie pop. Touches of Neutral Milk Hotel's lyricalmajesty and the nostalgic swirl of Echo and the Bunnymen abound.But the Shins' music--rich with acoustic guitars, flickering rhythms, and Casio-tonekeyboards--is distinct and peculiar. Worry mixes with abstraction throughout, and whileJames Mercer sings, "You led no celibate life / No skirt while chemicals danced on yourhead / You stole the keys to this ride / And your fables are falling tonight," you maywonder if he's been routing through your fondest, most troubling memories. This vitalalbum is easily among 2001's most distinguished recordings and one of the best Sub Popreleases to date. --Thom Arno ... Read more

Reviews (174)

Amazing, but too short!
Well, let me begin this otherwise stellar review with my largest gripe: at 33 minutes, this album is just too short! Of course, that's more a compliment than anything else, but seriously, it takes somewhat of an investment of time to get into the "world" of this album, and the ride seems to be over a little abruptly. On the other hand, the short playing time may encourage listeners to do the two things they must to fully enjoy this dense and complex work: listen carefuly to the whole thing in one sitting AND listen repaetedly.

You see, this is thinking-feller's pop-music. The vocals are, at first listen, difficult to hear--- and once you can hear them, you'll need to make some personal sense out of the lyrics, which can lean toward the solopsistic and opaque. In fact, what might grab your attention first is the brilliant arrangements of fairly standard instruments--- in "One by One all Day" the interplay between nyoln-strung accoustic and burbling keyboard sounds fresh and compelling--- the dreamy intro to the single "new slang", equally ear-opening--- check out the gloomy french horn behind "the past and pending". This record inhabits sonic territory somewhere between "Smiley Smile" and "Belle and Sebastian", yet manages to sound utterly original. The lyrics and fractured narratives have more to do with Pavement or Will Oldham, yet are equally unique. No one sounds or writes songs quite like The Shins.

That said, I would have appreciated the vocals a little more front-and-center and clear in the mix. It's a trick Stipe managed with REM without compromising his hipster-cred. What's the point of writing great lyrics if no one can hear them? These songs deserve better--- the "lost in the mix" vocals smack of a gimmick and there is nothing, I repeat NOTHING gimmicky about this music.

It is indeed and album that pulls you into a world of sound an images, but you'll need to bring your imagination and (at times) patience along for the ride.

Great, cerebral music for intrepid aural travelers...

The ghost of Brian Wilson
One of the suprising alternative releases of the summer thus far. How do you describe their sound? The echo-heavy vocals from James Mercer sound errily like Brian Wilson and almost as inhuman and difficult to decifer as Michael Stipe. "Oh Inverted World" is like the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" sessions meets Syd Barrett.

The psychedelic acoustic guitars and cascading harmony of overlapping vocalization is reminiscent of a scratchy Simon & Garfunkel album that you might remember listening just before you passed out after a long night smoking too many J's.

The highlight of the album is "New Slang", a resigned ballad where Mercer sounds as if he were the voice of Brian Wilsons ghost while the band overlaps in a melody that will remind some of the Cocteau Twins.

However, the Shins missed a big opportunity to include the hypnotic and adictive song "Sphagnum Esplanade" from their 7" limited record release. In doing so, "Oh Inverted World" falls just short of one of the best releases of the summer and we lose out on enjoying the best song they've cut in their brief career. Its hard to figure what they were thinking?

Great Pop Album!
This is one of the best albums I've heard in a very very long time. I heard of the Shins from all the hype they had created due to this album and its follow up Chutes too Narrow. Well, I had some money to blow and I went on down to my local record store to hear the next best thing to sliced bread and I found this one lone copy of Oh Inverted World and paid my money and left, not really expecting much. Boy, was I wrong, this album is like Syd Barrett(my most favorite artist ever), The Byrds and The Beach Boys all blended together into one blissful psychedelic mix. These songs are happy, friendly, subdued and of course a little drug induced. The lyrics are cryptic but lush on imagery and have a frank honest tone to them and their delivery by Mercer even futhers the impact. But the best thing about this album is the actual music in my opinion. Its like a warm cascading waterfall or a lazy summer day spent in the shade. It is definitley an odd ball on Sub Pop's catalog along side the grungy likes of Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney but I give Sub Pop a thumbs up for change and for finding one of the best modern rock-pop acts ever. If you enjoyed this album I reccomend Chutes too Narrow and Syd Barrett's The Madcap Laughs.

good but...
this cd is better than Chutes too Narrow. Creative, and the lead singer has a cool voice. But it only gets three stars. All the songs sound a bit too much the same. Not enough variety. No amazing songs.

Where am I? a acid-induced dream?
No, I'm listening to The Shins stunning debut "Oh, Inverted World"

Each song is a masterpiece of its own right, but I prefer the seemingly different 'Past and The Pending' because of its interesting horn work and downtrodden feel. This band took the indie world by storm when this album came out. It was entirely out of left-field: A psychedilic (sp) rock band out of New Mexico? How does that happen? and what's that? They sound good? sign me up.

Its interesting to note that the track 'Celibate Life' not about abstinence in its traditional sense, but rather keeping away from drugs, which can be seen as satrical given the era they are borrowing from.

The imagery is what really sells this album. Nowhere else will you find emotional imagery as vivid as The Shins (ex. Her lips when she speaks are the valleys and peaks of a mountain range on fire) Its incredible to visualize and to just ponder.

Definitely one of the best albums of 2001 even with all the other great debuts of the year. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Coldplay required a lifetime to make their wonderfully assured debut,Parachutes. But it tookless than two years for the moody British quartet to deliver a masterful follow-up. As a band Coldplay have advanced to a stage where they outshine nearly every oneof their rivals in terms of imagination and emotional pull. A Rush of Bloodto the Head is a soulful, exhilarating journey, moving from the catharticrock of "Politik" to the hushed tones of "Green Eyes" without once breaking itsmesmerizing spell. Singer Chris Martin takes his voice on soaring flights,reaching places only JeffBuckley previously dared to go. And the music is nearly flawless, apersuasive cross between PinkFloyd and the Verve.Even if they haven't come up with another "Yellow," you would be hard-pressed tocare. This is exquisite stuff. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (854)

What more can you say?
This sophomore effort by Coldplay shows the music development of the band. They still talk about heartache and hope. These lyrics are complimented with infectious bass hooks and guitar riffs, interspersed with soft or loud piano and drum harmonies. "Parachutes" gave a glimpse of what the band can do, much like "Pablo Honey" did with Radiohead. And like Radiohead's "The Bends," "A Rush of Blood to the Head" shows Will, Gerry, Jon and Chris, with their different music stylings and influences, come together as four strong individuals with much to say while proving they have amazing talent.

From the loud and somewhat dischorded harmony of "Politik" progressing to the quiet and subtle "Amsterdam," "A Rush of Blood to the Head" shows Coldplay's musical range--we see the eastern influence in "Daylight" and the folk-country inspired "Green Eyes"--all the while maintaing their signature lyric ballad ("Scientist," "In My Place," "Warning Sign").

Why 4 stars? Even with the strength of all of the songs, the album still gives a hint of their potential. I'll leave the five stars until then.

A Rush of Blood to My Head
After winning one Grammy award (Best Alternative Music Album), two Brit awards (Best Group and Best Album), two VH1 awards (Best Kept Secret and "Big in Japan") and selling 1.2 million copies of their debut album Parachutes, Coldplay would have to do something miraculous to overcome the sophomore slump. With their newest release A Rush of Blood to the Head, they show the world that they aren't going down without a fight. When the album opens, with the heavy and resounding drums and guitars of "Politik", you notice the change that has occurred between albums. Coldplay abandons much of the love and loss theme that was prevalent in their early work and its place is a slightly more joyful and upbeat sound. The radio single "In My Place" follows this with equal strength, as does the entire album. Not one ounce of energy is lost as the album takes you on its spiraling journey through the mind of a musical genius. In a pop-culture music scene that is dominated by artists like Nelly, Eminem, and Linkin Park, a rock record emerges that gives hope to those of us who long for more. The standout track is definitely "Scientist", where Chris sings in earnest, "Nobody said it was easy, No one ever said it would be this hard." The raw emotion that he puts into his music gives Coldplay that unique edge over most musicians in the genre. My only complaint about this album is the tendency of some songs to sound similar. However, with the caliber of songs that are on this record, monotony can sometimes be welcome and even intensify the musical power. Finally the CD closes with "Amsterdam", where you are confuident that Chris Martin's vocals and energy have retained their strength and that Coldplay has once again delivered a near-masterpiece.

They are still kicking it!
The sophomore effort from Coldplay is in no way a "sophomore jynx". It is not an extension from Parachutes either. It is totally different; not so much as a radiohead record but never-the-less different. Instead of coming off as indieish and a complete band effort, it sounds more mature and like a showcase for Chris Martin. This is due to the seemingly more emphasis put on the lyrics and vocals. Both of which are improved from their last outting. Also, their seems to be more keyboard used here especially on the two hit singles "clocks" and "scientist". It is difernet also in that it is much longer than thier debut; by over twelve minutes.

This record excels on many levels along with the aforementioned. It works more as a pop record and therefore seems more appealing to the casual listener. It also contains the groups strongest songs to date. However, despite its brillience, it is not perfect by any means. Among its flaws lie within lyrics. The greater emphasis draws people in. And on a couple songs, like the title track, the lyrics try to be way too philisophical and fail to accomplish their goal. Also, the record contains a couple straight forward rock songs. They are not bad but not what Coldplay excels at.

All of the flaws seem to make this record feel less complete, inviting track skipping and quick boredom. These are not qualities that Parachutes had and therefore AROBTTH is a slightly inferior record. I must urge people to pick this up though since it is still very very good. Don't expect the utter brillience from the first album to carry over however.

TRACK RUN-THREW
Politik- good opener despite werey lyrics.
In my place- pure pop
God put a smile upon my face- best rock song on the record
The scientist- sweet piano and lyrics
Clocks- captivatingly brilliant piano play
Daylight- worst track but listenable
Green eyes- good range of vocals and lyrics
Warning sign- beautiful
A wisper- driving guitar
A rush of blood to the head- too philisophical but still good/great
Amsterdam- best track

Hmmm...
I bought this album after it won a Grammy for record of the year for "Clocks," a song that I loved. I was hoping that the Cd would measure up as well, as I had heard "The Scientist" and liked that too, but I was a little disappointed. I thought a few of the songs were dull and mediocre, but maybe because this isn't my favorite style of music?
Overall, its an alright CD... I wish I had borrowed it from a friend before I bought it though, not sure I would have bought it.

alright you got me...
this band is pretty awesome. Ordinarily you'll find me listening to music genres like grunge, punk, metal and all that but this is the one band I cross into the mainstream/emo vibe. I first heard the song Yellow and was hooked, then after I heard clocks thats when I really started liking the band more and more and now as much as I hate mainstream stuff usually I find myself a fan of coldplay, the guys are great musicians and have a simplistic vibe about them that makes this just calm, sorta chill out music. So to finish; good album, worth picking up. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Before the Mars Volta made prog-metal fashionable again - with a little help from the Dillinger Escape Plan and My Chemical Romance - Porcupine Tree's 2002 US debut, In Abstentia, had already laid most of the groundwork. For the middle-aged British quartet led by Steven Wilson, '70s rockers like Rush and Yes (with whom the group toured after the album's release) never went out of style but instead left behind grandiose scriptures to be studied for all of eternity. So while tighter and more efficient in spots ("Shallow," "Halo"), Porcupine Tree's Deadwing faithfully keeps the technically proficient epics coming, peaking with multi-tentacled 12-minute "Arriving Somewhere (But Not Here)." --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Deadwing is really good but In Absentia is great, enjoy both
My 15 year son and I just drove 150 miles to see Porcupine Tree and it was worth every penny and mile. Excellent sound and music in a small venue. With songs from In Absentia, Deadwing, and Stupid Dream, it made for a perfect concert. I'd like to think of Porcupine Tree as a contemporary form of the early Genesis with Peter Gabriel (Trespass or Selling England), with a little mix of King Crimson (Bible Black or Red), while throwing in some very nice Steve Wilson (PT) influence that helps set it apart from the those groups. Production work is solid, the music is moving, and the lyrics mysterious. Only wish they would have played Open Car from DeadWing or Strip the Soul from In Absentia in the concert. But Shallow (DW) and Blackest Eyes (IA) made up for it. Check out their schedule on Ticketmaster and go see this group. You'll be screaming for more encores...........

Good News "IT ROCKS!" -Bad News "IT ROCKS"
Well Steven, you've caught a wave to our local AOR grind and crud station. Though a novelty hearing Porcupine Tree trashing Tool, this outing is, indeed, a dead wing - it never gets off the ground. It's a sad day when Adrian Belew has to stand in to carry off the best two guitar solo's on the disc. It never occured to me in my wildest dreams that I'd be giving a PT release the thumbs down. The only redeeming quality is that this may bring (long overdo) attention to a band thats a heck of alot better than you'll hear here. Why one of the truly remarkable guitarists of our time (among other instruments) has been in a retrograde orbit since "Siginify" continues to baffle me. If you want to hear SW in his prime, listen to the classic "Dark Matter." Or better yet, get a hard-to-find issue of "Coma Divine." Now THAT'S a mind blower. My stunning introduction to PT was "In Absentia". It has been played more than any collection I've owned in 30 some odd years. If you're new to PT, don't miss their early stuff. In doing so you'll come to recognize what a truly remarkable band they are. I'll wait hopefully for the next release.

PT De Los Average
All-in-all a somewhat boring release by PT.PT is one of my favorite bands and contrary to other reviewers, I don't think it is anything like In Absentia.....in fact, it feels more like some of the more weaker releases from "up the downstairs" or signify" era, but with more up-to-date guitar distortion.Beautiful melody is generally lacking and replaced with dry, brooding jams.Even though I rated it average, I am rating against the 'PT standard'.....so Deadwing is worthy of attention over most music out there.

Deadwing or how to leave the best song out of an album
I must say that I'm a bit disappointed with this album. I don't know exactly why I'm disappointed because "Deadwing" is not a big departure from the "In Absentia" sound, which at the same time is not a big departure from the "Lightbulb Sun" sound, and I love both albums. Maybe that's why I don't love "Deadwing", because it doesn't break much new ground like previous albums. Do you remember the jump between "Sky Moves Sideways" and "Signify" ? or the one between "Signify" and "Stupid Dream" ? You won't find this here. The first thing you notice is that the guitar solos are moving further away from the Gilmour sound SW had in the past, which in my opinion, is a good thing. The second thing you notice is that the "heaviness" is more apparent here than "In Absentia". "Shallow" is the main proponent here, people keep saying this song works better in the context of the album, but I think it kills its flow badly. The worst song in my opinion. Before you start drawing conclusions about me, I must say that I have no problems with distortion, right now one of my favorite bands is Isis, but, I don't know, this kind of "american" or Led Zeppelin sounding riffs don't work very well with PT, for example, the hard parts in "Deadwing" or "Mellotron Scratch", and that awful Dream Theater impersonation in the middle of "Arriving Somewhere But Not Here" feel out of place and ruin those otherwise cool songs in my opinion. "Halo" is the only song where the hard guitars blend in the song perfectly. The haunting chorus in "Open Car" is another example of great use of distortion, but then, the verse, which sounds similar to "Strip The Soul", one of the weakest songs in "In Absentia", kills the mood of the song. Then, we are left with the mellower songs in the album, Lazarus", "Start Of Something Beautiful" and "Glass Arm Shattering" which, in my opinion, are the best songs in the album. But, they are nowhere near the brilliance of "Half Light", which inexplicably, SW has left out of the album. My CD doesn't have the new "Shesmovedon" so I can only comment from a mp3 file. To put it simply, this new version is a clear case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

I'm reading all these reviews saying "Deadwing is their best" and "Deadwing rulez", and I'm starting to doubt if I'm listening to the same album as those people, because I don't think it's that great, it's only ok, it ranks below "Signify", "Stupid Dream", "Lightbulb Sun" and "In Absentia" in my list. One thing I'm sure is that this album won't gain new fans outside the prog and classic rock circles, Deadwing has all the elements to please the fans of these genres, and to scare people outside them. I, for one, hope SW leaves this "metal" obsession he has now, and moves into a new direction, and please, not a "back to our roots" one.

A Consolidation, Not a Stretch
Most Americans heard of Porcupine Tree with the release of 2002's In Absentia, and had a lot of catching up to do.Unapologetically progressive, it was obvious that Steve Wilson's musical collective grew up on Yes and Floyd and Tull and Genesis.Yet this being the new millennium, they were also familiar with Metallica-sized riffs and System of a Down-esoterica.Since prog is the new punk, Porcupine Tree are now seen as harbingers. Deadwing, their tenth (I think) studio release, is a consolidation not a stretch.The heaviest numbers are the most concise, especially the one-two punch of "Shallow" and "Halo".Elsewhere, they jam, particularly well on the opening title track.They're superb at it, they are, but they aren't Zeppelin, and they remind me of a wonderful (and obscure) progressive outfit from the late 70's called Crack the Sky, whom I have to admit I'd rather listen to. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A side project doesn¹t usually hit gold, especially when said project is a quirky virtual collective fronted by cartoon characters. But the first, self-titled album by Gorillaz--the brainchild of illustrator Jamie Hewlett and Blur frontman Damon Albarn--actually hit platinum and turned into a surprise worldwide hit. Naturally expectations were a lot higher for Gorillaz's sophomore effort, but Demon Days actually is even better than its predecessor. With producer Dan "the Automator" Nakamura gone, Albarn, a.k.a. 2D, has paired up with DJ Danger Mouse (responsible for the infamous Grey Album that illegally mixed the Beatles and Jay-Z) to steer the musical ship, while a whole new slew of guests enlivens the proceedings. Albarn has described Demon Days as being darker, but there's a real kooky dance-party vibe coursing through the CD. Despite its somber tone, "Kids with Guns" is lifted by a killer bass line, for instance, while the catchy first single, "Feel Good Inc," is augmented by an appealing contribution from De La Soul. Other noteworthy guests include Roots Manuva and Tricky collaborator Martina Topley-Bird on the dubby "All Alone" and Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder on the bouncy "DARE." And yet it's a 69-year-old actor who gets to deliver the most baffling contribution--just listen to Dennis Hopper's spoken-word narrative on "Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head." Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Best Album So Far This Year
This is definitely the best album I have heard this year, although my exposure to today's music isn't exactly all encompassing.As other people have said, this second album is different than the Gorillaz' first one. The absence of Del really hurts the rap segments in this second album.This is not to say the hip hop is bad, it's just that in the first album, Del WAS Russell and it's now hard to separate the two.As a long time Blur fan though, I like Damon's voice which is (as usual) found throughout the album.The beginning tracks and the end ones are the strongest.The middle ones are not bad, just weaker than the other parts.However, the album is really cohesive and looking at the pictures and the lyrics (found online) you can really see a message.

As for the people trying to rip the tracks off the CD, I had no problem using abcde on my NetBSD box to convert the tracks to .ogg files (in fact there are already two CDDB entries for the CD, meaning people have been ripping the CD).It could just be a Windows thing, which sucks for you guys, because I can listen to the songs on my iRiver.Also there is a pretty cool remix of Feel Good Inc and Cake's Never There online.Just google "gorillaz cake feel good" and you'll find it.

An amazing album, despite its little quirks.
Note, before you read on, just know that I myself do not like the Rap genre. It doesn't appeal to me and I just never really liked it.

Even with that though, I completely LOVE this Album. One of its quirks being that there was an over usage of rap in "Demon Days" as opposed to their first CD, but even with that, this Album executes everything greatly.

Unlike the first CD, alot of the songs go right into the other. It gives the CD a great flow and it's very enjoyable when listening to it on your car or CD player.

The only thing that really stopped me from giving this CD 5 stars is the poorly executed rap, mainly in the song "Dirty Harry". I don't have any problem with the rap in the songs (Feel Good Inc., November has Come, All Alone) but in Dirty Harry, it was just so unnecessary.The song length is 3:43, for the first two minutes, you hear this great beat, a great song. Then the rapping starts and it just sounds so out of place. It kind of ruined the flow since if it's skipped, Feel Good Inc. starts up, and "Dirty Harry" plays into "Feel Good Inc."

That and the loss of Miho Hatori (Vocally, at least), at times you kind of lost the feeling of listening to the Gorillaz and it felt more like a CD with Damon Albarn and special guests.

Overall, it's a great CD, a real accomplishment for the Gorillaz, but just little things that prevent it from being a truly great Album.

Copy protection prevents enjoyment on iPods and Windows XP
If you enjoy listening to music on your iPod or Windows XP based computer then this is not the album for you. Virgin Records America appears to have decided to copy protect the release of Gorillaz 'Demon Days'. The disc will not play when inserted into a Windows XP based computer (i.e. when browsing to the disc from your My Computer icon the disc appears to be blank).

This album is ideal for your car, home audio cd player, or portable cd player if your playback device is compatible with the copy protection contained within this release.

One should also note that there is no notice of copy protection nor compatibility requirements anywhere on the packaging of the Gorillaz 'Demon Days' album.

If you have purchased this CD and wish to contact Virgin Records then do not bother attempting to e-mail their web master from the Virgin Records web site: all e-mails bounce back as being undeliverable. A more appropriate title for this album would have been "Paying Customers are Thieves".

all-in-one-album
First I have to say I was spinning holes in my floor waiting for the new album from Gorillaz.Ever since he left Blur, everything Damon Albarn has touched has turned into gold from my point of view!

When I got the disc I was very excited and awfully afraid that the follow-up was going to be mediocre.But no Sir!From "last Living souls" with it's oldschool and childish discorhythms via Roots Manuvas punching word-spitting performance on "all alone" to the finalizing three-track tale with Dennis Hopper's trustgiving voice and Heavenly London Community Gospel Choir shouting me right into the center of Gorillaz' weird and wonderful world of playful artistic anarchy!

The melodies on this disc are pure popmusic-art.And the wrapping is ever-changing with all kinds of styles thrown together and with twists and brakes and surprising bridges around every corner.

My most pleasent surprise was the amount of oldskool sounds.Some of the tracks give me associations to the swedish underground synthpopband The Knife.

Buy it!

Great Band ..... Poor Label
Everything that needs to be said about the sheer greatness of Gorillaz has been said.Demon Days is surely one of the albums of the year.
However , one little (it's actually huge).... Has anyone been able to rip Demon Days onto their computer? I'm having enormous problems doing so. If anyone has had problems yet was able to rip, can you please advise on this website or....email me at 'cortez-the-raven@hotmail.com'.
Cheers

P.S. The album is bananas!!!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Their fifth album, Get Behind Me Satan is the strangest and least focused effort by these unlikely garage rock superstars to date. It's also their finest, an Exile on Main Street-ish mish-mash where the sum is greater than the parts. In a market increasingly driven by singles and downloads, it's nice to be reminded how exciting an album can be, especially one where you really don't know what to expect next. There are a lot fewer pounding guitars on this album. They've largely been replaced by pounding pianos. Most songs sound like rough mixes at first; almost every song has something exceptionally loud in the mix--the guitar solo in "The Nurse," the drums in "Doorbell," everything in "Blue Orchid." After a few listens, however, it becomes clear that the group is not using the studio as an instrument so much as exposing the nuts and bolts in the process along the way.

There are some duds; the wanky blooze-rawk number "Instinct Blues" goes on way too long and it would be nice if "The Nurse" had a real chorus. Whether "Passive Manipulation" is about the wife-or-sister schtick, if the cover artwork indeed has Jack and Meg calling each other devils, and which scripture is referred to by the album's title (Matthew, Mark or Luke?): none of that matters so much as the fact that this album is strangely sprawling and obliquely ass-kicking at the same time. "Orchid" is a rockdisko sonic smash that shows how to really get rock kids on the dancefloor. Meanwhile, "Doorbell" sounds enough like the Jackson Five to totally rule, and "Forever for Her" is the best ballad Jack's written in years. The fact that some marimbas provide the driving force to "Forever" makes it all the better. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Amazon.com

No stranger to the realm of children's records, They Might Be Giants have seen success with their CD No! and the book and CD combo Bed, Bed, Bed. Their latest CD, Here Come The ABCs, offers up twenty-five alphabetically themed songs. However, as is their charming way, the two Johns (Flansburgh and Linnell), use the letters as merely the connective tissue, allowing them to pursuit intriguing flights of fancy that consider everything from the relative power of letters and sounds to animal hijinks. Just as they've always done, there are wistful ballads and high octane rockers. TMBG have always been a family-friendly band, and this disc works just fine for adult fans, who can rightfully consider this simply their newest release. -- David Greenberger

Exclusive Video from They Might Be Giants

Exclusive Video (high bandwith)

Exclusive Video (low bandwith)

Three Cool Kids Cds

Puffy Amiyumi ~ Hi Hi [SOUNDTRACK]

NRBQ ~ You're Nice People You Are

Dan Zanes ~ Parades and Panoramas

... Read more

Reviews (18)

Great entertainment and education in one!
My three and four year old love TMBG music.My husband introduced them to the music with some of their older albums, so when this album came out especially for kids, we had to have it.The talent and creativity that TMBG possess is highly impressive.I am thrilled they've ventured into an arena of music for kids.A fun way of learning and really gives children the opportunity to use their imaginations.I highly recommend!

Toddlers will love this!
I was never really fond of TMBG's music but after catching glimpses of the "QU" video on a kid's cable channel I had to get this DVD for my two year old twins.It didn't matter what they were doing as soon as the beat of "QU" came on they would come drop everything and sing and dance along.

This is one of the few DVD's for kids that I think is actually "adult friendly".Meaning the songs are all catchy and smart and you can't help but find yourself singing along.And the animation is really stylish and clever for a kid's DVD.I have yet to get burnt out on this DVD.My two year olds love this DVD and practically know all the words.Thisis my emergency DVD that I keep in the car for those very long car trips, that stands up to whiny, tired kids when even Disney and Baby Einstien can't.Even my ten year old son will watch it with the twins without complaint.Love it!

I DON'T KNOW
I haven't heard any more than one song from them, Here Comes The ABCs. But that sucked, so i'm not expecting much from this, and you shouldn't either! WHAT THE HELL HAS MUSIC COME TO WHEN A BAND WILL WRITE A SONG ON THE ALPHABET NAMING COUNTRIES!?!

CD DVD combo essential
Our family really enjoys They Might Be Giant's Here Come the ABCs!The songs are hip and intellegent (think: Anti-Raffi). The animation is 5 star. But the best thing is when you've listened to the songs some and then you watch the DVD again! It's like a feedback loop!

Our favorite track is The Alphabet of Nations!And the winner of the most surprising country award: West Xylophone! Who knew that was a real contry? (...)

Not their best CD
This is not the best CD they have ever made. This is why I am giving it a four instead of a five. It's enjoyable and fun and full of typical 'TMBG' type songs. However, there are other TMBG cd's with better songs and better music you can buy. (Before buying this one, consider the one titled NO).

My children particularly liked the countries with the alphabet song. Each letter of the alphabet starts a country in this song and when they can't come up with a country they make something up that fits. It's very cute.

Enjoy. Worth every penny if you are a large TMBG fan.
... Read more