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So Depeche Mode releases a singles compilation featuring only one previously unreleased song ("Only When I Lose Myself") in anticipation of a major tour. Sound suspiciously like a shameless cash-in? Sure. But The Singles, 86-98 needed to be made. This is a worthwhile purchase for casual admirers and completists alike. The two-disc set contains revamped versions of the major singles from 1986 to 1998 and a version of "Little 15" that was first released only in France. The set's "grand finale" is the live recording of "Everything Counts," from the 101 album.Although the original studio version of the "Everything Counts" single appeared on 1984's People Are People, DM fudged the chronology to justify including this astounding live recording on the album (a ploy to psych up concert-ticket buyers?). The live recording highlights the worshipful crowd applauding, cheering, and chant-singing "The grabbing hands / Grab all they can / Everything counts in large amounts" long after the song has ended. Ka-ching! --Beth Bessmer ... Read more

Reviews (137)

Flawless singles collection of DM's later (and better) years
Depeche Mode were/are by far the greatest synthpop band, essentially because of the gothic influence that they have in their music that gives it its menacing edge. Singles 86 > 98 is a fabulous collection of their singles, which were often their best tracks. 'Enjoy The Silence' is their most classic song ever, and it still sounds chilling and intense now. But there's so much more on offer here: the darkly menacing yet simultaneously beautiful 'A Question of Lust'; the driving, synth-heavy 'Never Let Me Down Again' and the rockier, howling 'Barrel Of A Gun', for starters. There's also a stunning live version of one of their better earlier songs, 'Everything Counts'.

Exclusive song 'Only When I Lose Myself' is something of a disappointment, but classics like 'I Feel You', 'In Your Room', 'World In My Eyes', 'Stripped' and of course the bluesy 'Personal Jesus' make this little of an issue, especially considering the album that followed, Exciter, was classic Depeche Mode, blowing away worries that Only When I Lose Myself was to usher in a period of mediocrity.

Overall, this is a great 21 tracker that rounds up all of Depeche Mode's great songs from their later, and better, years. 5 stars.

Depeche Mode - the Multiplatinum Years.
This is Depeche Mode's second hits compilation, a double-disc containing the group's singles from 1986's "Black Celebration" to 1997's "Ultra." "The Singles 86>98" chronicles a Depeche Mode finally achieving multiplatinum status ("Violator"), experimenting with rock ("Songs of Faith and Devotion"), experiencing the loss of member Alan Wilder, and surviving David Gahan's near fatal tailspin with drugs. While these songs lack the charming innocence of early gems like "Just Can't Get Enough" or "Everything Counts," this hits compilation does a fine job of showing how well this electronic act has musically evolved over the years. There's the twangy guitar of "Personal Jesus," the burning urgency of "A Question of Time," the catchy bounce of "Behind the Wheel," and the understated beauty of the gentle track "Only When I Lose Myself," which was recorded exclusively for this CD. Considering that these discs run in chronological order, it feels a little weird to include as the final two tracks 1987's "Little 15" and the 1989 live recording of "Everything Counts." Personally, I would have eliminated these songs altogether, but that's a small gripe from me. "The Singles 86>98" is nonetheless an excellent, well-presented anthology of the Mode's work, and comes highly recommended.

A Must Have
If you are someone like myself who is just starting to get into Depeche Mode, this is the album for you. The two CD set is packed with old favorites. It's a great start on your way to getting familiar with Depeche Mode.

This collection really shows the differentiation and evolution of Depeche Mode. The amazingly addictive "Stripped" begins the set of classic DM songs and the appeal doesn't stop there. If you're like me, you'll find once you buy this collection, the CD will barely leave your CD player.

After buying this album, the most logical sequence of events would be to buy Violator. (arguably the band's most popular album) However, since about half the songs from that CD are in this collection (although they're slightly different versions of most of the songs), I'd reccomend either Songs of Faith and Devotion, or possibly Music For The Masses.

This is an amazing collection fans both old and new of Depeche Mode will certainly appreciate. In this album, you can really see what made the band so influential and unique. Honestly, what other band has had one of their songs covered by BOTH Marilyn Manson and Johnny Cash? I rest my case. This album is definately worth taking a listen to.

Dumb Editorial Reviews!
The above editorial review suggests that DM included the live version of "Everything Counts", which was originally released in 1983, to milk a cash cow, and even "fudged chronology" to do so. This isn't the case at *all*. This live version was released as a hit single in 1989 (Mute Cat# Bong16) and therefore fits perfectly into the chronology and theme established by the title.

As for this record itself, it's a fantastically put together and very historically accurate document of DM's output of hit singles during the years in question. The idea is simple and straightforward: compile the 7" versions of each of their singles between the years 1986-1998 (with a few technical exceptions that would only be noticed by the most devoted fans). It's not by any means their most consistent or best album; look to either "Violator" or "The Singles 81-85" for such an item. Never-the-less, the album itself is very, very good and an excellent place to start for anybody who wants to become acquainted with the band and hear some excellently written and produced electronic music.

My sole complaint with this album is that the singles "Little 15" and "Everything Counts Live" aren't put in their proper chronology but rather placed at the very end of the album for whatever reason.

But as for accusations of milking cash cows...that's alomst complete nonsense. This compliation was built with historical accuracy in mind and if the cash comes, it's only a result of the suberb music and production on this record. Get this along with "The Singles 81-85" for a very good introduction to this superlative pop band.

You NEED this album
I don't care what music you're into but you NEED this album! I'm more of a rockish fan but this album isn't just perfect for it's sound but its flawless lyrics. Never has any band been able to put something down on paper as well as Martin Gore and get it to sound as emotional as it does (it you listen to the lyrics as well). The second disc was average DM stuff while the first disc contains the best music you'll ever hear from DM. If I had to be select and highlight my favourite songs, I'd highlight the first 10. While they are actually quite bouncy and poppy, they were actually designed to be in nightclubs and such but to really appreciate their music, you'll need to listen to what they say. ... Read more

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When Beck mangles folk, hip-hop, country, blues, and lo-fi rock into a unique sonic species, he pays homage to his influences in a way that is utterly entertaining. Indeed, the alt-rock vagabond is responsible for some of the 1990s' most indispensable music. In his lesser moments, however, Beck's attempts at emulating his preceptors fall flat, creating only B-grade versions of the genuine articles. Midnite Vultures splits down the middle between the great Beck and the not-so-great Beck. About half the album gorges on retro pulp fiction, a"Becksploitation," if you will, where his relatively straightforwardimpersonations shortchange his influences. On the slow-burn soul tracks "Peaches and Cream" and "Debra" or the 808-driven tributary "Hlwd. Freaks," he lacks the pipes, heart, and history to pass as a legitimate double-breasted soul man or old-school rapper. The other half, finding Beck in his element, is exhilarating. His unfalteringstudio mastery is especially evident on standouts such as the horn-punched "Sexx Laws," the steamy, slap-bass-blasted "Nicotine and Gravy," and the wah-wah bombast of "Mixed Bizness." The album proves that Beck playing the straight-up funkateer will never match ranks with the raw talents of Marvin Gaye, George Clinton, or Prince, but as long as he adheres to more inventive genre splicing, he remains compelling in his own right. --Beth Massa ... Read more

Reviews (325)

Beck Gets Down
Beck is one of the few artists in music today where it is very difficult to put a label on. He combines rock, hip-hop, folk, soul, dance, alterna-rock, you name it, he's incorporated it into his sound. While this eclectic style has served him well on many songs, he has also struck out in some cases. Midnite Vultures is another example of his hit and miss style. When he hits, he hits hard, when he misses, he strikes out. On his last release, Mutations, he dived into folk and country stylings, on this one he has created a party album that incorporates 70's funk & soul with 80's dance music. Notable hits include the funky "Sexx Laws", "Mixed Bizzness" and "Peaches & Cream". He strikes out on "Hlwd. Freaks", "Broken Train" and "Nicotine & Gravy". On this album he was obviously influenced by Prince and the standout track on the album is its closer, "Debra", which sounds like it could've been on an early Prince album. It is a 12-minute slow jam, in which Beck hits some extremely high notes. It is a classic and it is worth buying the cd for it alone

Robo-Dance Innovator
The multi-talented Beck Hansen has an uncanny ability to squirm out of any artistic pigeonhole in which he finds himself. Anyone who sees him primarily as the Gen-X poster boy of "Loser," or even the cut-and-paste artist of Odelay, is behind the times. Those impressions, after all, can be attributed more to the media than Beck himself, who remains elusive and consistent at the center of it all. That's at least partly the result of Beck's ability to funnel just about any style of music into his own creations, as last year's rich, organic Mutations proved. If that record was largely about finding subtlety and delicacy in Beck's trademark pastiche style, the new Midnite Vultures takes the opposite approach.

An entertainingly excessive album, its libidinous funk mosaic finds Beck coming on like a master of ceremonies overseeing a sci-fi orgy. On "Nicotine & Gravy," Beck promises, "I'll feed you fruit that don't exist / I'll leave graffiti where you've never been kissed," inventing seductive invitations that never occurred to Barry White. A sex album meant to affect senses above the neck as much as below the waist, Midnite Vultures pairs Beck's R&B love-man shtick (so over-the-top as to be almost cerebral) with a full-band sound, layering its beats with everything from pounding bass to new-wave keyboards to Johnny Marr's guitar to, on more than one occasion, a banjo. It's simultaneously funny and funky, at once musically engaging and a continuation of Beck's mind-twisting campaign of musical appropriation. What exactly does it mean when a scrawny white guy promises to "make all the lesbians scream" on an album that borrows heavily from three decades of black music? There's no easy way to answer to that question, or to describe this relentlessly entertaining record. It might be better just to enjoy it for what it is and rest assured that the next one will sound nothing like it.

come dance with me
This is one of the most enticing albums that have ever graced my ears. All tracks on the album are standouts, all could be singles. Of course, favorites cannot be avoided, but even these seem to swim in the great bombastic dance album that is "Midnight Vultures". Songs like "Mixed Bizness", "Sexx Laws", and "Debrah" simply outdo themselves. This album takes me to a place and time where contemporaries would include Dianna Ross, James Brown, and Run DMC. I'm shoved about by this music willingly, from one era to the next. I never lose my energy, and neither does Beck.

nice
I can understand why people get scared off, they're trying to take this album too seriously. It's not about beautiful music and deep lyrics. It's about funky bass, horn - everything - lines, sex, and anything that rhymes. Listen to Hollywood Freaks and you'll understand: Hot milk/Mmmm...tweak my nipple/Champagne and ripple/Shamans go cripple - why would you even try to take this seriously? Just sit back and enjoy.

an entire album of "Where it's At"
Ok. "Where it's at" was a good tune. But an entire album in the same style? That is basically what this is. Does it work? Not really. This record is average at best compared to Mellow Gold or Odelay.

Die-hard Beck fans only need apply. I am a Beck fan, and I don't really like this. I highly suggest listening to this before you buy it. If you are expecting anything like Mellow Gold or Odelay, you will be dissapointed. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Stay with me
Erasure is definitely my favorite synth-pop group from the '80s. Their songs are fun and catchy to sing along to. It has been awhile since they released a best of collection. As much as I love "Pop!", it was horribly produced. I like this collection. Granted that whoever put this cd together didn't represent the group's legacy as well as s/he should have, "Hits" is still a good collection. I do wish that "Cracker International", "Cowboy" and "Erasure" were represented on this best of collection. That is my biggest gripe about this "Hits" but I am not going to slam this collection like other diehard Erasure fans are doing. Compared to the production on "Pop!", the songs on "Hits" are not hindered by the muddled production on "Pop!". Unlike "Pop!", songs from the groups more recent albums are included although not from "Cowboy", "Cracker International", and "Erasure". Whoever thought to not include songs like "She Won't Be Home", "Fingers & Thumbs (A Cold Summer's Day)", and "Don't Say Your Love is Killing Me" needs their head re-examined. Despite the lack of thought put into this, it is nice to have a collection of Erasure songs that are mixed better than what is on "Pop!".

Erasure's Best of CD
For those erasure fans out there that probably know that this is the second greatest hits that they have. It has a lot of there hits but obviously you cannot put every hit on a cd. It is a good selection of songs except that they should not have added 2 versions of O'lamour and could of put another song in it's place. Some of the songs that could have been added and are missing is: star, come and make me smile, Don't say your love is killing me, and drama. The bonus CD of the mixes of the songs was very good. Overall it is a CD that I recommend not only to the erasure fan but anyone that likes good pop music.

And the purpose?
While Erasure's a handful good songs are already collected in Pop Hits then what's the purpose of this money-steal item? Erasure have never been a high quality band but is rather doomed to be poor man's Pet Shop Boys with those awful lyrics and the same loops and rhythms all over the years. If you really wanna try Erasure go buy Pop and leave it there. If you really want to listen real good pop music, try Pet Shop Boys (Popart or any album of them) the overlooked gods of this kind of music, or New Order...

POP bops this off.
If you are contemplating a choice between Erasure's "Hits" album and the older "POP!" collection, I'd actually give the nod to "POP!" The new set adds more from the Abba EP and removes several of the songs from "Pop!." The dropped songs included some essential (in my opinion, at least) songs like "Drama" and "Who Needs Love Like That." You loose 8 songs from "POP!" here for 7 alternates plus one unnecessary remix of "Oh L'amour," and this collection has, simply put, a less concise menu of Erasure at their best.

Since Vince and Andy were better at the singles than at the albums anyway, the finest of their singles truly sparkle as gold from the eighties. Given that their later output was lackluster at best (save "Always"), this is a bland primer for a fun band. And Erasure is pretty much a fun sugar candy duo. With two notable exceptions, the best songs were campy or beat heavy hook records. Only with the environmental lyrics of "Chorus" or the call to arms of "A Little Respect" did the duo ever push towards anything really weighty. Not that there is anything wrong with that, mindless fun is better than no fun at all. But it was the early part of their career where Vince was still innovatively exploring the compositional range of the synthesizer. Which meant that, when he was on, he was brilliant, and Andy almost always found the kind of vocal exuberance to overcome any deficiencies (think "Love To Hate You"). It's also that, after the album "Chorus," the band began to bog down. So unless you feel that "Always" and a cover of Peter Gabriel's "Solisbury Hill" are worth having over the deletion of eight other, superior Erasure songs, I'd recommend "POP!" over "Hits."

Just buy the DVD
While most of this collection is a revisit of the old "Pop" disc, I decided to buy the DVD version and was glad that I did! Always known for their innovative, and sometimes campy, videos I had to get it. All of the hits are there, including many from the past decade. There are so many videos, that they put them on 2 disks! A great buy and a necessity for any fan. I say, skip the CD and get the DVD instead! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

The influence of Bristol, U.K.'s Massive crew on bringing trippy beats to the foreground is immeasurable. Not only were they the early test ground for other alterna-hop stars (ex-clansman Tricky, former songstresses Nicolette and Martina, and the lesser known productionists Smith & Mighty), they've spread their influence to everyone from fellow Bristol residents Portishead to Björk. Blue Lines is Massive's debut record and is the second musical union of Bristol's renowned collective, Wildbunch. The emotional purging and beat-driven orchestral movement of "Unfinished Sympathy" was among the first signs of life in contemporary English trip-hop culture. Other masterpieces, like "Daydreaming," which features Shara Nelson, Tricky, and other friends on the mic, throb with deep, dubby beats and soulful ambiance. Blue Lines marks the beginning of a musical legacy that is ever expanding. --Daniel Shumate ... Read more

Reviews (93)

MOTHER OF ALL TRIP-HOP ALBUMS
BLUE LINES is one of the most influential albums of the past decade. It is to dance music, what Nirvana's NEVERMIND is to grunge. For a band, whose debut album has had such an impact over music, Massive Attack is truly remarkable. This album has created a whole new genre itself: trip-hop, an offshoot of dance music. If not, this is definitely the first trip-hop album to be a big commercial as well as critical success. Though musically simple, BLUE LINES was much ahead of its time, as far as its style is concerned.

As an album, BLUE LINES is sexy, seductive and subfusc. The opening track "Safe From Harm", with its killer bass-hooks, eerie background music and Shara Nelson's mysteriously seductive vocals, is a perfectly gothic dance number. The following track, "One Love", is all orgasms galore. Instead of going overboard with sexuality like a lot of Prince's or Madonna's songs, "One Love" is as subtle and smooth as it gets, without being all loud and glaring - Only Horace Andy's vocals can be as sexy without even meaning to be.

Songs like "Blue Lines", "Five Man Army", and "Daydreaming" keep up the enjoyably livid mood built up by "Safe From Harm" and "One Love": gloomy and crazy, these three tracks wander aimlessly without any proper structure or chorus, with the band members taking turns to emcee, giving the impression of apparitions whispering mindless words in different forms - isn't trip-hop music, of the ghosts and for the dead?

Well, if BLUE LINES can be all spooky and intentionally subterranean, it can also be as positive, heavenly, and invigorated. This dual nature of this album makes listening to it even more enjoyable. "Be Thankful For What You Got", "Unfinished Sympathy", "Lately", and "Hymn Of The Big Wheel", are so unbelievably effusing with life and zest, that it is amazing that they are packed in the same album as the distressingly dark "Safe From Harm", and the others.

If "Safe From Harm" is one of the grimmest tracks ever created then "Be Thankful For What You Got" is one of the most upbeat songs ever made. With its down-to-earth vocals, and innocently simple words, this song overwhelms with its earthiness. Also, "Unfinished Sympathy", which is much more sophisticated, creates a blissful atmosphere with Shara's unassumingly sweet vocals along with the divine string-arrangement accompanying her vocals; and yes, its irresistibly foot-tapping beats are unforgettable. The closing number "Hymn Of The Big Wheel", is so unbelievably naïve and chaste, that it is only surprising that this song is in collaboration with the same person who has also collaborated in the temptingly sleazy "One Love".

An album, which is sleazy, sexy, subfusc, simple, and spirited, all at the same time, BLUE LINES is an essential album, in any collection. BLUE LINES is indeed an icon, as far as classic albums are concerned, and is undoubtedly the mother of all trip-hop albums.

Blue lines is anything but blue
Arrogant, pretentious, self-absorbed. These harsh adjectives have been used to describe Massive Attack lately. But for all of the harsh words thrown their way, they sure make one hell of a CD. This is it. The originator, the innovator, the percolator of trip-hop. And what a CD it is. At first listen, some songs are great, while others are obnoxious. Some you wish would go on forever, while others go overlong. But as you listen, the album sticks to you like white on rice.

I'm not fan of giving CD's five stars. But Blue Lines is truly a masterpeice. It takes the best elements of reggae, house, hip-hop, funk, and soul and puts them in a blender. Every song, with the help of a number of guest vocalists, sounds completely different from the last. The album has a cohesiveness that few albums share nowadays. This is truly a record that can be appreciated as an entire record, front-to-back, rather than just a compilation of songs.

High points: Too many to count. Safe From Harm is a stellar and spacey opener, with One Love following it up with a brilliant reggae vibe. Five man Army could be the mellowest hip-hop song in history, and Unfinished Sympathy evokes feelings that had not yet been seen in electronic music.

Low points: I wish I could say that there aren't any, but Daydreaming (the first single, no less) can get a little repetitive, as can Lately, but that hardly keeps it from being a perfect album. If you are a music fan and can stand to listen to equipment that's a little outdated. Do not hesitate. buy now.

Influencing the influential.
Although many have spoken of the enormous influence of 'Blue Lines' on modern music, few seem to have taken time to consider the influences that have shaped it (something the band has expressley done in the liner notes to the album). One of the major influences on the opening tracks 'Safe from Harm' and 'One Love' is Headhunters-era Herbie Hancock. The funky extended groove and the distant electric piano are classic jazz fusion sounds.

Massive attack perform their own form of fusion in harnessing Shara Nelson's classic soul-feuled vocals with the emerging sounds of British hip-hop. You can even hear the influence of Marvin Gaye on a track like 'Be Thankful For What You've Got'; or the sound of late 70's New York on 'Lately' (a time and place of obvious influence, as mention of the movie 'Taxi Driver' in the liner notes attests to).

Dub is also of major importance to the sound of 'Blue Lines', something the young Tricky uses to full effect on '5 Man Army'. Don't forget another of MA's name dropping influence, PIL. Jah Wobble's dub-heavy bass echos round the rhythm of 'Safe From Harm'. Horace Andy's vocals are just as powerful as Nelson's even if they come from a different musical genre. He gives huge emotion to the pop sensibility of 'Hymn Of The Big Wheel' and the contrast of his yearning vocal against the nocturnal background of 'One Love' is an original sound not lost on Moby.

The only thing I have to take a star off for is the dreadful monotone rapping in an English accent, which might have sounded radical in '91, but has become mildly irritating in 2004.

Unfinished Sympathy
"Bluie Lines" was Massive Attack's first album and the start of unfinnished music history. With this classic 90's album they started the UK trend Trip Hop, and lots of others were going to follow. Like all Massive album's there's a great variety of songs included, hip hop, soul, reggae, dance. Another reason to take a closer look at this album. Shara Nelson appears on this album too, the soulful voice behind "Unfinished Sympahty" her appearence makes the album even better and enjoyable. The song itself it the best of the album and perhaps the biggest hit so far for Massive Attack, it got the trip hop feeling all over it from the beats, the soulish sound and the vocals match perfect. She also sings "Safe Drom Home" which is good aswell. "One Love" is jazzy while "Five Man Army" is reggae and "Blue Lines" and "Daydreaming are hip hop. One of my favorites is the soulish pop influented "Be Thankful for What You Got" with awesome beats and scratching, very memorable song. "Lately" is slow and soulish, but passable. "Hymn of the Big Wheel" is that kind of song i can put in a specific genre, good however. Only 9 songs on this album but it's quality, not quantity. A great classic you defenitely should pick up.

Massive Attack's Track-Down Line....
It's hard to listen to Massive Attack's debut album without thinking of their extraordinary & subsequent work. Preferably, I'm a BIG fan of their collaborations with various grand artists. The real winners from this album are the tracks which feature Shara Nelson-- whom has a great yearning/vocal style which is definitely comparable to Sinead O'Connor (Another MA Collaborator)-- probably because both O'Connor and Nelson have that British mourning sound about them, plus both of them work so well with the sound of Massive Attack.

''Safe From Harm'' is definitely the best track off this album, with a over-looped and tripping atmosphere, Shara's voice sounds amazing on this track, plus there's a male vocalist over there too. As-well as the biggest hit off this album is probably ''Unfinished Sympathy'' and is undeniably one of their most popular songs along with ''Protection'' but that's on their second album.

The title track ''Blue Lines'', set's the standard for ''CLASSIC'' trip-hop. ''Daydreaming'' takes off with a sweeping pulsed beat, you hear Shara making an intro for the song, then comes more of Tricky's vocals, it takes a turn for the more rap/hip-hop side. Other great tracks are ''Be Thankful For What You've Got'', ''One Love'' and ''Lately''.

Bottom line is, this album is great and it can stand up on it's own, but I vastly prefer it's successor's such as ''Protection'', ''Mezzanine'' and recently ''100th Window''...

These guys have spread their influence over to Portishead, Bjork, Madonna a.k.a (The Queen Of Pop), Tracey Thorn/Everything But The Girl, Sinead O'Connor, Shara Nelson, Elizabeth Fraser, Sara Jay, Horace Andy, Tricky, Goldfrapp, Mos Def...etc (I could go on forever naming all of the artist's)...this just show's what a FANTASTIC group this is.--- They may not have the overexposed popularity of the unsuccessful/bland artists like Britney Spears, Beyonce and Justin Timberlake...But WHO CARES?...Massive is here to make ''MUSIC''-- not to impress public relations.

Massive Attack is just ''too good'' to be compared to anything like that... Great Album, Definitely worth every cent!. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The U.K.-based Sneaker Pimps combine standard rock guitar parts with trip-hop beats and clear white-soul vocals, and, when strumming an acoustic guitar (as on the first single, "6 Underground"), the trio is virtually indistinguishable from Luscious Jackson. While using electronica's signifiers--jungle's rattle, trip-hop's dark churn, ambient's synth washes, hip-hop's samples--Sneaker Pimps never stray far from the comfy world of the pop song. Becoming X's opener, "Low Place Like Home," is only one step from Alanis, while the rousing closer is as breathy and sunny as the Cardigans. --Roni Sarig ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Beautifully Dark
I bought this CD because I heard "6 Underground" and liked it. It turned out that every other song is good too, and the album maintains the 6 Underground feel. This is the CD that first got me hooked on the trip-hop/downtempo genre. I describe Becoming X as a melodic version of Portishead's Dummy. The CD creates a dark, moody atmosphere which Kelli (Vocallist) tops off perfectly.

Compared to the other Sneaker Pimps CD's, this is my second favorite, second to Splinter. It is the only one with a female voice, but the voice isn't what makes the band. I'd rate Becoming X a 9.5 out of 10 and Splinter a 10 out of 10. Becoming X is more bass line and drum heavy, while Splinter relies more on melodic guitar riffs and orchestra clips.

I's reccommend this album to anyone who listens to music to feel Zen. Buy it if you like Radiohead, Portishead, Hooverphonic, any other Sneaker Pimps, or any other Trip-Hop.

Uneven, hints at greater promise, still worth a listen.
I bought this CD on the strength of its second single (but the first I can recall hearing in the US) "6 Underground", which in my opinion was one of the best songs on the radio from late 1996 through Spring/Summer 1997. There are two versions of the song appearing on "Becoming X", including the "Nellee Hooper Edit" which was released as the single.

The truth is that the rest of the CD doesn't approach the level of "6 Underground", however...and in fact doesn't come close. That's not to say that there aren't worthwhile points of interest elsewhere on the album, though..."Postmodern Sleaze" being chief among them.

But the album never completely finds its own identity; the use of organic instruments such as the acoustic guitar among an electronic armada of sequencers, samplers, and other assorted synthesizers is a difficult mix to master (and very rarely executed to perfection...see "Personal Jesus" as the one standout example). "6 Underground" pulls it off well, but it's almost as if the band didn't want to push the envelope any further. Kelli Dayton's vocals are also hit-and-miss, ranging from sultry and soulful to aggressive and enigmatic. It seems she can't decide whether she's Tracey Thorn or Bjork. She doesn't seem quite comfortable with all the songs on the CD, but it has to be said that there are moments when she's quite inspired.

I will say that this isn't one of my favorite CD's, but it must have some hold on me as I also bought its pseudo-sequel "Becoming Remixed" when it was released in 1998. But so much of "Becoming X" seems as though it was remixed from a previous, more organic project that remixing it seems to be a redundancy. It's not the most shining example of trip-hop that I've ever heard, but any Massive Attack or Portishead fans won't be completely disappointed with it. Kelli's subsequent departure means The Sneaker Pimps now have a markedly different sound, so associating their latest efforts with their first would be an oversight that the curious music fans would do well to avoid; give it a shot.

Fan at 1st Listen
I became aware of this group about 6 years ago when I saw the video for "6 Underground." I instantly became a fan! This album infuses the lead's voice over bass, drums, synthesizers, etc. The songs make you feel something deep within your soul like "Post-Modern Queen" and "No Place Like Home." I recommend this album as an introduction to anyone who wants to know what electronica and trip hop is about.

kelly dayton
Sneaker pimps f'ed up when they kicked Kelly Dayton
now they have stupid vocals and ok beats
this is without a doubt the best album ever released by them
dispite lame attempts to progress as seen in ALL other sneaker pimps albums splinter and bloodsport and i think 1 more?? hmmm i guess it doesnt matter since I know they all SUCK

maybe one day they will work with kelly again and moke a second jewl but till then this is the 1 to get

Becoming X
I've only heard 2 songs from this album, but both are excellent. i find my self often adicted to the electronic sound, and Kelli Dayton's haunting vocals in "Becoming X". And "6 Underground" has the feeling of regret to it, and the lyrics are amazing. THIS IS THE ONLY GOOD SNEAKER PIMPS ALBUM. THEY SUCK WITHOUT KELLI DAYTON. she started a solo career i believe, and changed her name to Kelli Ali. (im not sure why) but i highly recommend this cd. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The novelty was stripmined from ethnobeat pop long ago, and this skin-deep confection is surprising only in its lack of edge and invention. On the plus side, the melodies are textured and lush, the beats entrancing, and a parade of gifted singers--Kristy Thirsk, Jacqui Hunt, and Sarah McLachlan included--bill and coo impressively. Lead single "Euphoria (Firefly)" has spark and spirit, while "Enchanted" and "Duende" are strong vehicles for Thirsk and Camille Henderson respectively. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (158)

Karma is a Delerium Classic
Karma is a wide leap from the earlier albums from Delerium, such as Stone Tower, but it is excellent. I love the fact that Rhys and Bill decided to bring in phenomenal female singers such as Kristy Thirsk, Jacqui Hunt, Sarah McLachlan, and Camille Henderson. The enchanting rhythms and sounds create a beautiful sound scape for your mind to dive into. My favorite track on this album is Duende. I love the mid-eastern feel of it. Enchanted is another great one, Thirsk's voices is amazing, and the lyrics have a lot of meaning. The album comes together as a whole when you listen to it all the way through, as with most of the Delerium albums. Karma will enchant and move you to higher places.

I cannot wait for the next Delerium album to follow up this one. But for now, this along with other Delerium albums such as Semantic Spaces and Spiritual Archives are staying in my CD player.

Spellbinding vocals over surrealistic soundscapes
Wow! Wow! I can't hear this CD enough!

I started listening to Delerium through the side-door: I'm no fan of Front Line Assembly or much of Leeb and Fulber's other work produced under various names, including Delerium.

Then a friend leant me the awe-inspiring Semantic Spaces. Shortly, I got ahold of Karma. And it's been stuck in my Rio player for six months now, and I've no plans to remove it any time soon.

It's hard to write about something that sounds so beautiful: words don't do it justice. But imagine ethnic beats, electronic sophistication, angelic lamentations, and ethereal landscapes, and you might get an idea of what this album sounds like. If you're at all a fan of Semantic Spaces, or Enigma's early work, you'll definitely enjoy Karma.

Can't Get Enough Of This Disc
I just bought this CD yesterday and wow, there is nothing like this group in existance. Their music is so lush and haunting. I had used to think Enigma was the height of otherworldly music but Delirium outdoes them everytime. My favorites have to be Enchanted and Silence (featuring the lovely Sarah Mclachlan) A must for anyone who love ambient music.

Leeb, Fulber, you guys have changed man
If you are truely familiar with Delerium you know that it is the oldest and now (thanks to albums like this) the most profitable side project of "Front Line Assembly". That's not because this is their best album, it's because this is the type of music mainstream America wants. If your familiar with earlier Delerium then it's evident that this is not their true style. It sounds like an experiment done by Leeb and Fulber to milk the common American cd buyer of every penny so they can make improvements and upgades on their 2 million dollar homes. Having said that I'd like to reassure you that this review is not going to be all negative. There's nothing wrong with making money and capitolism is how our favorite groups become successful. Hey, I gave this album 4 stars. It's a good album for what it is. It's for a very specific mood. To me it's for getting girls in that 'specific' mood. Women seem to like this album more than us guys. Although us guys have a taste in softer music too even though we may try to hide it behind our heavy metal, beer drinking and love of boxing.

So Leeb and Fulber have a good idea here. As always they have a vision for creating a style of music unique for any type of mood. Using female vocalists such as Kristy Thirsk creates a sort of sensual feel to this cd. The entire album is solid, with no song sticking out as a best or worst. Like I said it's a cd designed for that 70+ minute mood that we all sometimes feel. It's not at all like early Delerium and certainly different from most Front Line Assembly. If you're a big fan of heavier FLA this album might dissappoint you. If you expect Delerium to sound like they did on "Faces Forms and Illusions" then this album is bound to raise a few eyebrows. But I gave this album a try and liked it. I guess I believe that all music has it's place and purpose.

My first delerium, my favorite delerium
This was my first delerium cd, and it served as an excellent introduction to new-era delerium. I like all the other cds of the duo, but this is still my favourite. it is probably the most tribal album of theirs, and it is vocal without being a cheap poppish attempt to make money. It has quite a variatey of styles, ranging from ethereal trance/new age (twilight) to ambient/dance pop (but not forced) songs like euphoria (firefly) and silence. the details are below.

1:enchanted- I LOVE kristy thirsks voice! it is so sexy, when she comes in with her oohs and aahs. this song is tribal, ambient, poppish, and a little ethereal. So angelic.

2:deunde- When I first got this album this was my favorite song. it has a great powerful beat, some sampled chants, and a great vocal job by camille. It almost makes you feel like you are in the aboriginal outback, but it is still pop influenced.

3:twilight- an ethereal tranceey instrumental track with some chants. very pretty and inspiring.

4:silence- outstanding song. it has monks in the bigenning but after about 1:30 sarah mclachlan comes in, and starts singing. piano is interlaced through parts of the chorus and there is a nice piano solo at the end.

5:forgotten worlds- very otherworldly, you can see why they put the title there. the song takes you to a long forgotten temple and awakens it and brings you inside. it only starts out dark, then it begins to glow. Chanting in this one too.

6:lamenation- definitley tribal, especially during the first three minutes or so. then it gets really pretty. too bad it has such a long introduction. a little weak, could have been on semantic spaces.

7:euphoria (firefly)- two slightly slow instrumental somgs make way for a dancey pop song. this was the first single from the album. it is catchy and danceable. if you heared and liked other poppish songs like silence or deunde you'd probably like this.

8:remembrance- one of my friends claims to have heared this on the radio, but I never knew it was a single. (or is it?) this starts out with some woodwinds, but about 1:00 in this song comes to life with chanting monks and then gets spacey and synthesized after about three minutes, and then the chanting comes laced in with the spacey sounds. very interesting.

9:wisdom- a short song, but still welcome. yay, more thirsk! This song is a little like enchanted, but less tribal sounding.

10:window to your soul- this is not at all even hinted with pop. it is a piece of mood music, very relaxing, and inspiring. and even though it's around 10 minutes, it dosent drag on. it keeps you listening. it starts out dark, but dont skip it, after about two minutes you will be on your way to a very peaceful place. this song has chimes, synthesizers (of course) and chanting. REALLY pretty.

11:til the end of time- this is probably the weakest song on the cd. it is a lot like wisdom, but slower. vocals, too.

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You need this in your collection! there is a little something for everybody, but you will probably end up liking it all. :) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Garbage's third album is an almost total departure for modern rock's renowned poster children. Shirley Manson, Butch Vig, Duke Erickson, and Steve Marker robustly straddled the line between alternative rock and techno in their two efforts, whipping up two finely crafted CDs that captured the cultural mood of the late '90s. After six years in the saddle, they've shaken off the charge that they're a producer's creation and have emerged as a full-blown band. The band has also given up all pretext at being au courant and topical, instead combining '80s kitsch with '70s pop, with a stop along the way to worship at the altars of Phil Spector and Chrissie Hynde and even at times arriving at their own version of nu soul. "Shut Your Mouth" is raw and menacing and does as much for female empowerment as a Missy Elliott hit. "Can't Cry These Tears Anymore" is a modern take on Leslie Gore's "It's My Party (And I'll Cry If I Want To), but with all the strangeness of Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. If there is a single theme to Beautiful Garbage (named after a line in a Courtney Love song), it's that smart girls don't put all their faith in love. The heroine in most of these 13 songs would rather kick a faithless lover in the, er, shins with her stilettos than pine by the phone. The "Stupid Girl" of the band's debut is now just a stupid memory. --Jaan Uhelszki ... Read more

Reviews (581)

garbage tkes new direction
Garbage's music could be described as an indie-rock conglomeration. They incorporate different styles and techniques that, when layered, form a complex network of unique sounds that give Garbage their infamy. The new album, "Beautiful Garbage," released in the US on Oct. 2, meshes tough lyrics with the sporadic lapse into vulnerability, familiar jagged guitar chords, and the occasional tribute to form a satisfyingly diverse album that goes where no band has gone before. Garbage consists of Shirley Manson's vocals, Butch Vig, who has worked previously on hit records by Nirvana and the Smashing Pumpkins, on drums, Steve Marker on bass and Duke Erikson on lead guitar. The band was popularized with their first two hit records (self-titled, and "Version 2.0") which drove some of their songs to the mainstream. "Only Happy When It Rains," "Queer," "Special" and "When I Grow Up," are some of Garbage's more prevalent hits. Manson's image as a tough vixen was solidified by the success of their previous singles, but "Beautiful Garbage" shows her more vulnerable side with admittances such as "I never said that I was perfect/but I can drive you home," from "Drive You Home." The CD begins with the contradictory "Shut Your Mouth." The song is aimed at those who want too much too fast, and will inevitably be overwhelmed by it. It addresses the folly of those who are constantly transforming in an attempt to be everything to everyone. The song has quickly flowing vocals that contrast with the often harsh, accusational lyrics, and interjecting guitar stylings to form a razor sharp effect that perfectly matches the song's message. The first single from the album, "Androgyny," is a somewhat lighthearted song preaching the need for companionship. Its theme is self-evident and trite, as it states "Nobody wants to feel alone." "Androgyny" seems focused toward the mainstream pop audience with its catchy chorus, and synthesizer-heavy echoes. It is reminiscent of Blur's "Boys and Girls," but the latter successfully broadcast its message without wearing a pseudo-pop mask. "Cup of Coffee" is centered around a familiar topic: the unexpected end to a relationship. It is about withdrawal and how it is dealt with. The song is primarily soft and melodic, but picks up in parts to create smooth transitions. The lyrics are delivered in a sultry manner that leaves a lingering sense of loss in the listener. "Silence is Golden" casts a new light on a worn phrase. The song appears to be spoken from the perspective of an abuse victim who is angered by the paradoxical nature of her situation. The lyrics "If I am silent then I am not real/but if I speak up then no one will hear," are sung with the frustration that a fear of admittance can cause. The song is supported by Garbage's signature pounding guitar style that parallels Manson's ever-present strength. "Silence is Golden" successfully channels anger and frustration into a strong yet mournful cry challenging abuse. "Parade" is the album's crowning achievement. It is a powerful song that is unlike any Garbage thus far. Its vocals are effectively detached, and blend skillfully with the song's churning background. Individuality is its message, and the song recognizes the lack of it in today's society. "Beautiful Garbage" may be quite unlike Garbage's previous albums, but it offers a fresh and creative diversity that is uncommon amongst the usual waves of replica-pop. Garbage has always been an experimental band, and "Beautiful Garbage" is a creative step in a new direction.

Buy it. Play it. Love it.
When Garbage roared onto the music scene in 1995 with their highly successful debut album, they were well received by both music fans and critics. But one criticism they've always had fired at them is that they suffer a chronic lack of diversity in their musical style. Their second album, the appropriately titled Version 2.0, only gave these criticisms more credibility, bouncing the same boppy techno tracks with each cut. So does beautifulgarbage correct the problem? Indeedy do!

Androgyny, the first single, is a danceable, highly enjoyable R&B number, with lyrics like 'boys in the girls room, girls in the mens room' which liberally mock traditional gender stereotypes. It's a totally different Garbage sound to what you're used to, but there's no denying it sinks its hooks in.

As for the rest of the album, their new sound takes some warming up to, but there's enough oldgarbage in beautifulgarbage to remind you who you're listening to. Shut Your Mouth (as the title would suggest) is an acidic, vicious funk song, with so much attitude that it's impossible to dislike. Garbage pay homage to their punk roots on this one. Can't Cry These Tears is a much more soothing ballad, with a gorgeous sweeping harmony, and Shirley really pushing her vocal skills to the limit. Till The Day I Die is a schizo rock/dance number that I completely adored.

Garbage are well noted for slow ballads such as Milk and You Look So Fine, so it's no surprise that Cup Of Coffee, with its mesmerizing piano track and outright depressing lyrics is such a wonder to listen to. Silence is Golden is perhaps Garbage's heaviest song to date. A favourite from their old live sets, it's erratic melody is held together by Shirley's anguished lyrics. Cherry Lips is a fabulous tribute/send-up to/of bubble-gum pop music, while Breaking Up The Girl is a strong rock song in the tradition of favourites like Special or Only Happy When It Rains.

After that point, the album really slows down. Drive You Home and the finishing track So Like A Rose are wonderfully atmospheric. Nobody Loves You equals Cup Of Coffee with its gorgeous lyrics and haunting music from the three boys. Parade is a wonderfully fast, celebratory song. Untouchable is another trip into R&B territory, that after Androgyny seems like overkill, though it's probably the better of the two songs.

Overall, Beautiful Garbage won't challenge their first album, but it's a damn fine collection of tracks, which explodes the myth of Garbage being samey. If you haven't heard it, I can't really tell you what to expect whether you're a Garbage fan or not. I grew to love it on the whole, but it took some getting used to. One thing's for certain, Garbage explore a lot of new territory here very successfully. Buy it. Play it. Love it.

New and old come together for a party of something unique
I realize from the sheer volume of reviews, that a variety of points of view have already been introduced, but too many of them have been negative, for my liking.

I think this album is yet another incarnation of the indespensible versatility of this band. Each song is crafted in a way that hits home with me, whether emotionally or on a tonal level, in a way that few albums with popularity can hope to accomplish.

Some say they "went pop" but I just find this a clever way to leave their own imprint on pop...to twist it or perhaps pervert it, I could say, to their image. And that's a main reason I love it.

From the industrial faux-rap aimed at their hopeless deniers, right through to the very last, subtly spooky and mournful track, this album moves from place to place with the greatest of ease and grace.

They cover pop such as the delightful "Androgeny" and the snappy "Untouchable" and the irresistible "Cherry Lips (Go Baby, Go!), heavy metal/power pop with the painfully honest "Silence Is Golden" and "Parade", and heartbreakingly keen balladry such as the subtle songs "Cup Of Coffee" and "Drive You Home", the latter of which provoking my tears each time I listen to it.

Anyone who has misinterperated this album, really must give it a chance to unearth the true extent of its genius and cleverness.

One of the best albums of 2001. I can't wait to see Garbage's next incarnation.

Incredibly catchy
I can't say I'm acquainted with Garbage's first album, but this album prompted me to go out and buy their second effort. Both are excellent but very different. The great thing about this album is the array of different sounds the album boasts. This isn't one of those albums where somebody could complain that "all the songs sound the same." For instance, there are songs that clearly take their influence from the 50's and from the 80's. If you like female driven vocals for rock/pop, don't pass this one up!!

A VERY Noticable Change
I think that, since Garbage changed their style on this album, they aren't liked as much. Personally, I still like them.

1.Shut Your Mouth-This song is a great opener, it's a song that's a bit hard to describe but it's well worth listening to, just to hear this new side to Garbage.

2.Androgyny- This isn't as good as 'Shut Your Mouth' but it's a very good song. The beginning (the flute sounding instrument) was a very smart idea.

3. Can't Cry These Tears- This is a slower song, not exactly slow, but slower then the previous tracks. I personally don't really like this song, but I can manage a listen.

4. Til The Day I Die- This is like a techno song, something they might've played in a 70s disco if it had been around. I love when she goes "farewell.... farewell"

5. Cup Of Coffee-A very dark song about getting dumped. It's VERY slow, but very good and also very depressing. I know this is just me, but sometimes I'll cry.

6. Silence Is Golden- Not exactly a favorite, but in a sense it almost is a favorite? This song is a but weird, and Shirley sounds very pained.

7.Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go)- In the beginning of this song, Shirley's voice.... it sounds like a baby's. Never the less, this song is very good.

8. Breaking Up The Girl- Um, I don't really like this, and I think Parade was practically about the same topic and that song is better.

9. Drive You Home- This song is sad, it's almost empty. It's another Garbage song that you just can't describe.

10. Parade- This song is much better then Breaking Up The Girl. It's fast paced, and the chorus is very energetic as well.

11. Nobody Loves You- It reminds me of 'Sour Times (nobody Loves Me) by Portishead, and sounds a bit like it. This song has a very long intro that is quite haunting.

12. Untouchable- One of the poppier songs, but it's still very good. It has a bit of a hip hop vibe to it as well.

13. So Like A Rose- A nice ending, sad, but also very good.

I'm looking forward to the new album, coming out "later this year", entitled 'Hands On A Hard Body' and has 14 tracks. You also can't help wondering what they'll sound like next ... Read more

Amazon.com

A singles band if ever there was one, the hits on Pop make the duo of Andy Bell and Vince Clarke of Erasure sound like the Rodgers & Hammerstein of synth-pop disco. With the exception of The Circus and The Innocents albums, most of Erasure's full lengths house only a few brief moments of brilliance, the rest of the songs being limp and uninspired. But putting songs like "Blue Savannah" with its sweeping loveliness, the haunting "Ship of Fools," and the campy, raucous "Love to Hate You" all on the same disc shows that when Erasure is on, they shine like a thousand-carat tiara. The energetic and electronic disco is front and center here with "Oh L'Amour" and the audience participation number "Stop!," but the beautifully crafted "Sometimes" shows the band's true potential. The irrepressible melody line is punctuated by an acoustic riff and a melancholy trumpet solo that actually has to do its best to keep up with Bell's warm lament. An indispensable collection. --Steve Gdula ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Excellent
I'd like to give it 4.5 stars, but that's not an option. It can't be 5 stars because there are better singles collections from the period, notably Madonna's Immaculate Collection. Still, Pop is a great album. It highlights just how good Erasure is at crafting catchy, whimsical, sometimes surprisingly emotional pop songs. It's also a good album to listen to if you're interested in charting the development of synth-pop in the 80s. Erasure's growth, development, and changing sound mirror the overall synth-pop movement of the period quite well.

Erasure at their best!
This collection of songs showcases the best synth-pop group at their best. Erasure continues to amaze me with their incredible vocals, arrangements, melody, and inventiveness. Their contributions to the '80's are ever so evident and you will find yourself going down memory lane. I personally identify with the lyrics but I truly admire their patience in production. If you pay close attention, Andy is famous for singing all all his background vocals. At certain points in the song there are 3, 4, or 5 vocal tracks and they are all his. WOW! Who better to harmonize with you than yourself. I personally like songs like "A Little Respect, Breath of Life, and Chorus." I have become their number 1 fan and collector. YOU MUST OWN THIS ALBUM!

Actually better than the newer Hits set.
This twenty song collection played the singles route to perfection. "POP!" collected all the singles to date and then ran them chronologically, up to the "Abba-esque" EP and "Take a Chance On Me." Nothing left off, and the "hits" aspect is taken literally. Since Vince and Andy were better at the singles than at the albums anyway, the finest of their singles truly sparkle as gold from the eighties. Given that their later output was lackluster at best (save "Always"), this is a great primer for a fun band.

And Erasure is pretty much a sugar candy duo. With two notable exceptions, the songs were campy or beat heavy hook records. Only with the environmental lyrics of "Chorus" or the call to arms of "A Little Respect" did the duo ever push towards anything really weighty. Not that there is anything wrong with that, mindless fun is better than no fun at all. And this was the period where Vince was still innovatively exploring the compositional range of the synthesizer. Which meant that, when he was on, he was brilliant, and Andy almost always found the kind of exuberance to overcome any deficiencies (think "Love To Hate You").

So if you are contemplating a choice between this album and the more recent hits collection, I'd actually give the nod to "POP!" The new set adds more from the Abba EP and removes several of the songs here. The dropped songs included some essential (in my opinion, at least) songs like "Drama" and "Who Needs Love Like That." You loose 8 songs here for 7 alternates, and this collection has, simply put, a more concise menu of Erasure at their best.

Unexpectedly Intense, Romantic, Passionate, Bitter
I'm not often enthusiastic about club-dance-techno-pop bands, most of which seem determined to copy each other to the point of exhaustion. But I'll make an exception for Erasure, which has a great deal more going for it than the vast majority of music you're likely to hear the next time you hit the dance floor.

Chief among the band's assets is vocalist Andy Bell, who has a remarkably rich and passionate voice--but Erasure does not rely on Bell pure and simple. It is the combination of Bell's vocals, a bouncy beat, and the often unexpectedly thoughtful and frequently bitter lyrics that do the trick. The result is a consistent sound that crackles with a sensuous passion, and at its best creates one memorable cut after another.

POP! suffers from the usual failings of every compilation album, which is to say that it generally goes for the obvious choice even when a lesser-known selection is clearly superior. But even so, it offers a solid overview of Erasure, from the purely danceable to the disquietingly emotional playing against the dancefloor rhythm. "Ship of Fools," "Chains of Love," and "A Little Respect" are perhaps the side of Erasure that are most recognized--but when the selections turn to such intense and lyrically sharp selections as "Drama" and "Love to Hate You," you know that you've stumbled into something special.

The compilation, in my opinion, saves the best for last, running a gamut from the intensely passionate and romantic "You Surround Me," to the purely elegant "Blue Savannah," to angry "Chorus," to the moody and introspective "Am I Right"--the latter of which may well be single finest thing in this collection. As a garnish, the collection finishes up with a very enjoyable cover of Abba's "Take A Chance." But whichever you happen to prefer, it's all good stuff. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Good compilation
In the early eighties, Depeche Mode founding member Vince Clarke made a startling announcement - he was leaving the band he created (they wanted to focus on touring, and he wanted to focus on in-studio stuff.) He formed Yaz with Alison Moyet, but soon quit that band after their two albums failed to achieve any true charting success. But in the middle of the decade, he joined forces with vocalist Andy Bell and formed a new band - Erasure. And he's been in this band from then until now - nearly twenty years. This is a compilation of the band's biggest hits. Read on for my review.

PROS:
-More than likely, the only real reason that you want to buy an Erasure hits compilation is because you want to get their biggest hit, Chains Of Love. I don't think I have to tell you that it's on here. All the other fairly big hits are on here as well.
-Though HITS is part of this compilation's title, it doesn't just rely on the hits. There are a number of excellent songs on here that never made it big. Don't pass them by!
-This is an affordable compilation.
-Most major retailers of compact discs carry this compilation, so you shouldn't have to look too hard for it.

CONS:
-The compilation doesn't fill the eighty minutes that you can fit onto a compact disc. It seems like the compiler was more concerned with getting a nice, round number of songs on here than actually filling the time.
-Because this is an older compilation, there is no material from the band's new album of covers entitled Other People's Songs.
-I recently heard the band will be releasing ANOTHER hits compilation... If that's true, then this one could be rendered obsolete before we know it...

OVERALL:
Erasure was one of the greatest new wave bands out there - and they still are! This compilation does an excellent job giving you their hits and them some. If you like eighties pop music, don't even think about overlooking Erasure. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Alphabetical Order
What a great record this is! Music for people who love to groove, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of a decimated popmusic scene. It's impossible to stay still whilst listening to this album, the songs are just too catchy!

Highlights: Everything Is Everything, Run Run Run, Holdin' On Together. But the whole album is lush!

Another great album from Phoenix
Phoenix is such a dynamic group and they have really suprised me with this new CD of theirs. It's so different from their last one but it absolutely carries the signature of this awesome band. Not many bands can do what Phoenix did and come out with a completely different "groove" on a CD and have it sound better than the first. Phoenix is definitely my favorite band now. My favorite songs on the album are "Love for Granted", "If it's not with you", and "Holdin' on Together". But, the whole album is really good and a totally fun CD to listen to, I highly suggest purchasing it if you are a fan.

Superb!
This is the revival of seventies brilliant popmusic, remembering Steely Dan, now in a modern french glance of crispy arrangments standing on a stable rockground with wonderful melodies. Goes 8 hours a day. Strongly recommended! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Power, Corruption & Lies established New Order's identity separate from its previous incarnation as Joy Division. Containing "Blue Monday," one of the most sacredly important dance songs of all time, this album truly stands not only as New Order's most defining moment but perhaps as the most standard-setting moment in alternative dance. Yet as definitive as they may be, New Order have outsmarted any copycats. Owing in substantial part to Peter Hook's prominent and melodic bass lines, New Order's songs have always aspired to a complexity that maintains the band's timelessness. Rarely formulaic, New Order's songs are seldom overwhelmed by a four-on-the-floor throb. But interesting rhythms are just one facet of this musical diamond. Their foreboding, grim, and often just plain heartbreaking lyrics present a contradiction to most dance-pop songs, whose lyrics are almost always uplifting or even evangelical. With this album, New Order cut a path for themselves that was rarely, if ever, explored by other artists. --Beth Bessmer ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Excellent, but these other reviewers are way wrong!
First things first, this album came out in 1983, not 1988 (it made it to the CD format that year). Its fab, but I must say Low-life and Technique are better, especially when you consider that Blue Monday and its b-side, the Beach were NOT on the original album. Thats why you never heard of it back then! They were added to it when it was put on the CD, email me if you don't believe me, I've got it on vinyl, with just 8 songs. 586 was Blue Monday's precursor and appears here originally and on this one, note the keyboard similarities? Anyway, a fab album by New Order. Age of Consent still rocks.

Not their best, but very close to perfect.
Right then, another album, another review. This is the start of New Order for real, not their confused (yet superb) beginnings. Basically, I own all their CD's (nearly) and I can safely say this is their second best album (After Technique) Simply because my incarnation of it does not have BLUE MONDAY on it. But that's alright as it's on substance. This is actually a blessing in disguise because with Blue Monday the Album is overshadowed by its sheer inspired nature (not to mention the fact that 586 is an even less subtle re-hash of it when placed right beside its better brother). It would, for instance be all too easy to forget the fantastic Age of Consent, the beautiful " Village" and the serene wonderful and amazing "Your silent face" possibly the best album track they ever recorded (Though this is contended by "Face Up" and possibly "Dream Attack") the rest of the songs on this album are catchy and likeable, the highlight being "Ecstasy" as, unlike low life's "Elegia" and Republic's last track it is actually an istrumental that it is fun to listen to. Surprised? All in all, it was an amazing development in the Pop Music world and without Blue Monday (probably one of the top ten singles of all time) Rave, Madchester, even Modern Music as a whole would never have existed. Not bad for the same bunch of lads who started Grunge, eh? Just skip 586. It's really not that worthwhile.

"A Thousand Islands in the Sea, It's a Shame."
this is one of my favorite albums of all time. (look in my "so you want to..." lists to see what accompanies it if you want to). I'll tell you what about 1/2 of the other reviews already have, and that is that the original album didn't include "blue monday" or "the beach". it's true that the album does flow together more smoothly without them, but they aren't entirely unwelcome (though the last song really SHOULD be "leave me alone"; it's like adding something on after "some girls are bigger than others", know what i mean?) this is very moving music that never, ever feels smarmy. it's cold and detached while being warm and involving. i know that sounds impossable, but it's true. ok, yeah, as previously indicated, "age of consent", "the village", "your silent face", and "leave me alone" really are the best songs on the album, but the others aren't bad songs at all, it's just that these songs are so superb. these songs are all etheral stunners, and this album was the first masterpiece of the new genre.

Overrated
I don't understand why people seem to consider this album a classic, or New Order's best. Summer's voice just hasn't quite matured yet, as evidenced on 'We All Stand' and 'Ultraviolence' and others; he still sounds uncertain. Lyrically, as in the future, many of the songs are weak; a lot of them are just vaguely existentialist nonsense laid over some pretty music. It seems like the pall of Joy Division is still over them - the same dreary mood, without the genius of Curtis to make it work.

That said, the only way it seems to me that you could form the idea of this album being a classic is if you only listened to the first track, 'Age of Consent,' which is a masterpiece in every way; music, vocals, lyrics. 'Blue Monday,' of course, is also strong, and 'The Village' is a catchy and endearing track, with more interesting lyrics than most. The others songs, though, have either decent lyrics or strong music, and some are just unlistenable. I don't think that by any means New Order peaked with this album; God help the if they did. Thankfully, they kept evolving.

New Order's best
While Movement is an excellent record, the vocals and lyrics are like Joy Division watered-down. This record represents a clean break from the band's past, and more importantly, the songs are brilliant.

While the vocal ability of the singer is questionable, even with the heavy straining in Age of Consent, the songs are very appealing. I especially love The Village, Blue Monday, and Ecstasy. This record is one of the best of the 1980s. It stands head and shoulders above most other New Order records (especially Brotherhood), although Technique is pretty good.

The only sore spot on the CD is "The Beach" - which wasn't on the LP I gather. It doesn't belong on the CD - at least not without a big "empty space" between it and the true last song. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sure, it screams mid-1980s as joyously as any John Hughes teen flick, but this debut--from perhaps the only German export to sound positively gleeful--deserves as long a nostalgic afterlife as Soft Cell's "Tainted Love," Yaz's "Only You" or mid-period Depeche Mode. Forget OMD's "If You Leave," "Forever Young" is the best should-be prom-theme the decade produced. While "Big in Japan" was the KROQ anthem, everything here is deliriously tuneful. Revel in the manic melodies of "The Jet-Set," delight in the guilty synth-pleasure of "Sounds Like a Melody," surrender to the international romantic intrigue of "To Germany with Love," and hope that VH-1 re-discovers them for a reunion tour. --David Daley ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Sounds like a Classic!!
I first heard this album while in high school in the late 80's. I was living in Japan at the time (an Air Force brat) so naturally Big In Japan hit a cord. Nothing prepared me though for what is a completely awsome album. I love every track but Sounds Like a Melody is my favorite. I could listen to it over and over again.

The other reviewers have it right so I won't repeat their praises. This is one of the seminal 80's albums, much overlooked which is a shame. Their later releases are all great in their own right, but newcomers to Alphaville should get this one first. It will lay the groundwork for what will hopefully be a fanatic love of this German group. It cooled my teen angst with its hopefull melodies and is ear candy to my now mature ear. Get this, get all the Alphaville albums you can, I doubt you'll regret it. They are still around and cranking out the good stuff. Prostitute is the only one I've had trouble getting into, but as with all there stuff after Forever Young, the more you listen to it, the better it gets. This album gets my highest reccomendation.

Simply a great album!
Aah, forever young..I was born in 1980 so when I really started listening to music and buying records, it was the early nineties. In school everyone had tshirts with bands like
gunsnroses, nirvana and metallica. I had never heard of Alphaville. I have memories from my childhood, hearing "Forever Young" on the radio, but I didn't know the name of the band until quite recently. I have been trying to discover the music of the eighties bands for a while now, and this album is a musthave! All the songs are fantastic, but sure there are some standout tracks I play over and over again. Big in Japan, Fallen Angel, Forever Young, Sounds like a melody, Lies, The Jet-set. I really don't know why these are the ones I listen most to, cause the ones I left out are still fantastic songs. What can I say, Alphaville is my new favourite band and I know I will end up owning all of their records someday. Now a days it seems that Alphaville has been forgotten a bit and it's really a shame. Keep on rocking boys!!:)

Try this and I don't think you'll regret it
Forever Young is a great album with lots of good tracks. In fact there's only two which I don't like that much. Those are To Germany With Love and In The Mood. The album contains three very good hits from the mid 80's; Big In Japan, Forever Young and Sounds Like A Melody (that is quite many for an album with 10 tracks!). If you like 80's New Wave music or Synth music then I think this can be something for you. Buy this album and I don't think you'll regeret it.

Absolutely classic
This is one of the best pop albums of the 80s. Everyone knows the songs "Big In Japan", "Forever Young" and "Sounds Like A Melody", and the rest of the songs as good as these. A must buy if you love 80s europop.

Let's dance for awhile!
Forever Young! I want to be forever young! The title track belogs to syth-pop classics. Unique, wonderful and stirring melody with majestic lyrics have made this song evergreen classic. Big in Japan is another a big song for Alphaville including Japanese sounds and feelings.Please, I you heard Guava's cover for this song, shut the radio immediately. It's the most horrible cover ever made. Sounds like a Melody is also rather a well-known song, which has made cover called You Got the Let the Music( I don't remember the band but melody is taken for Alphaville). There is also forgotten classics for exemple Victory of Love and Fallen Angel. Victory of Love starts slowly but the end of the song makes me dance. There are some lesser good tracks Germany with love and Lies but luckily whole is a fine packet. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Some albums really can change the world, and in 1989 this was one of them. The psychedlic dance extravaganza that was The Stone Roses ushered in the era of Madchester, baggy trousers, Kangols, and the Hacienda. From the magnificent protracted opening of "I Wanna Be Adored" (where, for once, the arrogance wasn't overdone) to the dying seconds of "Fools Gold," every note was perfect. Jon Squire's guitarwork was a thing of magic, a new hero for a new age, Ian Brown sang with gusto, and the rhythm section had paid attention during the second summer of love (1988 version). Essential. --Chris Nickson ... Read more

Reviews (199)

They should have been as big as U2!
I bought this album over 13 years ago and it still finds it's way into steady rotation on my cd player. I hate most of the stuff that comes out of the UK, but these guys were unique. They wrote the most beautiful melodies, heaped on soaring choruses and the interplay between musicians was outstanding. They played the most uplifting happy music but never sounded sappy. It wasn't embarrassing to say you dug these guys. Everyone I know who has heard this album has LOVED it. Somehow, they managed to squeeze 30 years of pop music into one majestic piece of work. From the distant clicking train tracks that introduce "I Wanna Be Adored" to the final tambourine shake at the end of "Fool's Gold", the Stone Roses' debut inspires awe and adoration. I'm running out of superlatives here. It's as if they took every good element of indie-pop, folk-rock, funk, house and psychedelia and somehow made it click. "She Bangs The Drums" is pure grandeur. Not one hook or melody is wasted. "Waterfall" takes it's cue from a propelling shuffle beat and a pulsing bass line that raise the shimmering guitars to heights way beyond your standard UK jangle guitar bands. R.E.M. only wish their guitars could chime like this. "This Is The One" is a the most uplifting cynical song ever and "Shoot You Down"'s soft brush drumming and gentle arpeggios create a magnificent ambience. "I Am The Ressurection" sees the band start off in a Merseybeat pop style only to morph into a monstrous psychedelic jam that includes 12-string and countrified slide guitar, maracas, tambourines, bongos, funk-derived basslines and frenetic drum soloing. It's as if all the 60's had been compressed into one eight-minute power pop jam. In truth, there is not one bum track on the whole album. John Squire's guitar playing is the unholy ... child of Hendrix, Page, Johnny Marr, Paul Simon and Roger McGuinn. Reni is the best drummer to come out of Britain in a generation. Not since John Bonham and Keith Moon had their been a limey drummer with such a distinctive style. Mani's bass playing is functional, but, because he's surrounded by virtuosos, somebody has to keep it simple. Ian Brown was tone-deaf live, so his vocals must have been run through heavy harmonizers and sequencers because he sounds good here. At their peak the Roses could do no wrong. Their b-sides could have easily been saved up and used as a second album, and it would have still been better than most bands' best outputs. Oasis copped their attitude, the Verve borrowed their jam-heavy stylings, Blur took the art-school feyness and Radiohead even nicked their producer. The Roses have to be the most influential and inspirational cult band in the world. Unfortunately, they frittered away all their potential by delaying their second album, losing Reni's powerful drumming, by abandoning the sound that made people love them and by playing awful live shows. Their aloofness turned into laziness and killed the band. At least they can be proud of this one gem they bestowed upon the music world. I was lucky to come across something this sublime at the moment it was unleashed upon the world. God Bless.

This Is The One
This is an album that is for no year and no age but for all time; simply put, The Stone Roses' classic debut is a record so perfect, so brilliant, so beautifully inspired that it rises above nearly every other album in the history of rock.

It is impossible to fully describe with words the staggering level of aesthetic beauty and perfect songcraft present here. This music by itself is melodically and harmonically extraordinary; when put in the hands of Ian Brown, John Squire, Mani, and Reni, it becomes something more, a phenomenal blur of psychedelic transcendental magic.

The opener "I Wanna Be Adored" seems to drift out of heaven with its distant rumblings. As the funky bass line emerges from the noise and the layers of shimmering guitar harmonies cascade over the ominous rhythms, the stage is set for a truly astonishing musical journey. After this opening swirl of drama, "She Bangs The Drums" makes a perfect entry, its endlessly catchy, carefree melody taking the listener to a different world. And these two songs are but the beginning...

There is never a dull or unenlightening moment on any of these 13 masterpieces; even "Don't Stop," which is "Waterfall" played backwards, is profound and peerless, and "Elizabeth My Dear," a one-minute interlude set to the tune of Simon and Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair," is a political protest for the ages. The album's true shining moment is its conclusion--no album in the history of rock has ended so well. The 13-minute firestorm that is "This Is The One/I Am The Resurrection" is a masterstroke not soon to be replicated by anyone. The triumphant guitars of the former song--which recall the harmonious work of The Byrds--and the sweeping, awe-inspiring instrumental solos on the latter are as close to pop Valhalla as any band could ever hope to be.

Although this album never went platinum and was basically ignored outside of Britain, it went eventaully go down as one of the top ten albums of all time. Some critics continue to downplay its quality and impact, saying that it is simplistic and overly naive. Yet "The Stone Roses" is a much finer piece of work than Nirvana's much-overrated "Nevermind," Oasis' shallow "Definitely Maybe," and U2's derivative "Achtung, Baby." It is better than anything by The Clash, The Rolling Stones, and The Sex Pistols, and thus is one of the absolute finest pieces of music ever, with a place next to "Double Nickels on the Dime" and "Revolver."

************************************************************
don't believe the nerds who complain about recording quality or tone-deafness. the stone roses provide pure pop bliss.
top 100 lists, classic?, not classic?, groundbreaking or not, who really cares?

A great moment in popular music
This masterpiece is testament to the fact that melody produces the best music. Buy it before you die. It will make you happy.

Oh no.
People are starting to bash this CD. Please, they are all wet! This CD is PERFECT. EVERY second of this CD is absolutely amazing. Melodic, timeless(!!!), uplifting, thirst-quenching, day-breaking, love-making, soul saving. The guitar playing is flawless (see: JAMMING last 5 minutes of I Am The Resurrection). The airy vocals of Ian Brown (heard throughout). The driving bass (Fool's Gold/I Am The Resurrection) and ecstatic drums (She Bangs the Drums, This Is The One, Fool's Gold). There is not one dud in the whole group. I have listened to this CD HUNDREDS of times and it still makes me feel like life is perfect (although it is far from it).

If you like pop music. If you aren't a crabby, contrarian. (fragmented sentences for dramatic effect. ;) ) If you LOVE great tunes, BUY THIS CD and enrich your life. You'll thank me for gushing like this when you experience this work of genius. I am not being generous, I am being honest. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bristol's Massive Attack released a classic with their first album, Blue Lines, but only those who were paying careful attention noticed; soon, they were overshadowed by the likes of Tricky and Portishead, who were colleagues. But not so after the release of Protection, which sported a massive hit and was just as critically acclaimed as their first album. (The hit was the title track, for which Everything but the Girl's Tracy Thorn lent her divine pipes--a move that made the act's name, and also presaged EBTG's move to the dance floor.) Eschewing the showmanship of their scene mates, Massive prefer subtler soundscapes and using a diverse range of vocalists (including Horace Andy, Nicolette, and Tricky) who give them a number of flavors and moods with which to work. Protection is an understated album with a rich palette; it reveals more of itself on repeated listens, growing better--and deeper--each time. --Randy Silver ... Read more

Reviews (73)

"Protection" left vulnerable by high expectations
When you release one of the most influential and unique releases of the past 20 years, what do you do for an encore? This is the no-win situation that Massive Attack had to face with their follow-up to 1991's seminal Blue Lines debut. Whereas that album simultaneously combined smoky hip-hop, inspired soul, and laces of "rasta", this album eschews many of those hip-hop and reggae elements in favour of soft jazz ('Weather Storm', 'Better Things', 'Heat Miser') and electronic-pop (such as the title track and 'Spying Glass'). Soundwise, it's a slightly uneasy mid-point between the raw urban flavour of Blue Lines and the unsettling bleakness of Mezzanine. Overall, Protection is another high-quality release, but it falls well short of these two benchmark albums. Musically and creatively, it is solid as expected (with the exception of their grating cover of 'Light My Fire' - but I didn't like the original either so there you go). However the combined danger and sensuality that marks Blue Lines and Mezzanine is conspicuously absent on Protection. Even Nicolette's raspy voice on 'Three' and 'Sly' rings somehow hollow. The album also fails to set a consistent groove: of the 10 songs, there are 2 jazzy instrumentals (both of them superb), 2 poppier tunes sung by Tracey Thorn, 2 eclectic cuts rapped by 3D and Tricky, 2 loungy rhythm-based grooves by Nicolette and 2 disappointingly un-reggae tracks by Horace Andy. This grab bag of vocalists and styles overall simulates the disjointed feel of a compilation disc. It not only lacks the cohesive flow of Blue Lines and Mezzanine, but is a bit bumpy in terms of quality as well. The cuts by 3D/Tricky, Tracey Thorn and the instrumentals are absolutely ace, while Horace Andy's usually amazing voice grates on both 'Spying Glass' and 'Light My Fire'. Nicolette's tracks are kind of in the middle, highly listenable but not the CD's bread and butter. Overall this is not the Massive's strongest release, but mediocre Massive Attack is better than 90% of other bands at the top of their game. It's a very good album that, however unfair it may be, is forced into comparison with their near-untouchable debut. If taken on its own merits, Protection will not disappoint.

Hits and Misses
Well, Protection has its hits and misses. I think the female vocals and lyrics are more impressive than the male vocals (except for Horace Andy, he's always good) in this one. Tracey Thorn shines in "protection" (bold lyrics) and "better things" and Nicolette, sounding like a modern day Billie Holiday, twinkles in "three" and "sly". Craig Armstrong's piano over the rubbery, slip and drag instrumental in "weather storm" is awesome. Tricky and 3D in "karmacoma" and "eurochild" are ok but lacks something that I just can't put my finger on. Martina sings a better version of "karmacoma" on Tricky's first awesome album, Maxinquaye, but under the title of "overcome".

I think more could have been done with "light my fire (live)" or it should have been left out completely. It just sounds like a space filler. Still, this CD should not be over looked by any trip hop enthusiast. Check out Massive Attack: Blue Lines and Mezzanine, Portishead: Dummy and Tricky: Maxinquaye for a better time.

Music to take a bullet to
The only thing I got out of listening to the title track, Protection, is fleeting remembrances of the movie The Bodyguard. This was not a good film. I am a great admirer of Tracey Thorne's voice and, as I said elsewhere, would listen to her sing the phone book; but this is not the phone book. This is teenage emotionalizing. Though I resonate with the idea of self-sacrifice, the whole point of self-sacrifice is to actually DO it, not to talk about how you would or should or might do it should the situation arise. The track is basically like listening to somebody saying, "You know, I'd like totally run in front of a bus to save somebody, knowwhamsain?" The whole point of self-sacrifice is that it is difficult to do. It certainly is not difficult to talk about doing, though. I don't know Tracey Thorne, but I am not really uplifted by the thought of her hypothetically jumping in front of someone to take a bullet for them.

Underrated 90's trip hop
While "Protection" might not be as good as their first album "Blue lines" and a bit overshadowed by other albums it's far from a bad apple in any way, actually one of my favorites with a distance. It's a bit unever though, some songs are close to perfection but some feels forgettable by now. The first song, the title track "Protection" is sang by Tracy Thorn from "Everything But the Girl" it's this albums best song and was a hit back them aswell. Tracy's haunting lyrics and voice fits the hip hop beats and samples perfect. The hook is also memorably good. "Karmacoma" is the normal Horacy Andy trip hop with rapping. "Three" is rather odd, decent song sang by Nicolette but could have been better. "Weather Storm" is a song to remember since it's slow jazz, completely diffrent from the rest of the songs here, it really showed the many influents Massive got. "Spying Glass" is reggae. "Better Things" is another Tracy Thorn song, it sound like a train, it has good beats and beautiful sound. Defenitely one of the highlight to not miss out. "Eurochild" is yet another rap song. "Sly" is with Nicolette, beautiful sound. "Heat Miser" is another highlight, it starts with fast piano playing and the sound of someone breathing deep. It got this mysterious feeling, great for a horror movie. Those kind of song is partly what makes Massive so pleasant. The album closes with a live remake of the Doors "Light My Fire" quite allright actually. Overall this is a very good album, forgotten by many but it has many highlight's worth taking a look at. A very good variety of sound and genre's and many songs with the great mysterious Massive sound. Recommended for anyone that likes something diffrent.

ANOTHER M.A. CLASSIC!!!
"Protection" is another classic Massive Attack album that breaks the mold in what trip-hop/dub music is. Not as strong as their debut "Blue Lines" or the phenomenal "Mezzanine", "Protection" still impresses with its sinsiter grooves, nigh-disturbing lyrics and poignant vocals. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As if A Prince Among Thieves wasn't conceptual enough, Prince Paul has now joined forces with Dan the Automator to create Handsome Boy Modeling School, an outlet through which the duo (and a dozen or so of their closest big-name friends) can mix and mingle with rap, turntablism, trip-hop, and--of course--tongue-in-cheek humor. And while this idea may sound original, its name came straight from an episode of Chris Elliott's short-lived sitcom Get a Life. Elliott--the goofball writer and cameo guest for David Letterman--springs up a few times on the disc in the form of a few vocal samples, but mostly this show is centered around the guests: Encore provides the disc's best rap on "Waterworld," Grand Puba and Sadat X (from Brand Nubian) perform "Once Again" on top of a sample of Three Dog Night's "Old Fashioned Love Song," and DJ Shadow does his usual magic with the 1200s on "Holy Calamity." Miho Hatori (Cibo Matto), Mike D., Sean Lennon, Alec Empire, and even Father Guido Sarducci are also along for the crowded ride. Does this runway of cameos ever sound thematically cohesive? Hell, no. With this many friends helping out, do we really need to hear Prince Paul on the phone with Biz Markie ("Calling the Biz")? Of course not. But this name-dropping vanity fair is nothing if not ambitious, and chances are there's something here that you'll dig. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Reviews (46)

how hip hop should be...
this cd is excellent. it is quite novel and experimental without being too ambient for the average 'jiggy' type listener. the beats are nothing less than the usual high standard from prince paul and the automator. these guys have quietly been producing the best hip hop music during these past three or four years (dr.octagon; a prince among thieves; guns, cars and sitars to name a few). the players on the album are incredible with appearances ranging from Del to Sean Lennon to Sensational. truely underground, truly innovative. 'sunshine' and 'the truth' are excellent for you and your woman to get rigid and moist to. and finally, that guy Encore from the cut 'waterworld' spits the best lyrics i have heard in years. that cut is a classic-Encore sounds reminiscent of a west coast Rakim (without emulating his style mind you) with the precise flow and intense, rewind-worthy lyrics. invest your sixty dollars to the handsome boy modelling school and learn something about true hip hop. peace-onasuss cashes in on the wins...primate foundation

A little too late....
"SO HOW'S YOUR GIRL" has a fantastic variation of collaborators, and two very talented individuals behind the concept. Prince Paul and Dan the Automator have really pulled in on this one, recruiting and eclectic mix of musicians from the world of Hip Hop and fusion.

From the outstanding tones of Moloko's Roisin Murphy with J Live on "THE TRUTH", to the uncontested strength of Grand Puba & Sadat X on "ONCE AGAIN (HERE TO KICK ONE FOR YOU)", this album has such a great big boiling pot of talent that you can be guaranteed a quality album.

Hmmm. Well not really...

I'd love to say that this album was everything that I expected, because there's this unspoken agreement in Hip Hop fusion that you don't - YOU REALLY DON'T - knock the products. If you like one, you should like them all. We have to stick together to preserve the cool. But it's just not.

You see the thing with kooky hip hop/trip hop/snippets of comedy programme compilations is that they had a time. And it's passed.

In fact we're looking at nearly 4 years since it hit it's peak. Unfortunately "SO HOW'S YOUR GIRL" arrived at a time where it's format had gone from deserving a prime write up in THE FACE, to now no more than what's deemed to be coffee table conversation.

I don't hate this album, and I still listen to the aforementioned tracks. In fact I'm just disappointed. It could have been so much more....

Prince and the Automator Deliver Best Kept Secret of 1999
There once was a time in the early to mid 1990's when rap actually meant something. Groups and artists like Souls of Mischief, De La Soul, Tribe, Jeru and Nas had perfected rap to a pure art form devoid of all of the corny cliches far too evedent in todays hip hop/R&B fusion numbers that grace the Billboard charts. Back then, rap music was mostly an underground phenomenon featuring artists who used their poetic skills to tell a story of the streets and social issues that were for the most part ignored by the public at large. Not all of it was serious to be sure. Groups such as the Pharcide and Digital Underground were great for those hot summer night parties.

Once the major record companies got hold of the idea that rap could be a major cash cow, they started to sign artists whose philosophy was more style than substance and groups who prospered during the heyday of rap either had to gloss their style in order to become more mainstream or disapear back into the underground. It was sad to see the artists who chose the former route sell themselves to make a quick buck. It was at this time that I deceided to get out of the genre that I loved so much.

When I heard about this album, I was overjoyed. With HBMS, you have two of the greatest hip hop producers to ever grace the sound boards coming together and producing a masterpiece, the lights of which have not been seen for quite a while. What makes this album so great is that they have invited some of the artists that shaped the glory days of rap (DJ Shadow, Del, Grand Puba, Sadat X) plus artists from totoally different genres such as Moloko and Alec Empire to create a work so varied in style, but at the same time focused into a cohesive unit. Del and Sadat are as good as they have ever been, but it is DJ Shadow and his "Holy Calamity (Bear Witnesss II)" turntablist masterpiece that steals the show. The Chris Elliot sit-com peices are also a riot.

Pick this up and you will be pleasantly surprised.

great compilation
This cd plays more like the kind of cd producers make when they want as many guest artists as possible. Dan's old friends Del and kid koala make appearances, as well as the underrated Encore, one third of de la soul, and even biz markie. The cd is often funny, although the format provides a shortage of excellent rap tracks.
Dan and Paul are two of the most funamentally solid hip hop producers out there, and they consistently deliver strong beats and a plethora of expertly used samples. The key to them making this cd so good was having the guest artists deliver.
Magnetizing, Waterworld, Once Again, and the Projects are the strongest rap tracks. The guests are all good, especially del and encore. Torch Song has an erratic freestyle thing in it and i don't know whether the rapper is taking himself seriously or not. Megaton B Boy is actually very good if you can hear the lyrics under the loud grating over distorted beat.
The songs with singing on them are a little thin, especially Sunshine, which is disappointing for all the guest artists listed. The Truth is better but moloko's lyrics aren't that interesting.
The dj songs are mostly cool. Holy calamity has a lot of energy, and even though the runway song can get kind of annoying, kid koala saves it by showing off.
The interludes are funny and the outro is even funnier. Prince paul and dan the automator are the coolest. They have delivered a consistently strong album which does about as good as any record could with so many guests.

Modeling just sucks!
This album not only has great music, but it's hilarious! The Guido Sarducci thing is beyond funny. The Chris Elliot things are great. The music can get really eccentrically trippy and good. I reccommend this to a wide variety of music listeners. ... Read more

Album Details

The Second Single from her Debut Solo Album "Love Angel Music Baby". Following the Number One Smash "What You Waiting For", "Rich Girl" features Eve and was Produced by Dr Dre. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

She's at it again!
I love this song! As soon as I heard it for the first time on 102.7 Da Bomb, I was waiting to see who wrote it. It was Gwen Stefani and Eve. This song is mainly for kids, but I guess adults can listen to it too. My favorite songs of hers are Hollaback Girl and Rich Girl. I hope more songs come out soon, I know they will be great!

She's at it again!
I love this song! As soon as I heard it for the first time on 102.7 Da Bomb, I was waiting to see who wrote it. It was Gwen Stefani and Eve. This song is mainly for kids, but I guess adults can listen to it too. My favorite songs of hers are Hollaback Girl and Rich Girl. I hope more songs come out soon, I know they will be great!

They Blew Our Minds Again
Gwen Stefani has really came a long way since her beginnings with No Doubt. But unlike most of the other divas who all seem a little manufactured, Gwen has a great sense of style, and substance when it really comes to music. Her latest single, her second collaboration with rapper Eve, Rich Girl, is a well recieved updated take of that classic track from Fiddler On The Roof. The song and the vibe for this pair is a whole lot fresher and a bit more upbeat with pop music since their late 90's collaboration Let Me Blow Ya Mind. It is just a very catchy tune that does grow on you, that is quite enjoyable. This is so far, one of my favorite guilty pleasure tracks right now.

Song: B

Undeniably Catchy, except...
Guess it's kind of crazy to criticize a song this goofy, but if you're going to riff off of Fidder On The Roof's "If I Were a Rich Man", why bastardize grammar in the process ("If I WAS a rich girl...")?Our kids need as much help as they can learning to speak with intelligence.Kind of like Britney Spears mispronouncing "prerogative" throughout "My Prerogative" (take a look, Brit - it's not PER-ogative").And don't even get me started on Alicia Key's "If I Ain't Got You", a thrilling song but a grammatical trainwreck.

;)

Rich Girl Gwen
I totally loved this song! It is soooo catchy, and I love the part from "Fiddler on the Roof". I really liked it! Pure genius!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Technique is New Order's most fully realized dance album. Although other New Order albums have been mighty danceable, this recording contains a masterful use of the acid-house trends storming the club scene in 1989, when this album was released. New Order embraced the technology that was available at the time but never substituted brilliant song structures with prefabricated formats that sequencers, samplers, and other high-tech noisemakers can easily provide. They intelligently used these devices to incorporate elements of a broader genre beyond the "New Order sound," proving that even while experimenting with musical trends and other fleeting diversions, this accomplished group is capable of pulling off a genre-defining album without ever losing sight of their own identity. --Beth Bessmer ... Read more

Reviews (37)

New Order vs Acid House
In its day, this record was a contender. Although it had its Acid House detractors and New Order critics, the album was unique in what it tried to accomplish. At the tail-end of the Acid House craze (1989--the UK's "Summer of Love"), New Order tried to pump up the volume with "Fine Time" (the lead track) and "Round and Round". Both were massive 12"s at a time when remixes were scarce and 'techno' club tunes were just emerging.

The record's title, alluding to the emerging mastery of the turntable whilst maintaining a treasury of guitar + keyboard melodies and technofied electronic drums (Stephan Morris style) combined with the bass highs of Peter Hook's signature rhythm component, conveys an evolution of pop rock into club dance without getting too commercial or cheesey. Granted, the post Joy Division lyrics of New Order were always a bit unbearable, and this album's no exception; nonetheless, the overall melodic flow of the compositions and the hard-hitting dance rhythms generate an unforgettable assortment of classic tunes, especially for the '80s retro dancefloor afficionado.

In my opinion, this is the last great New Order album; further in my opinion, it should have been their last--it signifies what I believe to be the most genuine departure from earlier stylistic choices, and yet retains an honest wholeness. "Republic" and "Get Ready" to me seem to merely capitalize on where the band has already been and can't return to. Perhaps I'm simply nostalgic; there was a day when I would've claimed New Order could do no wrong. That day has passed, and "Technique" to me is the last great refuge of a warm, welcoming legacy of pop dance melody.

A must for New Order Fans
This album is my favorite new order album. (However this is not a 5 star album) I really don't consider substance a "real" album cos it wasn't. it's a collection of singles. If you like singing along to songs this is best new order album to sing along to. Right from the beginning when Bernard says, "you're much to youuuuuuung." you will think you are in heaven. There's something about "Technique" that the other records didn't have. You will definitely notice more dance-type songs than with the other releases. "Round and Round" is a standout track along with "Fine Time" and "Run". If you put this album up against "Republic" and "Low-Life" "Technique" will stand out as being the one u keep coming back to. I recommend Technique to anyone who is interested in new order. My second choice would be Brotherhood.

Technique
Technique~ New Order. Many people will say that I must have lost my mind. How can I like Visage, Depeche Mode and other 80's bands and not like New Order. The answer is quite simple. New Order, should have been called Self Love. They are a group semi tallent musicians that play prententious and often irritating music that sucks the life out of the listener. I hated this album and this supposed to be one of their better ones.

And the Beat Goes On
Pherhaps New Order`s more upbeat and danceable album, "Technique" stands as a good piece of late eighties pop. It shows that they were poignant percursors of the dance scene, delivering innovative and catchy songs that still have their appeal even if some years have passed already. It`s a dated record, sure, as one can easily identify the time period it came out, yet most of the songs are strong and still carry some freshness. The first track, "Fine Time", is a dazzling and addictive dance number, proving the band`s creativity and talent.
Bernard Summers` vocals are, as usual, one of the highpoints, making a perfect combination with the electronic-oriented soundscapes. Although it`s a worthwile record, "Technique" has a couple of moments that seem a bit too samey, so some diversity would be welcome.
A solid musical experience, nonetheless, and a fine effort from the MADchester dance scene.

Get the message
'Technique' is a phenomenal record by a phenomenal band. Eight years and four albums after rising from the ashes of the doom-laden Joy Division, New Order had evolved to create the best electronic rock crossover album that I can think of. Recorded in Ibiza, but charting the disintegration of a relationship, the album is a curious contradiction of infectious beats and wistful lyrics that nevertheless works brilliantly. From the bass-heavy dancefloor sleaze - with a nod to Barry White - of 'Fine Time' through to the euphoric menace of 'Dream Attack', 'Technique' is an immaculately cohesive whole with very few weak points - only 'Guilty Partner' seems surplus to requirements. All the trademark New Order idiosyncracies are here, Peter Hook's inimitable bass, Bernard Sumner's winsome vocals and a glorious collage of beats, synths and guitars. The highpoint of the album comes with 'Run', a gorgeous, acoustic-driven jangle shot through with ragged bursts of electric guitar and ethereal synth. From then on in, 'Technique's attack is relentless, the excellent 'Mr Disco' and 'Vanishing Point' paving the way for the epic closer 'Dream Attack'. 'Substance' may have all the hits on it, but for 45 minutes of sustained New Order brilliance, no other album can live with 'Technique'. Get the message. ... Read more

Album Description

For nearly 25 years Depeche Mode has been making groundbreaking music, including being at the vanguard of remix culture since its inception. A "greatest hits remixed" collection, Remixes 81-04 is both a celebration and a flashback of the evolution of the remix and of Depeche Mode. Rleased as a limited-edition three-disc set, featuring a bonus disc of rare remixes, and a "best of" single disc, Remixes 81-04 features some of the most renowned remixers of the world, including Underworld, Goldfrapp, Air, Kruder+Dorfmeister, Timo Maas, Flood, Francois Kevorkian, Adrian Sherwood, William Orbit, Portishead and, of course, Depeche Mode. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Every now and then, a band releases a best-of album that makes the previously unimpressed see what they've been missing all along. On Like the Deserts Miss the Rain Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn of Everything but the Girl have created a personal blend of big hits, obscure b-sides, album tracks, and remixes that amounts to the best record of their 20-year career. We may know that they began as lefty student bossa nova interpreters, grabbed unlikely success as Sade-for-bedsits with 1984's "Each and Every One" single and 1988's Idlewild album, and went successfully house and drum & bass with "Missing" and Walking Wounded in the mid-1990s. What we perhaps missed is how subtly and powerfully they've developed their style, how even the most MOR moments have contained some kind of edge--a vocal yearning here, a rhythmic muscularity there. Thorn's lyrics are a particular revelation--defiant, angry, funny and true--and her moving expression of sisterly love on "Protection" sounds more at home here than on the Massive Attack album of the same name. In short, this is a deep and entertaining pop record that shows exactly why they've survived and thrived for so long. --Garry Mulholland ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Missing ...
Well it's easy to forget what a band was famous for when its biggest hit hinges on a remixed track that wasnt gonna be a hit in its original form. Prior to Missing, EBTG has been towing hard in the '80s with its own brand of acoustic / alternatice rock that had garnered them a circle of fans. One of their 780's hit, a re-recording of Rod Stewart's I Don't Wanna Talk About It is missing here for good reason. Their own songs are much better.

It's more exciting cos by the 90's Tracy THorn and Ben Watt have emerged as one of the most revered trip hop/dance artists in the music scene. Their Amplified Heart album sports their biggest hit Missing but the real winners here are Tracy Thorn's collaboraton with Massive Attack on Protectuion and the songs that came from their Walking Wounded (1996) and Tempermental (1999). For a rather complete history of the band, this is the disc and Rhino Records sweetens the deal witha 4-disc bonus CD unavailable elsewhere!

Major Hits...
Everything But The Girl.....Most widely-known for their 1994 hit ''Missing'' and Thorn's collaborations with Massive Attack on the track ''Protection''-- a song that was well received at the Brit Awards during that time.

Foremost...Tracy Thorn's voice has so much technique to it-- and here it shimmers perfectly along with Ben Watt's admirable studio work. I also can't relate to those reviewers who complain about the remixes--- because one of the best things about this band is the remixes they've received from several worldwide Producers/Dj's such as Chicane, Omni Trio, Todd Terry, Deep Dish, Peter Rauhofer (Club 69), Hex Hector, Mac Quayle, Ralphi Rosario...etc.

I really hope that EBTG comes out with a new album soon, Because I've been waiting impatiently for quite a while now...Nevethless, this is a great compilation but there's allot missing here--- for instance the amazing ''Better Things'', ''Walking Wounded (Omni Trio Remix)'', even though ''Tracey In My Room''...is included I would have liked to have seen the original version of ''Wrong'' here.

But don't let that deter you from getting this, because there are great songs on here like; Protection, Tracey In My Room, Corcovado, Single, Missing.

Overall, a good collection that will surely please many fans or new-listeners.

Simply Magical.........
This CD is for two groups of people, fans of EVBTG and people who want to discover EVBTG. If you heard a couple of their songs on the radio and are looking for those songs, this is not the CD to get.

At the end of the day, this is an incredible collection of songs, some of which were hits and others are b-sides. All of them have been re-mixed and re-worked resulting in an extremely moody collection that progresses from acoustic to electronic while paying homage to bossa nova and Chet Baker in the same hour. Truly magical if you are up for it.

Folk Music for the DJ -Minded
Most often, singles collections tend to be rehashed hits designed to bring more cash to record labels. "Like the Deserts..." is a welcome exception from one of my personal favorite bands, and does a great job of mixing previously unreleased or rare material, remixes, and older songs onto a compilation that fits into the collection of either the fan with several albums or one who's never heard a note of their music.
Most apparent is Thorn's and Watt's center of songwriting: whether it's the acoustic ballads like "My Head is..." and "Rollercoater," or the drum and bass melee of "Missing" and "Walking Wounded," the lyrics are from the heart, cleverly writen, and underscored by great melodies. Tracey Thorn has one of the most striking voices out there, and this CD allows you to track the evolution and refinement of her abilities; she's gained much control and technique without compromising a drop of emotion.
Other highlights are "Corcovado," a bossa nova tune to beats (and Thorn in portuguese!), "Protection," a Massive Attack song I've heard in a thousand tv shows it seems (and now you don't have to buy that album, which isn't MA's best at all), and "Tracey in My Room," which is so cool it alone is worth the fifteen bucks!
EBTG are just great, and this CD is an testament to their talent. I usually always recommend an actual album (and yes, I still call them that!) to back up a "best-of," but you almost don't need one with the strength of the material; however, "Amplified Heart" (which marks the transition from their eighties work) is a good place to start.

Everything And A Hit
This is a greatest hits compilation from Britain's chill out band, who only received world-renowned success with their one big hit "Missing." But other than the band's fast metamorphosis from straight-forward songs to dance gurus, there is little to be appreciated. In fact, their most striking work is only delicious after being reconstructed by a mastermind remixer or is a collaboration.

"Missing" becomes a hit only after Todd Terry recreates it into a dancefloor-wise tune and the Photek remix does "Single" wonders.

The other songs lag and you'll find yourself skipping a lot until you get to the half-hit "Walking Wounded."

"Protection" is the strongest number on the collection, but then again it was created by trip-hop gods Massive Attack with the Everything But The Girl's lead merely guesting. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn of Everything but the Girl have done their share of style-hopping, from jazz pop to Britpop to orchestral pop to contemporary R&B to jazzy R&B. Their seventh album, 1996's Walking Wounded, finds the duo landing, good as new, onto the dance floor with a batch of songs based around techno-derived beats. The shift toward electronics may seem extreme for a group that courted adult audiences, but given the huge success of their 1994 beat-driven remix single "Missing" and their fruitful collaborations on Massive Attack's breakthrough trip-hop record Protection, the rewards of embracing club sounds had already been well proven.Everything but the Girl's music has always focused on Thorn's lush, soulful voice--a tribute to its versatility, it weathered well through all the group's stylistic incarnations. Walking Wounded, however, introduces a second focal point in the insanely attractive, intricately sculpted beats of the jungle offshoot drum & bass. On cuts like "Before Today," "Single," and the title track, the interaction of a beat's minutely detailed rhythms and a voice that rides smoothly over the top makes for an elegant symbiosis. And even with the help of progressive dance specialists like Howie B. and Spring Heel Jack, Everything but the Girl retains a maturity that shouldn't alienate old fans.--Roni Sarig ... Read more

Reviews (58)

misery loves good music
EBTG's "Walking Wounded" is perfection.

Tracey Thorn's vocals are probably among the all-time most beautiful and clear, matched only perhaps by kd Lang's and the late Karen Carpenter's.

This album I find it hard to review. It's so incredibly close to my heart I couldn't probably do it justice. Ever since I bought it, sometime in 1997 I believe, it's been sort of the soundtrack to my life at particular moments. It's melancholic, pensive... if you think electronic beats are cold and distant, try this, as well as "Temperamental".

"Single" made me bawl the first time I heard it, it still does the same to me. Much like it's video, it leaves you with a sombre feeling, enough to make you cry and think. The combination of Tracey's voice, Ben's beats and well, THOSE lyrics, will just make you love the state you're in, especially if it's a miserable one.

Best tracks in my opinion: before today, single, walking wounded, mirrorball, big deal, heart remains a child, good cop bad cop. "wrong" is excellent too, though.

I don't have a way with words today but this definitely ranks among my top 5 favorite albums ever. Do yourself a favor and get it! You'll cry, but you'll love it!

Oh... the vibe is not always sad though... mirrorball is a happy song, makes me chuckle. heart remains a child is a joyous song as well.

"Good Cop Bad Cop" pretty much embodies the essence of those who love to love but never seem to find quite what they're looking for.

I'll stop here. This is amazing.

Electronic music that you can take to bed with you...
...among other places. "Walking Wounded" ranks as one of my favorite albums of all time.

I was a late adopter of EBTG falling in love with their most recent release ("Tempermental" in '99), and then devouring their work backwards. EBTG's sounds have morphed very significantly since the 80's but I would say that "Tempermental" and "Walking Wounded" are quite similar (Tempermental is my personal favorite). This band is always at the razors edge of innovation. As evidence, this album could be considered "modern" if released today despite its being almost a decade old.

Similar to "Tempermental" in theme, this CD is even more melancholy; centered around the pain in losing love, coming to grips with a new life, and suffering the understandably conflicted feelings of blame, optimism, and nostalgia as a newly single woman...

Aside from the extraordinarily addictive rhythms, the asymmetrical tempo of percussion and base, the ominous sounding samples that pepper this entire album, it's the voice of Tracey Thorn that stitches everything together, softening it, warming the clinical into the comfortable...as I note in the title of this review, this is one of those few electronic CD's that, despite the occassional speed in tempo, I take to bed with me.

Every song on the album is worth getting acquainted with, although my favorites are:

"Single"...if this isn't THE SONG to listen to post-breakup to stir your emotions (as if they'd need any more rousing)...

"Before Today"...just as with "Single", this song shares the same theme but is laid against more determination (vs. resignation); much faster, and less likely to make you...well, let's just say it's less likely to make you feel very emotional (forgive me, but I'm a man and would rather not be advertising the potential of this song to "make you cry").

"Walking Wounded"...erratic electronic tempo (which may be an intentional reflection of the kind of conflicted and pained emotions she attempts to convey in her lyrics) set against hauntingly beautiful vocals.

"Good Cop Bad Cop"...i almost always forget to play this song when I'm listening to this CD (it's track 9); just a gem of a song. Very simple lyrics (almost all hook) set to a background that oscillates between near silence, and machine-gun fast percussion.

I really couldn't say enough good things about this album. For those of you who've only heard what's been played on the radio, and love it, absolutely buy a CD from this group. I guess the only question would be "which one". As I mentioned earlier, "Tempermental" is my favorite album of theirs, but not by too wide a margin.

If you find yourself absolutely in love with this type sound I'm afraid I won't be much help in finding you a close match, although consider checking out "Zero 7", their new album "When It Falls" is a fantastic (albeit slower) type sound with similarly beautiful vocals against modern and interesting rhthyms.

Hope this helped.

"Out,, amongst the Walking Wounded..."
"Walking Wounded" is a bridge. A bridge that took EBTG from their pop-bossa nova roots, to the undoubtadbly ass-kicking house of trip-hop, ambient, lounge and adult pop. "WW" is a mixture of EBTG's past and future, a CD that explores the newly discovered by EBTG, clubland, and stands out as a classic trip hop album that any self-respected trip hop fan should have. Best songs from the album: Single( in which Massive Attack's influence from "Protection" is clear),Walking Wounded, Before Today and Wrong.
Gr8 CD. Get it now!!!

The Best
I only recently begun my voyage into EBTG territory. They got me into my trip-hop/drum n' bass fixation. Tracey has that beautiful honey dripped voice and Ben can never be topped by anyone else. These people are downright talented. I was floored to hear this record. Everytime I hear it there's something different. I love every song and continue to discover new things about it. I need to get into the older part of their catalog now! I will still religiously play this however. It will forever remain in my favorites section! For my CD collection, this is something special. I have over 1000 CD's which is usually well beyond someone thats 17 (Like Me!). EBTG is a premiere eclectic band! I can't recommend this one enough!

Can't Give Them Less Than Five
Recently, someone asked me who my favorite band was. As is often the case with questions like that, I couldn't come up with an answer and settled for a standby "The Smiths". Ha! That night I went through my CD collection and discovered that I own more EBTG CDs than any other artist. It surprised me a bit to discover this, so I began listening to them again, which I hadn't for several months. The only thing better than discovering a new band is rediscovering one. EBTG is amazing!

For one thing, Tracey Thorn is the Meryl Streep of vocalists -- evocotive, diverse, and always great. Like Streep, who has never given a bad performance, Thorn is a master of her field, a singer who inspires confidence just by adding her name to a project.

Having said that, "Walking Wounded" isn't my favorite of theirs, although I do like it a lot. I vastly prefer its predecesor "Amplified Heart" and its successor "Temperamental" since both are more polished and evoke a more consistent mood. My favorite song is "Mirrorball" which brings up pangs of nostalgia for high school -- never an easy mood to conjure. Also "The Heart Remains A Child" is beautiful and "Flipside" is a fun little venture into the brain of Ben Watt. "WW" seems less of a collaboration, vocally, since Watt isn't heard much here, although many of the songs are clearly about his experiences. The two had an intense chemistry on "AH" which they may have been just as happy to get away from.

All in all, EBTG have it all: great tunes, great lyrics, and they even have twins in real life - how cute is that? I love these two; I could listen to them everyday. ... Read more