Reviews (7)

Un compilatorio de Genesis???? tarea dificil!
Hacer un compilatorio con temas de una banda como Genesis realmente es dificil, ya que debe mostrar la destreza e imaginación de los musicos como fue demostrada por P.Gabriel y compañia cuando las compusieron en su momento...el disco abre con "Watcher of the skies" en una nueva y metálica version por el señor Robert Berry (hizo un trabajo interesante con "Roundabout" en el tributo a Yes) pero a medida que el cd avanza uno se da cuenta que realmente le falta algo al repertorio. la selección de temas es buena pero los musicos, algunos de ellos realmente apestan.Aunque hay cosas rescatables como Dave Hentschel (ex productor de Genesis)con "Undertow", Annie Hasslam (de Renaissance) con "Ripples" , el finado Kevin Gilvert con su "Back In NYC" , Richard Sinclair (Caravan)con "For Absent Friends" hasta Peter Barden (ex Camel) con "Many Too Many" los demas grupos apestan por decirlo menos pero quiza el que se lleva el premio a la peor interpretacion es Enchant con "Man Of our Times" (¿Quien diablos le dijo a ese cantante mediocre que podria interpretar ese tema????) Magna Carta deberia tomarse en serio la seleccion de bandas porque uno no sabe si realmente estos grupos desconocidos se quieren poner la etiqueta de neo progresivos o son solo banditas patéticas con ansias de figurar!

Disappointing tribute to Genesis
Most tribute albums are disappointing, and this one marches proudly right into that rank. I can understand why it would be a good musical learning experience to recreate the 9-minute-long "Firth of Fifth" note for note. What I can't understand is who thought ANYONE would want to pay for a slavish remake when they had the original Genesis version to listen to. The song selection here is good, but most of the musicians don't vary a hair from the original arrangements (except that the singers all appear to be auditioning for Journey). This shouldn't be so hard--why not a reggae version of "Counting Out Time"? A grunge guitar "Stagnation"? A medley of "Say It's Alright, Joe" and "Twilight Alehouse"? Anyone ever notice that the organ riff in "The Knife" would make a great polka beat? A few tracks are at least listenable: Annie Haslam (Renaissance) does a pleasant take on "Ripples" and Richard Sinclair (Caravan) does the same for "For Absent Friends", but really these are safe renditions of safe song choices. Kevin Gilbert throws a little variation into "Back in NYC" (a punk song that pre-dated punk by a couple of years), and Crack the Sky does the same for "I Know What I Like".

To Breathe New Life Into Some Great Old Tunes
Buy this disc for the late Kevin Gilbert's cover of "Back In NYC" if nothing else. (ps: how did he die?) Robert Berry is truely the MASTER of rearranging if not rewriting progressive music. He makes the tunes he re-does his own. Get the ELP tribute "Encores, Legends and Paradoxes" Robert Berry (who toured with Emerson and Palmer in Three) has a vested interest in keeping progressive music in the forefront, and he obviously has a great love of the medium. Back to Kevin Gilbert: Thanks for putting trombone licks into your contribution. If you are a true fan of music, beyond the realm of the formula, I certainly suggest you check this great disc out... PS: it's one o'clock and time for absorbing some new lawn mowing sounds. When the sun beats down and I'm lying on the bench, thank God I am hearing the continuation...

Stinks
I love all the classic 70's Genesis albums. The problem with a tribute album to a progressive rock band like Genesis is that the original tracks were so detailed and complex. This leaves little room for interpretation for any musicians who would wish to put a new slant on things. The late Kevin Gilbert does some interesting things with "Back in NYC", and Robert Berry's revved-up, metallic version of "Watcher of the Skies" is fairly exciting; otherwise I find little to recommend here. Many of these songs are done by obscure artists who end up sounding like second rate Genesis cover bands.

A good collection.
There are a lot of "tribute" albums around but some of the best have been the Yes, Genesis and Rush tribute albums on the Magna Carta label. One of the other reviewers makes the point that a lot of the bands are relatively unknown but I think this is a plus - these people are Genesis fans and whether or not you think these covers are good they are done because the musicians play this kind of music on their own albums. Special mention for cover versions beyond the call of duty goes to Enchant and Magellan. The bands here take very different approaches - some are almost note for note covers, others are quite different to the original. I would find it very unlikely any one would regularaly listen to the whole album every time - but this is well worth adding to your collection. And then buy some of these bands own CDs and hear the kind of music Genesis themselves haven't made for a decade. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Christmas "originals" can cause just as many shudders as Christmas classics, no matter how sincere the sentiment. But You Sleigh Me gives more chills than willies with its mix of holiday favorites and new "classics" by artists from the Atlantic Records roster. Donna Lewis's "Christmas Lights" shimmers like a star field on a clear December night; Juliana Hatfield's acoustic "Make It Home" is suitably beautiful and poignant--but talk about your "Blue Christmas"--while Billy Pilgrim's "The First Noel" benefits from his strong, warm vocals. Leave it to Jill Sobule to lighten things up with her straight-on read of the dysfunctional family gathering, "Merry Christmas from the Family." But the real holiday memories here come from Victoria Williams's tender "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and Tori Amos's "Little Drummer Boy." Amos's performance radiates all the breathy passion needed on those cold, dark winter nights. --Steve Gdula ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Best Christmas Album...Ever
This is my favorite Christmas album of all time and that includes "Alligator Stomp, Vol. 4 - Cajun Christmas". The whole CD crackles with wit, warmth and holiday tradition; at the same time it ruffles the hair of convention.

Most of the tunes are tasty, a generous mix of old chestnuts and new tunes. Everything but the Girl's "25TH December" is a slow and poignant beauty; Donna Lewis' "Christmas Lights" is a synchopated wonder, reminiscent of her now outdated "Always and Forever". The talented Tori Amos breathes new life into the bloated corpse of "The Little Drummer Boy".

If you're feeling a little wacky this Christmas, give it a try. If nothing else, you'll at least have a bright, shiny new coaster.

I'm glad someone's family is as dysfunctional as mine
"Merry Christmas from the Family" is hilarious! I think everyone has someone or something in their family that can identify with some part of this song. I happened to hear it on the radio and I had to have it. Everything on the CD is great, but this one really stands out.

Recommended
If you like the typical Christmas chipper CD, this is a nice addition without getting to far off the track. I had only heard of about half the artists before I purchased it, and I was in for some pleasant suprises, most notably Jill Sobule's Merry Christmas from the Family, a absolutely great ode to the family. The lyrics are hilarious, and will warm your heart if your family shows any signs of pleasant, loveable dysfunction. Daniel Johnston's Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer makes Rudolph sound like what he probably was -- a big nerd who once proved himself, kicked reindeer butt.

Some songs are somber, but all show just the right hint of festivity. This is a nice addition to any holiday music collection, if only to hear some interpretations of major chistmas songs that are a little off-center. I recommend it.

com"YULE"ation Cleric : Twelve Elves
TwElve songs, with TwElve distinct flavors, from TwElve unique artists, wrapped in TwElve year oldish cover art,titled with TwElve characters, all for the TwElve days of Christmas. I got it, now that I've listened to it TwElve times. Besides the cutesy idea, this com"YULE"ation's variable vocalism and instrumentation make it a must have. The disc's contrastive order impels brain strain until learned adjustments to the mix are achieved. If you use a mega player on random alot it's cool from the get go, otherwise best used as a source disc to complie from. Merrily mix tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10,and 12 ~ only two bahhumbugs here. Post Script:TwElve'th track about the twenty-fith day of the TwElve'th month, go figure. Is this the label's TwElve'th Christmas comp"YULE"ation too?***buyit\shareit\giveit***

My favorite holiday CD...
It took a few rotatations of this CD before I could genuinely appreciate it. Original Christmas tunes generally irritate me and so - for the first month of "You Sleigh Me!" ownership - I passed over the original tracks for the more conventional "Little Drummer Boy" and "The First Noel".

However, the original songs are quite excellent in their own right; though I tend to veer away from gal rockers such as Sobule and Hatfield, both make great contributions to the album. Hatfield's little ditty is very sweet and mellow - perfectly suited to her voice - and takes a personal spin on the classic "First Noël" in the midst of the song. The final track on the album - by Everything But The Girl - is also noteworthy, with it's percussion-lacking, quietly optimistic perspective on the season. And, although the whispery voice of Donna Lewis generally grates on my nerves to no end, I have to cite a particular preference for her "Christmas Lights". Pilgrim's "The First Noël" is guitar-based and somewhat reminescent of Hanson in vocals, but splendid, none-the-less.

Though none of the above songs are anything less than endearing, the renditions of classic carols included on this CD are what inspired me to keep "You Sleigh Me" on heavy rotation in my car this holiday season. Amos' version of "Little Drummer Boy" - in traditional Tori-and-her-piano format - is the most sincere version of this song that I have ever heard, thanks to her husky, yet passionate, vocals. "White Christmas" is purely instrumental - a jazz rendition of the classic - and William's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is so darn cute that it almost - but not quite - falls into the "Nauseatingly Adorable" category.

All in all, it is a great CD that does not lay easily in one single musical genre; a bit of folk, a bit of pop, a bit of jazz...a veritable cornucopia of sound, this CD. The more traditional folk may be inclined to dislike the alternative spin on some of the classics, but the more open-minded - in terms of Christmassy stuff - should definitely shell out the money for this CD. ... Read more

Album Description

Following up 2002’s critically acclaimed 21 song compilation, "Dreaming Up The Perfect Pop," the folks at Planting Seeds Records deliver another fine collection of timeless, essential, cool music.18 tracks make up their latest offering titled "SUNSETS & SILHOUETTES" (PSRCD-031) -which provides an extraordinary line-up of songs all ideal for your weekend escape from the city or perhaps those long introspective drives at dusk.This is the perfect soundtrack for those very moments. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Street Dreams New York
Street musicians from around New York City actually recorded in the streets and subways. I was skeptical about it at first, but was amazed by the talent of some of these people! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A great collection of songs
This is a really cool, really cheap collection of artists that were considered "new" a few years back. If you're a fan of indie rock, alternative music, or just rock, this is a great disc to buy. The risk is low and I'm sure there is something for everyone on here. The Sebadoh track is excellent as are the songs by Sunbrain, Table, and Sister Double Happiness. For the price its the perfect thing to add to a purchase to get you over that free shipping threshold. Also, its a nice little treat for drives, or rainy days. It mixes styles, volumes, etc. Great stuff.

sebadoh rules
typically great sebadoh album. Not quite bakesale or III, but still a great album. If you enjoy most sebadoh albums you'll enjoy this one as well ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not quite as good as Rhino's "Punk Rock Xmas" collection...
Which shares the El Vez and Humpers tracks. This one's good for a laugh, though. Several laughs, now that I think about it, and some bands I like (Devil Dogs, Rocket From The Crypt, New Bomb Turks, Muffs)put in strong efforts. Nothing here tops what the Stiff Little Fingers did to "White Christmas" on the Rhino set, but it's still got plenty to offer.
Bottom line, if you this sort of thing pick it up because it's hard to find and it's good bang for the buck. It'll fill out any number of good compilation tapes.

What a find!
The wife and I just opened our Christmas presents with our kids and sat down to have a listen. I haven't laughed so hard since a cajun lady I know showed me her tatoo. Egg nog was pouring from our nasal passages. We tried to dance to some of it but wound up twitching to the spasmotic beat like someone with a nervous condition. We loved it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

X-cellent
I don't really think of this as an X-games sampler, as much as I do just a great early 90's alt/metal collection. It's pretty lengthy at 17 tracks, and includes alt/metal classics from Primus, Ministry, Pepper's, Beastie's, Korn, Kravitz, Faith no More, and a great House of Pain remix. The remaining stuff is all mostly good too. Volume 3 isn't bad either with Pantera, 311, and Crystal Method, but it's not as sweet as this is. So if your throwing a party with all your little X buddies, and they're at least over 19, this should be the only cd you need.

Cool editing.
That's a weird title, you might think. But just listen to the end of "Are You Gonna Go My Way" by Lenny Kravitz. The original version ends with a drum and guitar hit. On this album, the hit is provided by Sepultura with their jungle-drumming and it sounds so cool! The album is full of fun little things like this that fans of the original -structure songs will appreciate (or despise, I guess). But hey, if you want the studio-recorded endings to the songs, you might want to buy the individual albums, because there are a lot of great bands on this album. For you people that like 80's pop, there is a VERY different version of Soft Cell's "Tainted Love." It doesn't have that electronic beeping in it though. Overall, this is a pretty heavy album and isn't for everyone. But for those who appreciate creative noise-making, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better compilation.

One of the most quality compliations I have ever heard
This CD combines a great mixture of Hard Rock from older, established bands like Megadeth, and newer bands like KORN. A definite 5 Star.

The best soundtrack ever written
This is a must buy for all of the music fans out there this cd is a combination of one hit wonders to yet to be famous artists such as the beastie boys and the goo goo dolls. Most of the songs on this cd were big hits or should've been big hits one of the best cds that i own(and I own a lot of good cds). If you are going to buy one of the x-games soundtracks this is the one to buy ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This is a good one!
This CD is one of those secret treasures to grasp and hold in these troubled times of Whatever-They-Call-Rock-Saviour-Andrew WK et al. Pay special attention to lisdexic's "Hair Removal System". Yes, definitely, this is an album for Tommy (whatever his name is) and me.

Killer Compilation
I highly recomend this, if just for Freddy and Me. An excellent CD, all around. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good, strong recording
Excellent cuts. Whether its New Wave, industrial, or pop punk, this CD delivers. It's noticeable that whoever put this album together really gave consideration and thought. Was not dissapointed. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good
I think this is real good. There are great bands on here. Rock music fans will like this. I think almost all the songs are good but some are just ok. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Early NYC Punk - a remarkable collection
This follows the development of the early New York punk/new wave scene from 1974 to 1980, via a collection of homemade singles that came out of the scene. Unlike Rhino Records' totally contrived "DIY" series, this is the real thing, a genuine anthology of the genuine stuff. Patti Smith's single which opens this disc is great, but musically sounds closer to a post-Woodstock, hippie kind of thing than new wave. It nonetheless qualifies as early punk because the lyrical content is much starker and angrier (and riddled with strong language) than the popular music of the day (1974). Television's song bridges the gap musically between Patti Smith's post-hippie jazz and what would later become punk. By the time we get to the third single here, Richard Hell & the Voidoids' "Blank Generation", an identifiable punk style had already evolved that can still be heard in the punk music of today. From there the music ranges from the weird and arty (Model Citizens' "Animal Instincts" and Theoretical Girls' "U.S. Millie") to straightforward power pop (Marbles' "Red Lights" and Speedies' "Let Me Take Your Photo"). The Student Teachers' "Past Tense" fittingly closes the album, reminiscing about a scene that was already in decline by 1980 as the newer hardcore bands arrived and quickly made the older punk rock seem tame by comparison. Of all the bands chronicled here, only four (Patti Smith Group, Television, Richard Hell & the Voidoids, and Nervus Rex) went on to release full-length albums on major labels, and of those, only Patti Smith was able to find any commercial success (with her top-20 hit single, "Because the Night", in 1978). None of the big names of the early NYC punk scene, like the Ramones, Talking Heads, New York Dolls, Lou Reed/Velvet Underground, or Blondie, are here. This by and large is made up of one-shot bands, whose fan base was mainly at the CBGB's club and whose only recorded output was a homemade single or two. If you want an excellent chronicle of where punk in the U.S. began, I can think of no two better albums to pick up than this one and "Live at CBGB's". ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Good CD for those that liked Eighties Films
At first I only thought this CD was okay since I liked most of the original songs better, but it grows on you. Phantom Planet's cover of Somebody's Baby is the best track but the others are also cool. I recommend this if you love the eighties teen movies cos this brings back all the memories. One of my fave compilation CDs in my collection now.

Yuck!
I was given this CD as a gift because I love 80s teen movies. The tunes were originally fantastic - but not by these artists! Granted, not all musicians in the 80s were the best of singers, but I don't remember any of them being as off-key as any of these kids...One good thing is the cover art - it's very clever.

Phantom Planet's cover is amazing
Somebody's Baby has always been my favorite song (Fast Times is my fav movie) and when I heard Phantom Planet do it, I was so stoked. Phantom Planet is so amazing, and they rock on this album, as well as their own.

The kids is alright
This CD is fantastic. I bought it for the Donnas cover of "School's Out" and the Rondelles, but there are lotsa great tracks here.

Donnas Rule
I dont even have this CD. But the DONNAS RULE. The only real rock n roll left on the planet. Long live the Ramones the Pistols and the Donnas Peace ... Read more

Album Description

Awesome industrial mixed with cool political statements. How can you go wrong? ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great compilation of music for a great cause
I have bought all three volumes of This is Alice Music eversince they came out and I have always enjoyed the music. The selection of artists has always been great, I definetely recommend this CD to everyone.

Best CD
Since this is a cd fro the hit radio station Alice then it is the best cd. It has all of their top hits including artists such as Natalie Merchant, GooGoo dolls, ect. I recommend it. All the proceeds also got to the Alice needs section. One which is the Columbine school. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Album
Flyin' Traps features diverse performances from folks such as Chris Vrenna (Nine Inch Nails), Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction), TIM ALEXANDER (PRIMUS, LAUNDRY) and Dale Crover (Melvins), as well as former Soundgarden skinsman Matt Cameron teaming up with Taz Bentley (Tenderloin, the Rev. Horton Heat) on "Theme From Wrong Holy-O." In addition, Mudhoney's drink 'n' drum expert Dan Peters delivers a way-cool version of the Kinks' "Do You Remember Walter?" You Won't be sorry you picked this one up!!

Cool instrumental CD made by modern drummers.
I found this disk in the middle of a 79 cent bargain bin. Worth every penny and then some. What drew me in was an appearence of Matt Cameron, one of rocks most charismatic drummers. The rest of the album proved to be an interesting listen. Several other talented musicians show up as well including Michael Musburger, Stephen Perkins and the incomperable Josh Freese(of Perfect Circle and Abandoned Pools). This is a CD of drummers strutting their musical stuff; composing vocaless songs and playing all instruments. Some tunes are strictly percussion while others include a variety-from heavily distorted guitars to horns. It is a great experimental outing and makes for cool driving music. A must for any modern rock collection.

Great for Drummers
This CD contains some unique instrumental drum expos by some of today's hottest rock drummers. The sets are very musical and avoid the typical big rock "drum solo" appoach typical of 70's stadium rock. Definitely a must have for the wannabe percussionist or modern rock enthusiast. Also makes a neat addition for the ecclectic minded collectors. ... Read more