Reviews (745)

Do you really want to think and stop?
Is the sophomore effort by SOAD as good as their eponymous debut? Absolutely! As a matter of fact, it bests the first album in just about every way. The songs are strong, melodic and fierce, and the instrumentation is much improved. Every song on this disc is good to great, with prison song, needles, chop suey, science, toxicity, psycho and the immense aerials leading the way. The songs are so good simply because they are a breath of fresh air at a time when conformity and sameness permeate the music business. From the alternating crunch/beauty of Chop suey, toxicity and aerials, to the sheer variety of sounds they ... coax out of their instruments (sounds like Daron Malakian is playing a mandolin on Chop Suey), these songs sound like no other. In addition, Serj's voice is an additional instrument as he seems to have several different styles (from deep-throated growl to pleading wail; the only other hard rock vocalist with a range like Serj is Glenn Danzig). Anyway, do yourself a favor a pick up a copy of this CD (the bonus CD stuff is cool too)and enjoy some flashlight reveries caught in the headlights of a truck.

Paul M

I WANT TO BUY AN ISLAND AND DICTATE IT
After hearing Chop Suey I had to get this cd. As soon as I heard the first song, Prison Song, I knew I would love this cd. (I could rant for hours and hours about the drug war and the current ridiculous drug policy but "Prison Song" pretty much sums it up). Other very good songs are Forest, ATWA, Deer Dance, and Toxicity, but those are just my personal favorites-all the songs are good. There's little filler on this cd, if any. System is kind of different and not everyone will like them, but people who decide to give them one star should at least have enough musical knoweledge and intelligence not to compare System and Drowning Pool. They have different styles, System's being far superior, much more unique, interesting, and talented than Drowning Pool's (who should be classified under unoriginal, untalented, headache-inducing, Korn clone *expletive*-(censored courtesy of Amazon.com). This is completely random, but speaking of censoring isn't it great when Mtv shows some video that has fairly explicit and graphic scenes and then they go and beep out the "s word". Well anyway, to sum up all the points in my random useless review I think the drug policy in the U.S. is idiotic, Drowning Pool sucks, I don't like censorship, and the System cd is awesome and everyone should go buy it.

corgancobainmalakian is a dipsh*t!!
corgancobrainmalakian, you make me want to vomit!! Zach De La Rocha is a much better singer than Serj Turkian (he's a stupid Turk) will ever be!! So what if RATM isn't around anymore, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath aren't together anymore. I'm glad RATM isn't in Hot Topic, its a sign that they're too good for that. Daron Malakian is a terrible song writer and guitarist. Soil's guitar solo was NOTHING to scream about. 99% of his songs don't make sense. RATM isn't one dimentional, each of their songs sound completely different from the rest. SOAD is a hypocritical no-talent new-metal (not nu) band, get that through your empty head you ass-raming chode!! If you're from England and if Amazon has a British website, go to that one you retard!! Stay in your own website!! I hate you and I hate any band who's main influences are Slayer and Cannibal Corpse. Go listen to the kids in my school, ha!! All the kids in my school are retarted, they listen to rap, or the rock kids listen to pop-punk emo crap like Simple Plan and Dashboard Confessional. The metal kids listen to Korn and SOAD. I hang around the classic rock kids. They can actually sort out good and bad music (something you can't do). Another reason SOAD sucks is because they're in favor of religion over science, why don't these guy might as well say creationism is more factual than evolution!! Face it corgancobrainblahblahblah, RATM was, is, and always will be better than SOAD. If you don't like the truth, suicide is your answer.

SOAD ROCKS THE ALL TIME MAX DUDE!!!
The System has been my favorite band since I first heard their music, Toxicity is the best of all 3 albums I love the songs Toxicity and Chop suey If you are a true rock fan you will listen to this Kick @$$ CD!!!

KarlMarxEmilioZapata is a retard!
Karl Marx you (...), how dare you slag off the legends that are System of a Down? And you say they rip off RATM? Don't make me laugh you goon, RATM had some cool guitar work but apart from that they were 1 dimensional, every song sounds the same and Zach De La Rocha's nasally rapping gets old. Serj Tankian on the other hand has the best voice in rock, I'd like to see Zack De La Blah Blah try & sing the harmonies to "Aerials", haha yeah right. I don't care if SOAD are in Hot Topic you nut licker, RATM aren't in Hot Topic because they split up 4 years ago you dork, otherwise they would be too.

Now on to Toxicity. The best tracks are: Aerials, Chop Suey!, ATWA & Needles. Daron Malakian is the best song writer in music, he is the most important figure in music since Kurt Cobain, SOAD are GODS!!! If you think Malakian can't play listen to the solos on "Soil" from their debut album.

Buy this album and Karl Marx, go listen to your New Kids on the Block CD's! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Three albums into Tegan & Sara's career, it's still somehow necessary to get a couple of facts about them out of the way before diving into their latest offering. They are, yes, identical twin lesbians, and they do occupy the space--more like a vacuum, really--between the riot-grrl menace of Sleater-Kinney and the un-fun folk of Indigo Girls. That out of the way, So Jealous is the duo's best disc yet, meriting more than the mainstream notice that has so far evaded it. All the components are in place: a beyond synthy, full-throttle band, including John Collins and David Carswell of New Pornographers, and songwriting so honest as to make a person--any person--check to make sure no one has been snooping in her diary ("I won't mistake you for problems with me/I won't let my moods ruin this you'll see," from "I Won't Be Left"). The vibe is early-80s pop-punky (Tegan & Sara's singing can sound like Missing Persons' minus the squeals) spiked with a rock'n'roll edge--if the title track were noisier, it might sound at home on a Yeah Yeah Yeahs disc. Destined for hugeness, if only in indie circles for now, Tegan & Sara provide something crucial for pop princesses to be So Jealous of, and that's genuine talent. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Amazon.com

There's a classic episode of The Little Rascals where one of the gang can't join everybody else on the ballfield because he has to stay home with his younger brother, who has the croup. "I can't come out and play," he whines. "I've got to stay home and grease Wheezer!" Nobody at Geffen Records knows whether this was the inspiration in naming Weezer, but it makes sense. Like many of their peers, the members of the Los Angeles quartet seem to have spent their formative years in front of the TV; when they were a little older, they were just as entranced by college rock. Finally, ala the Rascals, one of the gang said, "Hey, kids, let's put on a show!," and the result is Weezer's uplifting, unpretentious, and extremely endearing debut.

The self-titled Weezer is lean and mean at 10 short, punchy tunes, but nearly every one is powered by a larger-than-life chorus or a simple but effective lyric. "Undone-The Sweater Song" uses an unraveling sweater as a metaphor for a relationship on the rocks; "Buddy Holly" pays heartfelt tribute to the '50s rocker, and "In the Garage" paints a scene of suburban teens jamming while surrounded by posters of Kiss. Producer Ric Ocasek of Cars fame pushes the vocals and rhythm guitars, and this bare-bones approach may earn comparisons to fellow garage-pop band Green Day. But Weezer has more in common with the late, lamented Big Dipper, another group of slacker wiseguys that you just had to love. --Jim DeRogatis ... Read more

Reviews (397)

Weez yourself up!
Overall this was a great album! Weezer was founded on February 14th 1992. In 12 years they have made 4 excellent albums:
Blue Album (this one)
Pinkerton
Green Album
Maladroit
The best one was definetly this one, the blue one simply because it has the best songs and lyrics. Rivers has a great voice which you could also exhibit in the other albums.

MY NAME IS JONAS (10/10) This song was so good, the melody was wonderful.
NO ONE ELSE (9/10) This song is great but it repeats itself a lot.

THE WORLD HAS TURNED AND LEFT ME HERE (8/10) It was too slow for my liking but like I said before every song is great.
BUDDY HOLLY (10/10) You probably heard this one before on the radio, if not its great and quick.
UNDONE THE SWEATER SONG (8/10) It is funny but I didnt like the long intro and the end is creepy.
SURF WAX AMERICA (7/10) This gets boring but it is still great!
SAT IT AINT SO (10/10) This is a great nice beautiful song!
IN THE GARAGE (9/10) I loved it but its pretty sad.

HOLIDAY (8/10) cool song cool tune.
ONLY IN DREAMS (7/10) to slow for my liking and too lon of an intro, beautiful.

Thats all. I listen to this album so much listen to me. If you like it I would buy the other weezer albums but none of them are this good. This is the best album by far. Buy this album.

We're going where the wind is blowin'........
I'm not one of these people who associates this cd with childhood memories, i didn't have a clue who Weezer were a few years back. I bought this last year, and i still listen to it nearly every day because it doesn't get tired after repeated listens, it 'matures with age'. You begin to notice the beauty of the guitar arrangements, or spot a harmony which you fall in love with. The instumentation is fantastic, subtle drumming, laid back bass (especially on Only in dreams) and the great distorted guitars. The huge contrasts between the subtle pluckings in the verses and the whirring power of the chorus in Say it ain't so is what makes the song so fantastic. On an earlier review, i read that someone sang the whole album with his friends, and that is exactly the effect Weezer has on me- these are the sort of songs that are made for singing along to (unluckily for the majority of my neighbours!). The interwoven vocal harmonies are fantastic, the ending of Undone, and Holiday have wonderful multilayered vocals. This is also one of those great albums that exists as a whole, the track order means that you are led through different moods effortlessly, the climatic 'heartbeat' section of Holiday signals the ending, and Only in dreams draws the album to a close as well as Pink Maggit does on Deftones 'White Pony'. After buying this cd i've lent it to a lot of my friends, and they all love it and have become huge Weezer fans, we're counting the days till we can see them live in a few weeks!

The Best Weezer!
I have been a weezer fan from the start(so like when i was 4)! Personally I think Blue Album is the best because it has great guitar parts and lyrics. I think this is a great cd for about anybody(especially if you like alt. and emo). It is great for road trips or just hanging out. If you get this cd you will love it! tracks 1,5,7,8, and the last are the best. The last track starts off quite and kinda quites down and then takes off and really starts rocking! Any weezer cd is good and you will absolutely love it all!

Bomb Diggity
This CD is a classic and I am sure my kids will listen to it when they grow up. Definitely one of my favorite rock albums of all time. Say It Ain't So and Undone are really great songs. Get this CD.

One of the worst albums ever recorded
In a magical era of music history, when grunge had conquered the universe, WEEZER seemed to fall softly and solidly into place as an undeniable staple of 90's rock. The Blue Album revolutionized the mainstream music industry, swerving the idea of 'coolness' from sadly suicidal to humorously honest, somehow making the genre 'fun' again. And from the almost boyish vocals of Rivers Cuomo to the playful basslines and venomously addictive guitar hooks filling the album, it's safe to say that WEEZER has also managed to create one of the most enjoyable albums ever recorded.

The playful tone of the album is swiftly set with that AWESOME opening song, "My Name Is Jonas", which arrests a brilliant guitar melody with those trademark madly-catchy vocals from Rivers. It's a great song that nearly everyone on the planet has heard, I'm sure. Other songs that have infested the radio over the years include my favorite track "Undone-the Sweater Song", which contains one of the GREATEST choruses ever, as well as that pumping king-of-all-geek-anthems, "Buddy Holly". "Say It Ain't So" also adds a great vocal point on the album, which could also be said for "Holiday", a song that sounds like a remnant of the 50's musical era.

Other standout tracks include possible the stupidly greatest love song ever written, "Only In Dreams". With lines like "She's in the air, in between molecules of oxygen and carbon dioxide . . .", who could even dream of disputing it!?! THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT!!!! "Surf Wax America" and "In the Garage" are also among my favorites, with slow, thoughtful, churning idiocy that make my ears bleed with joy every time I give'em a listen.

Obviously, if you have NOT heard of this album, something is seriously wrong with the alignment of the planets and must be remedied by obtaining and listening as loud and as long as inhumanly possible. This truly is an album of a lifetime, a magical and special plastic tool used to unlock the endless questions of an impossible human existence. If you ever want catchy, fun, and oh-so-true songs of the geeky human soul, than this album is a mandatory requirement.

And as the WEEZ once said, "If the music's too loud, turn it down". ... Read more

Album Description

With over 6 million records sold and 2 Grammy’s under their belts, The Wallflowers have released their fifth album and first with producer Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen). Rebel, Sweetheart is the welcome re-introduction to a grown up rock & roll band with a renewed sense of purpose. The Wallflowers have created an album that yearns forclarity while reflecting the world’s complexity – these are songs written by a man and performed by a band that’s already lived a little. From the powerful expression of hope on the first single "The Beautiful Side Of Somewhere" to the moodily stunning "We’re Already There", Rebel, Sweetheart is poised to be the most focused and accomplished album of their career. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

This album is amazing....
I've been a Wallflowers fan for a couple of years. I heard some music from their last album... and then I realized that it was the same band that had done "One Headlight" and I was hooked. I started listening to some of their older stuff, and I really liked it. Over the past year, I had kinda lost contact with the band, because they had some inner struggles and I figured like many other bands they would disband so I had stopped checking up on the band over the summer, and then I heard that they were coming to perform at Jubilee City Fest in Montgomery, AL, where I live, and I was surprised to hear that they were still together. Last week I was flipping through a magazine and I came across an article on Jakob and about the new album and I was surprised, because since I had stopped checking up on them, I didn't know they had released a new album. Needless to say, I rushed out the next day and bought the album, and I was not disappointed.

My boyfriend is a huge Bob Dylan fan, and I got him to listen to some of the Wallflowers earlier stuff, and he would say that they were good, but that he preferred Bob Dylan because his music had more "depth" to it. While I have yet to coerce him into listening to their new album, I'm willing to bet that he'll have more to say about this one. Jakob has fully matured now, and it seems like he is no longer afraid to take a leap into the unknown. Every line of this new CD has meaning behind it, reminiscent of some of his father's earlier stuff, but with some rock behind it to back it up. I am definately happy with where this album is going, and if you don't go out and buy this album and absolutely love it, then theres something wrong with you.

Excellent, Excellent, Excellent
Jakob Dylan, no matter how often they may compare him to his rock-legend father Bob, is a very talented rock star in his own right.He is an exceptional rock vocalist, guitarist, and I think most of all, an excellent songwriter. You can not deny him those things because he is one of the BEST songwriters (not just chord progressions, but actual songwriters) out there.

REBEL, SWEETHEART is an excellent album.While the fuss now is over many of the sub-genres of rock and roll resurging with groups like The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, and The Bravery, I think that is important to always remember a group like The Wallflowers. What makes this particular album stronger and more enjoyable than says FRANZ FERDINAND or HOT FUSS is the songwriting.It is so focused and so unique. True, it probably isn't correct to compare a straight ahead rock album to new wave or indie-rock, but songwriting wise, compared to Flowers or Kapranos, Dylan is on a "higher level" so to speak.

One of the positive things about this kind of music, rock, American rock, is that there is a true emphasis on making every word have wait.If you listen to U2's HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB, you also see there is an emphasis and weight on every lyric song because it is so pure.That is the case with THE WALLFLOWERS.Dylan has crafted a masterpiece of which no one can deny. The musicianship of which he articulates is phenomenal.It takes only one listen to fall in love with this great recording that should DEFINITELY be a Grammy Nominee in 2006.

It is hard to pick top picks because this album is so well written, but "Days of Wonder" and "The Beautiful Side of Somewhere" are my two personal favorites.I Love this album and I highly recommend it. 4 1/2 stars!

The Wallflowers hit a grand slam.
Jakob and the Wallflowers have produced a solid, solid album that is equal to or surpasses BRINGING DOWN THE HORSE.It is unfortunate that they don't receive credit where credit is due; they're a great band putting out solid rock records when that genre receives little to no airplay because of Clear Channel, Infinity, and Entercom dominating the airwaves.Luckily, that is starting to change with XM and Sirius.I think it is blowing the corporate executives' minds that people are actually willing to pay to listen to good music.The new "Jack" format on traditional radio is just a cheap imitation of what you'll find on satellite.Once again, REBEL, SWEETHEART is a great album.On the Wallflowers previous albums there were always a couple tracks, with the exception of BDTH, that I found skippable, but not so on this album.There are great melodies throughout, and Rami Jaffee's keyboards return to prominence.Many of the tracks are catchy, but it is an intrinsic catchiness that stems from Jakob's fantasting songwriting, not because the band is seeking airplay hits.The album is eclectic, "From the Bottom of My Heart" is a great, stripped-down, acoustic ballad.And as another reviewer mentioned, "Back to California" isa good rocker.Each time I listen to the album the more I like it.I could care less for Jakob's politics, but hey, he's entitled to his opinion, and that doesn't mean that I can't appreciate his great music.Give this album a try, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

The Best Wallflowers offering yet!
I just purchased this album and I have to say I am impressed. This band has matured so much that they are breathtaking to listen to. I became a huge 'Wallflowers' fan when I heard 'One Headlight' and immediately ran out and purchased 'Bringing Down the Horse'. I don't have their other albums, except 'Red Letter Days' which I thoroughly enjoyed. This album blew me away. I was expecting some of the pop/rock tunes I heard on 'Red Letter Days' and got more than I bargained for. This is the rock band that I remember, all of the songs on this album were so 'musical' and the lyrics...wow. Jakob Dylan's voice is so rich and poignant, and he sings like he means every word. My fav songs on this cd are 'Days of Wonder', 'The Beautiful Side of Somewhere' and 'God Says Nothing Back'. 'God Says Nothing Back' sent chills up and down my spine. Just a great song. I highly recommend 'Rebel, Sweetheart'. It's the best Wallflowers offering to date. Buy this cd if you're a fan or even if you've never heard of this band. It is thoroughly enjoyable!

Dylan's masterpiece
Jakob Dylan's best album. I thought Breach and Red Letter Days were pretty good, but this one is just breath-taking. Dylan's lyrics are touching and powerful, and all the songs just seem like they fit perfectly into this album. There is not a filler on it. The Beautiful Side of Somewhere is the 1st single, and just a great song. Other favorites of mine are The Passenger, Here He Comes, God Says Nothing Back, Nearly Beloved (sounds Beatle-esque to me), All Things New Again. Back to California is a good rocker. Best album of 2005, GO BUY IT and get the Wallflowers back in the top of the charts where they belong!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Considered the breakthrough album that delivered a more palatable version of industrial music to the commercial audience, Pretty Hate Machine left its dingy mark on pop culture. The abrasive "sonarchy" of the album was first churned by despondent club-goers who roiled with the rhythms and aligned with the angst-ridden convictions. Since its release, the album's tempered deviations came to signify an aesthetic reverie for machine-driven martyrdom. Permeated by hissing engines and dissonant strains, the tracks cascade outside channels of modern complacency. Hits like "Head Like a Hole" and "Down in It" are recognized by the acidic beats, piercing riffs, and lyrical hostilities which snare the listener with disparaging rhapsody. Not for the light-headed, Pretty Hate Machine afflicts the inner sanctum and strikes a nerve. --Lucas Hilbert ... Read more

Reviews (279)

Once upon a time, there was a man named Trent Reznor........
That's what I'll be saying to my grandkids in the future, when Nine Inch nails is firmly set as a music phenomenon and Trent Reznor is a legend everywhere you go. This album is the first of the group, and the album that really brought industrial music into the eyes of the world. It would definitely be safe to say that NIN is not only an industrial band, it is THE industrial band. Trent Reznor is a musical genius, and this album proves it. The songs are eerie and electronic, very powerful in a slow, forboding sort of way. The best song on this album is the first, Head Like a Hole. Terrible Lie follows, another masterpiece, and soon your mind is set that Nine Inch nails are no disposable trash. Alot of great, dark bands have come along recently. Marilyn Manson, KoRn, Cradle of Filth, but Trent Reznor will always hold a special place in my heart.

Black As Your Soul
Nine Inch Nails' incredible debut album Pretty Hate Machine is a personal favourite of mine and one of the most consistently good albums I have ever listened to. Each and every track is of a Grade-A standard and the album contains essential NIN tracks such as "Head Like A Hole", "Terrible Lie", "Down In It" and "Sin", but really, they're all essential. The opening track and alternative radio hit "Head Like A Hole" is a classic example of great industrial rock, with it's thrashy guitar and gloomy synthesizers, though it's not really indicative of the rest of the album. In fact, unlike subsequent releases, there is very little guitar at all on this album. Trent Reznor utilizes walls of synthesizers and electronic noise to generate a stark and bleak sound. Overall, the album is more accessable than other Nine Inch Nails albums but still dark and caustic, despite having catchy melodies. Lyrically Trent Reznor tackles such subject matter as betrayal, disillusionment and loss of identity. All the good stuff. Pretty Hate Machine is a marvel, and (dare I say it?) a work of genious. A true classic.

freekin excellent
by far the best nine inch nails album ever. I remember buying this from the local record store on vinyl back in 89. My mind spun watching the blue and pink decals twist on the turn table forming this wierd filament of psychodelic colors; WAY cool!. Despite this being an 80s album, this music would still be considered hot today. This record has so much variety in the techno/ industrial genres let alone Reznors other albums. This one is unique and a must have for all nine inch nail fans.

Yummy
Seems like I get to everything late in the game, but better late than never, eh? I thoroughly enjoyed the entire disc, finding nothing to skip over every time I listened. Favorite tracks were "Down in it" and "Kinda I want to." "Something I Can Never Have" struck a cord. PRETTY HATE MACHINE hit a good two weeks on my "sit-and-spin-in-my-player" ranking. Two weeks of good, solid listening. I found what little profanity there was appropriate and not enough to make me roll my eyes.

this cd never cools off!
Ok you know how when after you finish playing a CD, when you take it out, its warm? This CD has not cooled off since i got it 2 days ago. I probbally listend to it like 50 times in 2 days. I'm obsessed with it, as soon as it finishes playing, i hit play again. Most of the time, im not really listening to it, but it makes great back ground music. It's also awesome if your "actually paying attention" to the CD. I definatly recomend this CD. If you wana get to know nine inch nails, get this. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Hot on the heels of The River, his commercial breakthrough, Springsteen's decision to release the stark, demo-quality Nebraska seems downright perverse. But the genius of the album is unmistakable--with just an acoustic guitar and his howling harmonica to back him, Springsteen tells the stories of characters walking on both sides of the law, some of them directly on the line in between. The effect is that of a powerful series of black-and-white photographs--the details are bleak in and of themselves, but they ignite the imagination in ways that are more satisfying than full-color shots would be. "Mansion on the Hill," "Highway Patrolman," "Atlantic City," and the frightening "Nebraska" are among the most sharply rendered and memorable works of Springsteen's career. --Daniel Durchholz ... Read more

Reviews (95)

Bruce's Finest
I always preferred when artists go acoustic, and record a low-quality album. Albums like Nebraska capture an artist at their most intimate. This was Bruce Springsteen's stark, low-key acoustic record. It was very dreary, as it was beautiful. His tales of suffering and being on the wrong side of the law was profound and you can feel it in his howl and his singing. He already had the reputation of being a high-energy, bombastic satdium act but Nebraska captured him in a whole new light. It was more reserved than Born to Run, and it had more personality than many of his albums. Songs like "Atlantic City," "State Trooper," and "Highway Patrolman" send chills down my spine, whereas other songs like "Nebraska," "My Father's House" and "Used Cars" express Springsteen in a more vulnerable, yet very striking voice, particularly Nebraska's tale of a serial killer. Even non-fans of The Boss can appreciate this album for its sense of intimacy and depth. Springsteen would never be this bare after this album, although certain subsequent works do show his profound side (particularly Tunnel of Love and the Rising).

Not for Everyone
"You wanna know why I did what I did; well, sir, I guess there's just a meanness in this world." So ends the first and title track of this album. The song 'Nebraska' is based, like Terrence Malick's 1973 movie 'Badlands', on the story of the 1950's killer, Charles Starkweather. As with all the songs here, Springsteen sings in the first person, becoming the characters he breathes to life. The first song, chilling and nihilistic, sets the tone for the rest of the album, which portrays the stark working class existance of small town life.

Here we meet people living on the edge. People with a thin sense of hope running on empty. Yet out of the initial depression and bleakness of his landscape, Springsteen can find a humanity in many of his people, still shining just beneath the surface.

This is not an album for everyone. Certainly, it is different from most of Bruce Springsteen's music, perhaps finding it's closest echo in 'The River'. The sound is raw, apparently recorded in Springsteen's own basement, and features a solo performance with only guitar and harmonica. It's tone and sometimes despair recalls the desperation of the dust bowl blues; the lyrics resonate like Raymond Carver stories put to music. Never before or since has Springsteen created such evocative slices of life with such an economy of words.

All in all, an extraordinary album. Unique, wild, raw, and beautiful. Deceptive in its simplicity, and disturbing too. A great album.

Shows his true artistry and ability
Bruce decided he had to make this album to further himself as an artist, as to not get stuck in a routine of writing typical pop songs. It took a lot of guts to do, especially because he knew that it wouldn't be an immediate big smash, and because he also knew that he could have easily remained in the same vein he had been in and sold more records at the time. In the book "Howling At The Moon," Walter Yetnikoff, who was President of CBS Records when Nebraska came out, described the first time he listened to it with Bruce. He said Bruce was very nervous, because he knew it wasn't a commercial album, and so Yetnikoff, who was drunk at the time, listened to it, and responded by calling the album the wrong name, "Yeah, I really like 'Omaha,' Bruce." A mistake in the name, but it was not a mistake to release this album. It allowed Bruce to explore darker and different areas of his craft, and to master them, while showing people that he is not the one-dimensional caricature that many make him out to be. Highlights on this album include: Nebraska (very scary), Atlantic City (it's interesting to listen to the original version and compare it to the version on the Live in NYC DVD; really one of his best songs ever), Highway Patrolman, State Trooper (his visceral screams are the highlight of the album), and Open All Night. You can really hear his influences on this one, including Dylan, Orbison, and Buddy Holly. It paved the way for him in the future by opening up his creativity, and for fans of typical "Born in the USA" Bruce, this is a realy eye-opener, and it might take a while to grow on you, but believe me it will!

"Deliver me from nowhere..."
Raw and unrelenting, Nebraska is a shock to the casual Bruce fan's system. Alike nothing he had created before, it was a true testament of Bruce's artistry. He rarely gets enough credit for the chances he took musically through the years--Nebraska being probably his biggest one. This album could have been awful. It could have cemented the notion that Bruce could never be anything close to "Dylanesque." This could have done to him what going electric did to Dylan. But...it didn't. Not only does Nebraska prove Bruce's lyrical talent, but it also proves that he is not just the electric guitar wielding, theatric stage performer that we all know and love.

Recorded on his own tape recorder, in his bedroom, it's just Bruce and his acoustic guitar yearning for redemption, deliverance, and a reason to believe. The lyrics on this album will get inside you immediately, within the first few lines of the title track. They will pull you into the desolate world of his disparaged and lonely characters. Bruce is a master at painting portraits of life in his words by creating characters you can feel, see, and love. On 'Nebraska', he creates antiheroes for the common man. In "Johnny 99" you start to empathize with the main character as he descends toward madness after losing his job at the plant in Mahwah late last month. In "Highway Patrolman" Bruce displays the moral ambiguity of an honest man torn between his duty as a law officer and his own flesh and blood. Others like "Used Car" and "Mansion on the Hill" are Bruce's retelling of his childhood memories. They will leave you feeling lost in time, like you are looking into the soul of an old black and white portrait.

"State Trooper" is a song like no other. Bruce himself wasn't sure if it could be even called a song, but he threw it on the record anyway. I wouldn't recommend listening to it while driving alone, especially after midnight, because it might scare the s*** out of you. Either that, or you will go mad and drive endlessly trying to escape from nowhere.

'Nebraska' is one of those albums that takes on a whole new persona depending on when you listen to it. In the daytime, it is a realistic journey into the past, a walk with each character down the street of hopelessness towards a meaningful existence. At night, however, it turns into a descent into loneliness, desperation and uncertain fear. Listening to this record will definitely take you somewhere. It may be somewhere unpleasant, somewhere to close for comfort, to real to discern. It may take you to a place where everything you've ever known in life fails you. And it may strike you kind of funny...but at the end you'll somehow be left with more of a reason to believe.

Taped it off the radio in 1982
Maybe it's got something to do with my frame of mind at the time, but I really found myself able to enjoy Nebraska while not having much use for The Ghost Of Tom Joad past "Youngstown". My original tape of Nebraska came directly from radio when it first came out. I had to sacrifice one of my precious Beatles tapes for Nebraska, but I considered it a good trade. I was about to leave work as it was starting and wasn't going to make it home in time to tape it there, so I stuck the Beatles tape in and let it record on my boom box while I listened in the car on the trip home. I wound up sitting in the car and listening to the whole thing, then went to work to retrieve the tape the next day. I know people who absolutely hate Nebraska because it "depresses" them, (these people also consider BITUSA his best work,) but I've always just considered it moody. It's perfect for late night drives on dark and lonely highways, and that's where I was back in 1982. It always reminded me of a Johnny Cash album, something that hit home years later when Johnny recorded "Johnny 99". ... Read more

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Linkin Park’s second studio effort (not counting the 2002 remix album Reanimation) overflows with glossy production values and Big Rock oomph, fully embracing the pop instincts of their Hybrid Theory debut. For many, Theory sounded inexcusably corporate, from its too-timely rap-rock sound to the long list of product endorsements included in the liner notes. Meteora will only amplify those complaints, but this album is actually truer to the band’s nature. It’s still impossible not to hear strains of Limp Bizkit, Korn, Rage Against the Machine, and the like. None of those acts, howeve, would try something as blatantly anthemic as "Easier to Run," which would sound fine to a Def Leppard fan, or as borderline danceable as "Breaking the Habit" and "Session." Linkin Park is what Trent Reznor was always afraid of becoming, but if you ever wished he would drop the pretenses and just make a hair-metal record, you'll find Meteora to your liking. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (1215)

Excellent Job for Linkin Park!!!
This cd is AMAZING! Here, the rates to its tracks:

01.Foreword: A start where the members of the band express themselves and describes this perfect cd. (NO RATE)
02.Don't stay: A song which gives you a model of this cd in which Linkin Park features Rap, Heavy Metal & Rock. Very Good Song! 8/10
03.Somewhere I belong: This is their first single and once I heard to it I became a SUPERFAN of Linkin Park. Amazing song but not the best one. 9.5/10
04.Lying from you: Chirriuping screams! The sounds in this songs are fantastic! I like this song more than "Don't stay". 8.5/10
05.Hit the floor: Not so good as the rest of the songs in this album. I believe this is the least well-done song. 7/10
06.Easier to run: EXCELLENT song! It's similar to "Crawling" in Hybrid Theory, but with less screams. Well-done indeed! 10/10
07.Faint: Second single and OUTSTANDING! The bridge is something incredible! The chorus is amazing and the music, too! EXCELLENT SONG! THE BEST IN THIS ALBUM! 10+++/10
08.Figure.09: An excellent song, too. The intro is similar to "Don't stay", however this song is the second best one in this album. I adore it! 10/10
09.Breaking the habit: Rapid song, i particularly love the verse 3 where Chester sings with a variety of background sounds that give a mysterious climate to the song. Fantastic song! Very Good! 9.5/10
10.From the inside: Very Good song with a lot of screams in the bridge. Very well-done indeed! 9/10
11.Nobody's listening: This song is very different from the others 'cos it has a Rap style which in other songs it isn't very remarked as in this one. The tubes sounds give a tropical climate to the song. Excellent song!!! 10/10
12.Session: It's like a moment to relax. No vocals.... only music. 8/10
13.Numb: The third best song in this CD! EXCELLENT AS OUTSTANDING!!! It's the third single in this CD; the first is "Somewhere I belong", and the second one is "Faint". "Numb" is the third one. 10/10

Excellent work for Linkin Park. Congrats to all of U 'cause U surprised us once more with an outstanding album which is "METEORA".

Somebody's Listening...
You have to give Linkin Park due credit: their lyrics are exceptional, their creative talent easily makes up for their lack of technical music proficiency, and their sophomore album, Meteora, cleverly echoes their platinum debut Hybrid Theory without ever feeling like a cheap imitation.
After the brief and mildly interesting introduction, Meteora kicks off with 'Don't Stay,' which sounds like the harder, darker prodigy of Hybrid Theory's 'One Step Closer.' 'Somewhere I Belong' is distinctly similar to 'In The End,' 'Numb' follows suit with 'Pushing Me Away,' 'Session' is a far better instrumental number than 'Cure For The Itch,' and 'Easier To Run' sounds like a cross between 'Crawling' and 'My December.' This comparison in essence sums up Meteora, which is essentially HT, Reanimation and a little bit of Evanescence's Fallen sliced up and served on a turntable. The overall sound is slicker, darker, more complex and mature, and lends itself well to the fact that this is their second album. Linkin Park also branches out a bit more this time around, taking a page from Reanimation, which cleverly escapes HT's flaw of every song sounding almost exactly the same; 'Breaking The Habit' and 'Nobody's Listening' are quite different than anything on HT. A bit more variety would have been dangerous, but possibly would have made Meteora truly magnificent.
"In the end," (Sorry, I had to...) Meteora's tragic flaw is identical to that of Hybrid Theory: it's simply too short. At 36:35, it simply ends too quickly for a full-budget album. This is undoubtedly to make the CD radio friendly, but a bit less commercialization and a bit more music would have been nice. As it stands, Meteora is far from a dud, and is actually a great album. A bit more substance would have made it legendary, but it's moments of brilliance, though few and a bit too far in between, certainly make it worthy of the Linkin Park name and the status symbol that is Hybrid Theory.

Can't Get Enough!!
I absolutely love this CD. I listen to it over and over again whenever I get the opportunity-even at school! These songs are what get me through the day. My favorites are "Hit the Floor" and "Lying from You". Besides the great songs, the CD also has cool extras that you can get by putting it into your computer.

Awesome!!!!
This is an awesome cd! Hybrid Theory was good too, but LP brought it to the next level with Meteora. I won't go through the whole cd but some of my favorite songs were, Breaking the Habit, Faint, Numb, Easier to Run,and Nobody's Listening. There is definite hope for their next album. I think that it will be even better! LP rocks!!!

One of My favourite CDs
I love anything punk or alternative, and i live for this CD! It's on of my favourite CDs from any artist. The lyrics and music are amazing and its definatly, in my opinon, the best CD that they've put out. Even if you dont agree that it's their best, you have to admit that its a great CD and even tho its only like 35 minutes, for those 35 minutes you can lose yourself in some truly amazing music! ... Read more

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Take one part Ramones, one part Buzzcocks, and one part Husker Du, and you've got the basic foundation of Green Day, a punky, witty, melodic San Francisco Bay area trio who became overnight stars in 1994 when this album, their third overall release and major label debut, catapulted them to the top of the pop charts. Led by guitarist/vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong and their secret weapon, powerhouse drummer Tre Cool, Green Day put '70s and '80s punk in a compact '90s package with songs like "Longview," "Basket Case," "Pulling Teeth," and the hit semi-ballad, "When I Come Around." One the few modern alternative rock bands with a bona fide sense of humor. --Billy Altman ... Read more

Reviews (376)

A review of the brilliant Dookie (Green Day) by Daniel Bland
The album starts with the wonderful 'Burnout', which has a certain energy about it which makes you want to play it over and over again. 'Having a blast', has an addictive drum beat, and Billie Joe's punky voice adds that special touch. Billie Joe's lyrics are very modest in the 3rd song, 'chump', and towards the end there is a wonderful piece of music, without singing, which I love. 'Longview' has a lovely variety, with the majority of it being slow, and a great heavier chorus. 'Welcome to paradise's'brilliant chord structure possibly makes it the best track on the album. 'Pulling teeth', a slower song, but still, a superb song. Then, 'Basket case' and 'She', two similar songs - slow,fast,slow,fast. Theses songs will leave you speechless, at least until you come to 'Sassafras Roots'. Although, slightly repetitive, the parts which are repeated are excellent. On to 'When I come aroun', maybe their most famous song, maybe my favourite. Again, a slower song, ! but still, it will stick in your mind. Number 11, 'Coming clean'. A song which I found rather boring. After listening to the album a couple of times, you will skip this song and move straight on to 'Emenius sleepus'. Billie Joe, again his voice is brilliant, he's feeling sick and he wants to go home. But he'll have to wait, 2 songs left. 'In the end'. Another great song, with a supreme drum beat near the end. The last song, 'F.O.D.' The first 1 and a half minutes are very slow, and light, and then, an explosion. The music errupts. Something which has to be played at full volume. A bonus track, at the end of 'F.O.D' is 'All by myself'. Funny 6the first time, but something which is not worth waitng for. All in all a great album, and something which should not be missed

"Possibly the most influential album of its time"
In the start of a decade that looked to be filled with dance and rap as the dominating genres of that era, there was a shining glimmer of hope for fan of rock. The now legendary band from Berkeley, Green Day, released quite possibly the most influential album of its time, as it has triggered the start of many other bands in the area (Blink 182, No Use For A Name, etc.). In their release of this cd, they began their journey in the rock world, and in effective fashion:

ANALYSIS OF TRACK LISTING:
1. Burnout: 4.5/5-a fast paced, distorted guitar-blaring anthem that showed how people didn't grow up, but rather just burnout out.... A great start to the album with a great drum part in the bridge

2. Having a Blast: 4/5-possibly one of their most controversial songs (next to Platypus, on nimrod), it is a song about a person who is going to kill everyone in their path.... a very catchy song

3. Chump: 4.5/5-One of the un-appreciated tracks of this cd, Chump is about hating a specific person, though you've never even see them.... the instrumental in this is very good

4. Longview: 4/5-The original and only tribute to masturbation to date (at least to my knowledge).... despite it's widespread appeal, you may grow tired of this song, due to its excessive air time on the radio.... the bass part in this song is quite good as well

5. Welcome to Paradise: 4.5/5-A re-release track from their Lookout! Records release, kerplunk!, this track is about a young man who ventures away from home and eventually finds himself in paradise.... one of the best bass solo's i have ever heard

6. Pulling Teeth: 3.5/5-A slower-paced song, highlighting a true event of being busted up by the one you love (Mike Dirnt had both of his elbows broken while having a pillow fight with his wife Anastacia).... good, but a little bit too slow for my taste

7. Basket Case: 5/5-Quite possibly one of the best songs of all time, this song focuses on the mental instability of a single person and his ventures to find sanity.... A MUST LISTEN!!

8. She: 4.5/5-another great song, following up Basket Case.... it is mainly a reflective song giving advice to a girl that the person loves.... to stop yelling at them before they go insane..... Dirnt shows his talent with another great bass intro

9. Sassafras Roots: 4/5-a repetitive song that ventures the question "May I waste your time too....?" the lyrics will catch on, and don't be surprised if you end up singing it after hearing it a few times

10. When I Come Around: 4/5-a solid song, possibly their most well-known song on this album.... it is about getting somewhere that you need to be, and the one that matters knowing where to find you.... has a good guitar solo, and a solid bass and drum line

11. Coming Clean: 4.5/5-a better song than When I Come Around, it is a great increase of the pace that was held back by the previous track.... it is mainly about a person "coming clean" about being of an alternate sexual orientation.... a fun, quick and to the point song

12. Emenius Sleepus: 4.5/5-A continuation from the previous song, Billie Joe now sings how he's sick and wants to go home, since he doesn't know his friend at all anymore.... a VERY good song, as it keeps the pace of the album up as it comes begins to come to a close.....

13. In The End: 4/5-the second to last song, it provides a clear message: not liking what you see in the future and hoping that you're not dead when somethin important comes around.... it has a solid bridge yet again, and brings us into the final "official" track of the disc......

14. F.O.D. 4.5/5-the final track of the CD, it is a mellow beginning, but then a loud and very clear anthem.... it mainly just says how the person wants everyone to F.O.D., which if you listen to the song, you will figure out what it means.....

Hidden Track: All By Myself 3.5/5-a very funny track that the guys recorded while they were high in one of their friends basements.... funny, but it won't be worth the wait for much more than two times

really cool; good for any fan
Really awsome for any Green Day fan, but if you're not, step away. I, being a HUGE Green Day fan, think that you'll LOVE most of these songs, I recomend "Pulling Teeth","Basket Case", "Longveiw" and "Welcome to Paradise". The only song on this CD I don't LOVE is "Coming Clean", not really interesting. All really strict parents who hate cuss words as small as "crap", this is a bad CD for your kids.

The one that started it all...
the downfall of real/street punk, that is. This is when Green Day "sold out", but they were never realy punk, they and their friends at clubs had a skewed version of what punk is. They think it is about spreading peace or some sissy stuff like that, and it is not, Anarchy is the opposite of peace, it is unadulterated freedom, real, true, freedom to do whatever you want. And punk music should be noisey and aggressive. This is one of those bands(the leader, in fact) that made people think this poppy crap is punk, and almost completely killed real punk rock. If it wasn't for bands like the Casualties, punk would truely be dead, but it isn't dead, and won't die. Punk is back and it's here to stay! I HATE GREEN DAY, BUT AT LEAST THAT SISSY SONG ISN'T ON THIS!

Not Bad
Fun lightweight pop-punk. Nothing terribly interesting or in any way groundbreaking, but not horrible either. I'd burn a copy, no way would I pay for it. To call these guys punk is ridiculous. They're very mainstream in terms of attitude and desire for acceptance. If these guys had showed up at a Black Flag concert back in the day they would have had their arms and legs ripped off and thrown in a pile. This is safe enough for your 13 year old daughter and makes for a pleasant listen when driving your kids to and from soccer practice. ... Read more

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Nirvana may have been the biggest thing in the music world in the early '90s, but the trio maintained an uncommon devotion to core fans who knew them when they were still sleeping in a van. Fending off the adoration of punk-rock dabblers in the media and their audience while simultaneously welcoming stalwart underground-music supporters, Kurt Cobain did things on his own terms--until it all came crashing down. A decade after Cobain's 1994 suicide and the band's demise, With the Lights Out remains true to the ethos that defined the band and the alt-rock revolution that rose and fell with them.

Eschewing the standard hits-sprinkled-with-rarities mix, this lovingly compiled three-CD, one-DVD collection is made up almost entirely of previously unreleased selections. The handful of previously heard tracks are obscurities along the lines of the group's cover of "Here She Comes Now," recorded for a 1990 indie-rock tribute to the Velvet Underground. But it's not the B-sides and compilation oddities that define this idiosyncratic set; rather, its spirit is captured in the bedroom demos, radio performances, and sloppy amateur video recordings that catch Cobain and cohorts developing from just another punk- and metal-inspired bunch of grunge rockers pounding away in the bass player's mom's living room into a band that defined an era. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

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For all his tattoos and bulked-up frat-boy persona, singer Bradley Nowell had real soul, which made his fatal heroin overdose even more tragic. There's more to this Long Beach, California, trio's debut, released shortly after Nowell's death in 1996, than white suburban punks imitating Jamaican ska music. The band comes up with great songs, notably the catchy MTV hit "What I Got"; spooky dub-reggae undertones, produced by the Butthole Surfers' Paul Leary, to go with the snappy horns; and surprisingly progressive lyrics that attack sexism and other social ills, especially on "Wrong Way." Like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Fishbone, obvious forebears, Sublime become slightly tiresome after 17 songs, but the band is great in short doses. --Steve Knopper ... Read more

Reviews (366)

ONE OF THE GREATEST CDs OF ALL TIME
If you haven't heard Sublime before, I suggest buying this CD. It's full of ska, reggae, punk, rap, and hip-hop. All of the songs are great, energetic, and they all sound different. This is how I would rate each song:
(1)Garden Grove:A++
(2)What I Got:A+
(3)Wrong Way:A+
(4)Same In The End:A+
(5)April 26, 1992:A+
(6)Santeria:A+
(7)Seed:A+
(8)Jailhouse:A
(9)Pawn Shop:A
(10)Paddle Out:A
(11)Balled Of Johny Butt:A
(12)Burritos:A
(13)Under My Voodoo:A
(14)Get Ready:A
(15)Caress Me Down:A+
(16)What I Got(reprise):A
(17)Doin' Time:A+

This is the last CD that Sublime made before Brad passed away, and it's one of their best. It's to bad he went away at the height of their success, but he new some day he would "lose the war".-Pool Shark

R.I.P. Brad Nowell

RADIO HIITS, WHO CARES, STILL A GREAT CD!!
I don't get why some people will give a cd a lower rating cause it gets radio play. You shouldn't like or dis-like a cd cause some of its songs on the radio. Anyway i'm a huge Sublime and own all there cd's (execpt stand by your van) I think this cd doesn't get enough credit just because excellent songs like what i got, wrong way, santeria and doin time are played on the radio. It also holds some other gems like Garden Grove, April 29, 1992 (Miami) which has a great story line, Same in the end, Burritos, Get Ready and Caress Me Down. The best song has to be what i got (reprise) when you listen to it just makes u feel good. In my oppion this is Sublimes second best album behind 40 oz to freedom, but it is still great.......... mad love out to lou dog and RIP BRAD..........PEACE!!!!!!!!

Bradley Nowell sounds even better now that he's Dead.
"Sublime" is one of my favorite albums of all time and it is by far the best Sublime record. Listening to "Sublime" is like the equivelant to watching an episode of Cops. There are songs about prostitutes, pawn shops, weed, race riots, and guns. All good fun!
Some highlights are:
"Garden Grove"- I like when Bradley goes through the list of reasons why his soul is unsound.
"Same in the End"- Totally rocks.
"Seed"- Totally rocks too.
"Burritos"- Should have been another single.

You'll love this
No matter what type of music you listen to,you WILL like this.Trust me.This is one of the only CD's I can listen to over and over and not get tired of.Some of the best tracks would have to be "What I got","Seed","Santeria",and "Wrong Way" are the best tracks on the cd.There's a serious point in all the songs,but the it's so inresting and catchy,you don't even notice.You'll love it so just buy it.

no band can compare
Sublime is just one of those bands that can't be compared to or imitated by anyone. Brad had a great gift with not only lyrics but amazing vocals. This CD especially shows sublime had true musical talent and wasn't imitating anyone like most rock bands are today. Every song on here is good and each song shows how many different kinds of music sublime could combine into one CD, rock/rap/punk/reggae/ska. This cd and 40 oz to freedom are by far the best 2 sublime cd's out there. RIP brad and your music lives on. ... Read more

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The West of veteran TV writer/Deadwoodcreator David Milch is as grim as it is gritty, sprinkled with salty dialogue and punctuated by sudden brutality and raw sexuality. The original soundtrack cues by composer David Schwartz (represented here by his evocative show theme), Michael Brook and Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek play off that vision with often stark rootsiness. But it's the series' rich slate of songs -- choices whose inventiveness often rivals that of The Sopranos -- that consistently reinforce its all-too-human drama, if not the crusty veneer. This collection gathers the best songs from the series' first season, coloring the milieu with evocative hillbilly romps like Michael Hurley's "Hog of the Forsaken" and the a capella grace of Margaret's Native American "Creek Lullaby." But the collection's musical eclecticism stretches far beyond mere genre concerns, variously encompassing the nascent jazz of Jelly Roll Morton (a rollicking "Stars and Stripes Forever"), Delta blues of Bukka White and Mississippi John Hurt and even Gustavo Santaolalla's hypnotic Brazilian fretwork. But the collection's country and folk-tinged performances are its most resonant, whether invoking earthy traditions (the gospel fervor of the late June Carter Cash's "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee's more heretical "God and Man") or more contemporary stylings like Lyle Lovett's "Old Friend" and the gentle "Twisted Little Man" by Michael J. Sheehy.--Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great companion to the show
Since Carnivale is in such dire straits, I've really gotten into this HBO show, which serves as a good replacement in my heart. For those not in the know, its a gritty, violent western that takes place in the gold-mining camp of Deadwood, where famous names like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane traipse through. I knew I would enjoy the soundtrack, as it had a lot of blues and country stuff I was familiar with. June Carter Cash singing 'Will the Circle Be Unbroken' would turn even the most hardcore atheist into a believer, and the Bukka White and the Jelly Roll Morton tracks were great too, but there were so many other amazing surprises on it for me. Top song is called 'Hog of the Forsaken' and is this nuts piece of fiddle and yodel and lunatic lyrics. I loved it. There are other tracks on the CD that are good songs, but do not work within the context of the show, specifically 'Twisted Little Man', which doesn't sound very western at all. Still, a high quality selection of tracks, and the show soundbites on the disc, which contain more cussin' then Tarantino in the shower, are great too.

Dusty, grim and sometimes poignant (like the series)
As a fan of the series Deadwood, I found this soundtrack CD to be both satisfying on its own merits and a successful evocation of the spirit of the series.It contains a lot of authentic American music that has the traditional feeling appropriate to the Old West setting of the show.There's gospel, folk, country, blues, and many pieces of miscellaneous instrumental music.It's telling that when the music producers wanted a true-sounding version of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken," they went to the source, June Carter Cash.I also like the fact that they filled their show and this disc with many excellent songs by relatively unknown artists like Mark Lee Scott and Michael Sheehy.However, I think my very favorite music from the CD are some of the instrumentals, especially the themes by Gustavo Santaolallo and the great Michael Brook.In between the music, there's also a great deal of dialogue samples from the show -- and that's what gives the CD its parental advisory label.(The presence of strong language in those dialogue samples will be no surprise to anyone who has seen Deadwood!) ... Read more

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

Reviews (24)

The Best Album of 2005 (So Far)
There have been several highly anticipated (by me) albums put out this year as of May, and I think this one is my favorite so far.It has everything you'd look for in a ben folds album and more.The dvd side of the dual disc version is short but interesting and funny.In short, this album is very solid all the way through.I'd recommend it to new ben folds listeners and I'd highly reccommend it to those who are seasoned fans of Mr. Folds!It has a slower tempo throughout the album with the typical folds' rockin' flashes.

Brilliant pop music
I had heard from many friends that as a huge Billy Joel/Elton John fan (well at least Elton pre-"Less than Zero") that I had to get into Ben Folds. I had heard "Rocking the Suburbs", and while I liked it I wasn't blown away or anything, except for a few songs. But after receiving this album as a birthday gift, I can now say I am a devout fan of Mr. Folds. Anyone who is a fan of very melodic, chorus-concentraded pop music will love this album. Most of these songs remind me of Elton circa-"Madman Across the Water" and Todd Rundgren circa-"Something/Anything?". For the most part, the melodies are absoultely gorgeous, the lyrics intelligent and subtle, and the musicanship and prodcution top-notch. This confirms to me that Ben Folds is, along with Jeff Tweedy, Miles Kurosky, James Mercer, and Elliot Smith; among the best pop songwriters of the past 10 years.

Ben is peaking
i've followed Ben Folds for a few years now.i consider him a genuine talent on the keys.he sits comfortably between Elton John and Billy Joel.

SFS positions him as a talented songwriter in addition to his prowess with the piano.SFS is well built and will be a lasting part of my library.good good stuff.

just saw him in New York City.he was at his absolute best.see him if you can.pick up SFS and you will be looping 'Landed' and 'Sentimental Guy' over and over as i have been.or maybe i'm just enamored by the talent of Ben Folds.

check it out.

Outstanding!
Ben Folds continues to improve with each album.Songs For Silverman is comprised of 11 songs - filled with powerful piano, beautiful harmonies and more examples of thought-provoking Ben Folds lyrics.It's nice to actually hear (though it is subtle) some guitar and other instruments occasionally.They add a nice touch to the standard piano, bass and drums.Ben's vocals and arrangements have never been stronger.

Excellant Album
I bought this cd and haven't taken it out of my cd player yet.I really enjoyed rockin the suburbs and this album picks up right where Ben Folds left off.I think the melodies and more serious lyrics are a great combination.A must have for all Ben Folds fans. ... Read more

Amazon.com

On the evidence of Rockin' the Suburbs, Ben Folds's decision to jettison the two-piece Five that had backed him on four largely excellent albums has not resulted in any significant shift in trajectory. The Ben Folds Five were only getting better, gradually discovering the confidence not to hide their musical uniqueness (there have been too few piano-led power trios) and lyrical intelligence behind undergrad Barenaked Ladies-style gags. Songs like "Mess" and "Brick" signaled an extraordinary new songwriting talent worthy of comparison to Folds's obvious idols, Elvis Costello and Paul Simon. Only this album's title track harkens back to Folds's fondness for comedy, and it is by far the weakest track here. The rest is mournful, reflective, and, at best, quite magnificent. Folds's hymns to his family, "Still Fighting It" and "The Luckiest" are shot through with an honesty that's rare in alternative rock. The acerbic essence of character sketches such as "Carrying Cathy," "Losing Lisa," and "Zak & Sara" are leavened with a generous compassion. Folds's second solo effort is his best album yet. The remainder of his career must be anticipated with equal parts expectation and impatience. --Andrew Mueller ... Read more

Reviews (237)

Vintage Folds with a subtle new taste
I'm a strange person when it comes to music. I'm the kind of person who tends to hear about a band for months. From my friends. From TV. From an internet article. But I generally don't search out anything from these people unless I get stuck on one of their songs.

I saw the Ben Folds video for "Still Fighting It" on VH1 (probably one of the few times they aired it) this past spring, and downloaded the song. I had known the actual song "Rockin' the Suburbs" from seeing the video, and had downloaded it last fall. But I never ventured to buy the full album until this past August.

Wow.

I remembered Ben Folds Five vaguely from their hit "Brick" -- I'm 16, making me only 11 or so when it was released, but I remember liking it immensely back then.

The album is exquisite. Most of the songs rank with Folds' finer work with the band that carried his name. "Zak and Sara" is an extremely catchy song reminiscient of '60s pop that tells the tale of a typically quirky Folds protagonist. "Fred Jones Pt. 2" is the heart-wrenching story of a reporter fired of many years of service at a newspaper. Folds is one of the most well-respected songwriters of his time for a reason -- his characters live on far past the life of his songs.

But it's the melodies, of course, that make Folds the pop prodigy that he is. "Carrying Cathy" features a simple riff and amazing strings that give it a haunting feel, due to the content. "The Luckiest" is a melodic, sleepily trodding tune that is one of the most insightful, cleverly-worded love songs I've ever heard.

But Folds' first solo outing adds something else to the Five catalog that you just can't put your finger on. Obviously there's the lack of Folds' two former bandmates, but you can always distinguish a solo Ben Folds work from a Ben Folds Five work. Maybe it's just the way the record is produced, maybe it's simply the atmosphere, but there's a good feeling about this record. Hands down, it is one of the best pop records of the last few years.

It's very rare that an artist holds on to the same creativity and fervor that they had with a band without a band. Ben Folds has done just that.

Best Pop CD of the 90s
Ben Folds is a mature piano pop rocker in the same vein as Elvis Costello, Billy Joel, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne and other 70s rock legends. However, he taps this vein while injecting his own brand of intelligent independent poetry and storytelling that put both Holden Caufield and Broadway confessionals to shame. He knows how to play his instrument as well. In addition to playing every instrument on this album, his piano keeps getting more and more complex. Now it seems that Ben is finally figuring out how to perfectly incorporate his piano into his sound.

Melody comes natural to Folds and his music's quality reflects this attribute. There is not a truly bad cut on this album. It flows beter than any album I've heard from this year or in some cases, any year. He can inspire, depress, motivate, and maniplate sometimes in the same song. While some may call him derivative, he incorporates his own signiture style onto every song.

Now a track by track analysis and the reason I like this CD so much:

This album is superb. Annie Waits is the perfect opener as it tells a story about pain, longing, and lonliness with a perfect and ironic pop beat and clap (8.5/10). Zak and Sara (without an H) is the perfect follow up. It is another example at how great Ben's sketch's can be when the music is fabulous as well (8.5/10). Still Fighting It is the anthem that would not have sounded out of place in the 70s. It is great to hear live (9/10). Gone is another song with hypnotic verses and a grand climactic chorus (9/10). Fred Jones Part II is the sad and bleak look into life after being reduced to a figure. It describes being picked up and dropped, the paradox of old age, and becoming obsolete. It deals with the despair associated with aging.(10/10). It is basically about lost youth and how people are replaced and dehumanized every day in the American Corporate System. Or its just a story of a man named Fred Jones. Beautiful and expressive but ultimately a downer (With the lead singer of Cake helming backup vocals). Ascent of Stan is a song about a hippie with a cheesy and retro dance thump. Its all in good fun though (8/10). Ironic tales of mushrooms and conformity have never sounded better. Losing Lisa is an example of semi plagarism, not that I hate the song at all. It is a great song about good times past but the chorus sounds like Happy Together by the Turtles in my opinion. Still However, with Ben's telling lyrics and perfect playing, it manages to become an original of its own. One of the best on this album or any Folds has ever recorded (10/10). Carrying Cathy is sort of an ironic tale about a girl who is helpless and eventually comits suicide (irony in the chorus, Everybody was always carrying cathy). However, it is disguised as a ballad, a format it works very well within (8/10). Not the Same has the greatest chorus on the whole album. While the song may be repetitive and a tad offkey sometimes, the chorus is gigantic and will send chills up your spine. The best anthem on the record is not really an anthem but a story of a bad acid trip. This is the best song off this album played live (10/10). Oh well! Now to Hiro's Song. Bouncy and bright pop about an older Japanese man and his concerns about his younger mistress. It is funny and musically diverse. This one is definately a worthy addition to the album (9/10). Rockin the Suburbs is Ben's only LP foray into the depths of modern radio rock music. With a guitar and an angry sneer, he comments on angst, fear, and suburban alienation with a winking and satirical gesture. This song is worth its weight once you hear his impersonation of Zach De La Rocha of Rage Against the Machine towards the end of the song. Not Ben's best but it makes for an interesting and enjoyable diversion (7/10). Fired is the most musically accomplished song on the album and this aspect makes it one of the best songs as well. Good lyrics, great song; this is what Ben should strive to write more often, a perfect mix in between substance and style (9/10). The Luckiest is a ballad about Ben's wife. It is soft and touching as well as a tremendous shift from the rest of the album. It has incredible lyrics that stun through their simplicity. The genuis is how Ben manages to sing it and completely defy expectation. A superb closer and ends the album in a perfect reflective and intelligent tone. (9.5/10).

This record is by far one of the best to come out this year. Plus or minus Hiro's song, it is still engaging and well played. Most of all, Ben Folds's music is fun and rarely ever gets old after repeated listens. He writes amazing character sketches and lyrics that will affect you in the wierdest ways. Intelligent, affecting, and emotional piano based rock and pop played perfectly. This is a must have record and is essential to any listener of Pop (real Pop, no top 40, though they might like it as well) music! tHis record will someday be deemed the classic that it deserves to be. ...Peace... (98/100)
(BEN, {PLEASE WRITE A ROCK OPERA!)

*For everybody except there are a few swears here and there.

Support Ben Folds (solo and with his band The Bens), Snuzz, Ben's Brother Chuck Folds, and ex-Fiver Darren Jesse whenever they come to town). They all give excellent shows!

And that's about all...

My favorite..EVER!!
I love this CD. There are 3 songs on it that have moved me to tears more than once. Ben's lyrics are so meloncholy and I think everyone has experienced what he has written about at some point in their lives. A couple of the songs really speak to those of us who are middle aged and realize how short this life really is. His lyrics are amazing and great for a long drive in solitude with your stereo and your own personal memories.

Addictive
This CD is both fantastic and addictive - one of the only Cds that don't require any track skipping!

Excellent CD!
1.annie waits-very good song, upbeat, different-good opener
2. zak and sara-sooo good! one of my favorites on the cd, funny lyrics, makes you happy!
3. still fighting it-eh, good, slow, you have to be in the mood for it
4. gone-good song. somewhere in between slow and fast. very good lyrics. fun to blast-you get into it.
5. fred jones part 2--one of the prettiest slow songs ive ever listened to. very sad song, just soo pretty and calm. you'll like it.
6. the ascent of stan--a different kind of song, not one of the best on the cd, but not bad either. good piano as always.
7. losing lisa-good. not the best, good lyrics though!
8. carrying cathy-another really pretty song. interesting lyrics.
9. not the same-lyrics make you think, slower-but very good.
10. rockin' the suburbs--good song! faster, kind of silly lyrics but its good!
11. fired-my second favorite song on the CD after zak and sara---soo much fun to listen to, upbeat, cheerful, sooo good!
12. the luckiest--sooo pretty!!!! very sentimental, calming. very good!

VERY good cd! something different! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nomadic Southern evangelist Leon Followill may take soap suds to the mouths of the kinfolk wunderkinds--his three sons and a nephew--in Tennessee quartet Kings of Leon, whose second album spins enough cuss phrases and sexual allusions to leave Dolly Parton flushed. But the peculiar 20-something longhairs also fuel up on a filthy shotgun bass and relentless guitar riffs, complementing the delightfully discordant drawl of vocalist Caleb Followill to whittle a 35-minute grab bag of garage rock, English blues, sixties psychedelia, London Calling-ska, spaced-out country waltzes and front-porch, red-state revelry. Without revising its 2003 debut Youth & Young Manhood, producer Ethan Johns (The Jayhawks, Ray LaMontagne) steers the band down a similar mischievous road, integrating poles-apart rhythms and techniques into an energized jumble of rotating tempos and lyrical bombshells. Putting faith in earth-shakers like "Velvet Snow" and "Pistol Of Fire," the wound down and pleasing "Milk" and its yodeling cousin "Day Old Blues," the Kings ultimately escape Preacher Leon’s retribution, rendering him speechless--save for a simple "amen." --Scott Holter ... Read more

Reviews (85)

Sony-BMG are Twats, but KoL Still Rock
Firstly, in response to reviewers like FarkingBastage, it is perfectly acceptable to voice whatever concerns you have with a CD in your review. Readers who are thinking about purchasing the CD need to know not only whether the music is good, but also whether it's a royal pain to play the music on iPods or burn a backup copy for yourself. This is a product review, and there is no reason why it must be constrained to the music. If I feel like commenting on the album art, DRM protection, or anything else, then, it's certainly relevent.

In that vein, Sony-BMG needs a swift kick in the face. I use iTunes & iPod to play all my music. I have a new-ish Dell with WinXP, but, for some reason, programs like Easy CD CReator and Media Player don't recognize my CD Burner. It's some kind of glitch, because I downloaded other burning programs, and they work. iTunes also burns audio CD's. The problem, however, is that SunnComm's techsupport people suggest burning an audio CD with Windows Media Player, then ripping it with iTunes. This is their "official" solution!! Technical geniuses, I tells ya. So, since Windows Media Player is the only way to burn DRM-protected songs to CD, I'm screwed. I can't put these songs on my iPod. Nor can I make backup CD's in case this one gets scratched or lost.

In the future, I will avoid these "protected" albums if at all possible. Even now, I find myself wishing I could take the CD back and buy the tracks from iTunes Music Store.

However, on to the music. Kings take it to the next level on this one. I loved Y&YM---hearkening back to some real ballsy, gritty southern rock. Caleb Followill's voice is just so damn unique, and fits in with the sort of southern-rock-on-a-friday-night aura of the band. Aha Shake just seems tighter, more seamless, even if a few of the songs lack the hook that Youth packed over and over again. Nothing comes without a price, I suppose...but the rock-ness of Aha Shake makes up for what's lost in memorable riffs.

Oddly enough, I always seem to remember my least favorite track with these guys. On Youth, it was "Molly's Chambers". I heard about KoL through the Onion AV Club---not via the incessant radio airings of Molly's Chambers. Good thing, too, because if I had based my judgment of them on that most popular song, I'd not have even thought about buying the album.

On Aha Shake, my least favorite song is "Day Old Blues". I'm positive I'm not the only one. It starts with a slow, melodic poeticism. Then, like many other KoL songs, it breaks into harder/faster style for the chorus. The problem is, from that point on, the vast majority of the song is this annoying chorus, over and over again. "Dayo-Dayo-Dayoohhhh, Dayo-Dayo-Dayoohhhh, Dayo-Dayo-Dayoohhhh, a-BLOOOHOOO!" Repeat. Again. And again. One more time. Talk about a broken record...quite frankly, I am forced to skip over this track every time. What were they thinking?

The rest of the album is slick, rockin, heavy, but still spry on its feet. Highly recommended---but, if I were you, I'd buy it @ iTunes Music Store to get around Sony-BMG's annoying DRM mechanism.

Excellent music, terrible cd
i love the cd and listen to it constantly. however, the copyright protection is terrible. it is easy to google and hack it, but i just refuse to accept drm like this. i refuse to pay good money for a cd and not be able to use it the way i want to (i.e., put on ipod). i returned it. hope you do too.

BRILLIANT!
I find it interesting that most of the reviews for this cd are either 5 stars or 1 star. Ah, those crazy Kings of Leon. You either love em or hate em.Of course, many of the 1 star reviews are attributed to the capabilities (or lack thereof) of burning the cd to IPods and MP3 players, etc. While that may be annoying, I personally can't relate because I simply downloaded the album from the internet and it works just fine on my cd player.

And oh how fine Aha Shake Heartbreak truly is! On my first listen, by the time the opening track Slow Night So Long ended, I was grinning ear to ear. Finally a band that not only knows how to rock, but knows how to have fun! It's like the Beatles and the Stones have been resurrected through these kids. Every damn song on this album is sure to make you want to sing, smile, and... well, shake. Seriously, everytime I hear the drum and jingle bell intro to Taper Jean Girl, I want to get up and jump up and down on my car. If only I could do that while my car drives by itself.

Some people may not like these guys because of Caleb's voice, which is scratchy and pretty unintelligible. But once you get past the fact that you can barely understand anything this guy says, you come to realize it doesn't matter. This is pure rock n' roll, people. Best rock album I've heard in a LONG time. Best of 2005.

"Heartbreak" is right!
Kings Of who????I have not heard of this band until rumor had it they were touring with U2.Shortly after, I caught "The Bucket" on the radio and thought that it was worthwhile to pick up the album.Aha!Where do these great review from the likes of Rolling Stone come from???I wasnt only disapointed with the album, I have given serious thought of selling the album back.I love all kinds of music, especially alt rock.But this is beyond anything I've heard.Not worth it.

Quit Your Whining!
This is for all the reviewers who have complained about the copyright protection on this CD.Uhhh....you are stupid.But, more importantly, please stop reviewing the album based on the copyright protection.The copyright protection has nothing to do with the music itself.

If you hate the album, you hate the album, but the copyright protection has nothing to do with the music.

BTW, you dolts, I had almost NO PROBLEM copying this album to my hard drive and then copying it to disc.Yes, I DID have problems doing it disc to disc, but so what?Maybe you need to get a system better than Windows 98, maybe you need some better burn software...I don't know.Maybe monkeys are more computer literate than you.But, IT'S NOT THAT HARD, SO QUIT YOUR BITCHING!

I am giving this album 5 stars for two reasons.First, because it is awesome and doesn't resemble anything I hear on the radio today.The Kings are in a league of thier own!

Second, so I can hopefully help push up the rating of this album from all the bellyachers who gave it one or two stars on a criteria THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MUSIC!It is too bad Amazon doesn't have moderators, because I would report all you people and have your reviews thrown out, sort of like a defense attorney raises an objection to a judge and claims "relevance".

Now go back to computer school 101 and get off this board!

Go Kings! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Lovely songs; Sleeper Film.
This is very nice compilation of thoughtful ballads, some of lesser known singers and writers.Travolta can carry a tune (it would appear).His singing meshes well with his character in this charming movie.All things considered, this is a rathr good, enjoyable film.I especially like the numerous literary references.I am commenting on both the soundtrack and film, as both are worry of listening and viewing.

Grayson Capps
This is an incredible soundtrack not to mention a great little independent film. Don't listen to the critics on this one because the majority of them are flat out wrong. There should be more movies like this with compelling stories, strong acting and sweet music. Much better than the blockbuster trash that's so prevalant today. Anyhow, check out the soundtrack if only for the great New Orleans singer/songwriter Grayson Capps -- who's a little known gem from that historic music town. The rest of the soundtrack is worthy too...with tracks by Thalia Zedek, Trespassers William (another little known band that is pretty incredible), Los Lobos, Nada Surf, lots of rare blues and two sweet little songs by John Travolta. I couldn't have made a better mix of music myself! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Was it homesickness that compelled long time Los Angeles resident k. d. lang to fashion her one woman campaign for north of the border nationalism, or just plain good sense? As an organizing tool, all Canadian content has long been a mainstay of the Canadian Broadcasting System but few have selected their material with such a fine hand and a high aesthetic. The expatriate singer has taken great pains to create a sophisticated homage to her Canadian roots, elegantly reinterpreting 11 songs penned by some of her more illustrious countrymen (and women) such as Jane Siberry, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Leonard Cohen. The idiosyncratic chanteuse turns Cohen's "Bird on a Wire" into an aching monochromatic lament, exploring new tributaries of pain that didn't exist in the original, while recasting Neil Young's "Helpless" into haunting anthem of memory and comfort, all the while sounding anything but helpless. A gorgeous love letter to her brethren, complete with an intelligent and understated orchestration. --Jaan Uhelszki ... Read more

Amazon.com

Green Day takes the title International Superhits literally,offering a no-surprises compilation of all the songs that made a big dent oncommercial radio. From the pop-punk heroes' breakthrough album Dookie ("Longview," "Welcome toParadise") through Insomniac ("Brain Stew"), Nimrod ("Good Riddance [Time ofYour Life]"), and Warning("Minority"), if a record produced a hit, that song is on this album. There areonly two new tracks on the Superhits (both recorded a couple of monthsbefore the album's release)--the spazzed out rock & roll singalong "Maria" andthe puppy-dog love of "Poprocks & Coke." Because International Superhitsdoesn't pull from Green Day's early EPs and Lookout albums or offer any livevariations, though, this album is really only one for the serious-mindedcollectors who don't want to skip past a single Green Day release.-- Jennifer Maerz ... Read more

Reviews (142)

Green Day has always been my favorite band.
I've always loved Green Day, who were at their peak in 1994 and enjoyed many other hits afterwards, including Brain Stew, Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), and Minority. Even with an album that only came out less than two years ago (Warning), Green Day is getting less and less recognition. With newer pop-punk bands such as Blink 182, Sum 41 and New Found Glory becoming more popular, Green Day has been ignored.

Let's get to the point. International Superhits is great for the casual listener, or just someone who wants to rediscover them. But unless you desperately want to hear Maria and Poprocks and Coke (which are decent songs), or J.A.R, I wouldn't recommend this to the fan who already has all of their Reprise releases. Unless you want a good cd to listen to all the way through, which this certainly is.

The songs are all good! There is not one song I can't listen to...truthfully, there isn't one song I don't like by Green Day. The two new songs, as previously mentioned, are both good...the catchy, but somewhat repetitive Maria, and the poppy love song of Poprocks and Coke, but they're not much compared to the others. You'll get every Green Day hit on this CD, from their first single (and possibly one of their best songs) Longview, to the timeless classic Good Riddance, to the melodic Waiting, the somewhat harsher Geek Stink Breath and Brain Stew, and the lesser known Walking Contradiction and She...they're all here. Green Day is a fun band to listen to, and this is a nice representation of them.

One thing that slightly peeved me is that there are no songs from their Lookout releases on here. I can't say I liked 1039 SOSH, but Kerplunk is my second favorite (after Nimrod). Beware! When you buy this, you're not getting the full Green Day experience...there are great songs such as Going to Pasalacqua, 2000 Light Years Away, Christie Road, and many others that aren't on here!

Oh yeah, if you want more Green Day, check out all 6 of their albums, you'll find some good songs that weren't played on the radio. They include, but aren't limited to, 86, Stuart and The Ave., Westbound Sign, Scattered, Jinx/Haushinka, Prosthetic Head ... Castaway, and Misery. ...

If you're that person who has heard songs like Longview and Good Riddance on the radio and liked them, but has never bought a Green Day release, by all means BUY THIS! Green Day fans with the entire collection, you may not want to get this unless you need something to top it all off or are just mad for the song J.A.R.

And J.A.R is a great song.

Green Day's best CD
Of course this is Green Day's best CD because it is a greatest hits CD. The album has all of their best songs , but I am a little disappointed that it had no songs from 'Kerplunk!' or '1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours', but never the less, all of the songs on the album are 'superhits' and it just reminds you what a good band Green Day are.

1. Maria

2. Poprocks & Coke

3. Longview

4. Welcome To Paradise

5. Basket Case

6. When I Come Around

7. She

8. J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva)

9. Geek Stink Breath

10. Brain Stew

11. Jaded

12. Walking Contradiction

13. Stuck With Me

14. Hitchin' a Ride

15. Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)

16. Redundant

17. Nice Guys Finish Last

18. Minority

19. Warning

20. Waiting

21. Macy's Day Parade

As you can see, most of Green Day's best songs and definitely worth buying. This album is definitely Green Day's best because the songs are better than the songs on 'Nimrod', 'Insomniac' and even 'Dookie'.

True Superhits
IF you are a punk rock fan, Green Day is your band. They are absolutely amazing and always will be. First of all, Billie-Joe Armstrong is a true rock revolutionary. He has and an unmistakable voice that will be recognized everywhere. His guitar skills are also quite accomplished. Mike "Dirnt" is by far the best bassist out there today. He is absolutely amazing. He plays the bass guitar like he is soloing on a normal electric guitar. Finally, the fantastic Tre Cool on drums. Another one of the best in his field. If you listen to the drums in the background, you will be blown away at how good he is.
International Superhits is by far their best CD yet, and it should be since it is a Greatest Hits album. Everyone of these 21 songs deserves to be on this CD and totally kicks ass. The CD starts out with two new tracks that are just as good as the rest. If you are a newcomer to green day, a casual fan, or even if you have all of their CD's, I recomend this CD. Every fan of Punk Rock or any type of Rock music for that matter should go out and buy this CD

Awesome
This is an excellent album for the summer's travels and just great for putting into your cd player and not having to skip every few songs. This album had all their hits and I fell in love with ALL of them. From the energetic and wonderful Maria to the most beautiful song Macy's Day Parade, this compilation is 21 of the best songs around. A must have for a Green Day fan or someone who has heard classics like Basket Case or Good Riddnance and want to see what this band is really made of.

Best Green Day CD Ever
hey guys, this cd is the best green day cd ever. just buy it, its awesome! its got ur fav, walking contradiction,when i come around, Longview, basketcase and much more! this cd rox and is one of the best punk rock bands i've heard. get ur copy now... ... Read more

Amazon.com

If Nevermind's sound is familiar now, it's only because thousands of rock records that followed itwere trying very hard to cop its style. It tears out of the speakers like a cannonball, from the punk-turbo-charged riff of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" onward, magnifying and distilling the wounded rage of 15 years of the rock underground into a single impassioned roar. Few albums have occupied the cultural consciousness like this one; of its 12 songs, roughly 10 are now standards. The record's historical weight can make it hard to hear now with fresh ears, but the monumental urgency of Kurt Cobain's screams is still shocking. --Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (1198)

Classic
Enter David Grohl on drums, exit Chad Channing, say hello to Geffen records. Nirvana signed to Geffen because of Sonic Youth, that's it. If they had to sign to a major, Geffen seemed ok for Sonic Youth, so Nirvana reason it should be OK for them. The production team of Butch Vig and Andy Wallace 'tidied' up the sound of the early Nirvana circa 'Bleach', but new drummer Dave Grohl was a far better, louder and more dynamic performer than Chad Channing. Nirvana live concerts had attracted Geffen Records attention in the first place. Kurt wanted the group to be popular, and could see them maybe selling as many records as Sonic Youth. 'Territorial Pissings' was considered for a single release, but it was put to them 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' might make for a better choice. The rest was, as they say, history. 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' transformed the underground scene, groups like Mudhoney, even Tad were suddenly being signed by major labels, 'Grunge' was well and truly born and 'Nevermind' eventually knocked Michael Jackson off the top of the album charts. That was seen as slightly significant..... 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' itself is actually nothing other similar groups hadn't done before. Kurt himself was actually unsure about the song, considering it's structure too similar the songs by The Pixies in particular. For whatever reason though, it was Nirvana not The Pixies who would make the breakthrough. 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' was huge, but never the best song on this album. 'In Bloom' is better, clever lyrically certainly. And then we have the guitar that runs through 'Come As You Are' and it's great stuff, especially Kurt's guitar solo.

'Breed' is as raw and thrilling as anything from 'Bleach' in terms of sound, the bass groove is fabulous, everything is fast and Kurt screams as if his life depended on it. We still have a melodic chorus, the melody thing had been with Nirvana right from the start though, witness 'About A Girl'. 'Lithium' became another big single, with a great 'yeah, yeah, yeaaeahahh' chorus. 'Polly' revealed a previously unimagined softer side of the group, just Kurt and acoustic guitar for the most part. A lovely song, though. 'Territorial Pissings' is back to the more demented Nirvana sound of their earlier work with fuzzy, distorted guitars, absolutely amazing drumming, fabulous throat splitting vocals from Kurt. A wonderful song. 'Drain You' is one of my own personal favourites on the album, certainly a less celebrated song than much of the first half, but there is something simple about this, certainly it's a more straightforward song production and mixing wise. I like the melody, I love Kurt's vocal. It's as simple as that. 'Lounge Act' is a weaker song on the record, 'Stay Away' back to the furious drumming and groovy bass parts. More Kurt Cobain screaming, and this is an enjoyable song. 'On A Plain' does nothing the rest of the album already hasn't, and can get trying at times although the chorus still has a mighty big hook stuck all through it. Perhaps the most remarkable song on 'Nevermind' isn't 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' although that was certainly the most important song here. The closing 'Something In The Way' has a semi-mumbled, weary Kurt vocal, a lovely, beautiful melody notable for a haunting Cello running through the chorus. It's a great song, simple as that.

A great album, not as great as some would have you believe, not as BAD as those complaining that the singles from this record are played on MTV and the radio so often as to reach the point of throwing up if you hear 'In Bloom' just one more time. This is now an omni-present all time classic of rock in terms of status. It's never going to go away.

A truly revolutionary album
Nirvana may not have been the first alternative rock band ever. In fact, Nevermind, their biggest album, may not be the best alternative rock album ever (Ten by Pearl Jam and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by Smashing Pumpkins give it some tough competition). But one thing can't be denied: Nevermind was the album that made it all possible. Anyone who enjoys the music that sprang from alt-rock's "golden age" (1991-about 1996) owes something to this album. Even listening to it today is an experience. Its music bombards your ears with an assault of punk energy, tempered by just enough pop sensibility to make it extremely enjoyable and tremendously good at the same time. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" can rightfully be regarded as the first real grunge rock hit, and it is the album's most popular song. "In Bloom" is probably the best track on Nevermind, thundering out of the speakers with truck loads of hard, melodic force. "Lithium" and "Come As You Are" are also two very good and very big hits from the album. "Breed", though it didn't become a megahit, is probably the second best song on the album, thrashing forth with superspeed punk velocity (it's one of those songs you just can't get out of your head). Overall, this album was truly groundbreaking, and deserves a 5 just for its originality and influence. But it is also incredibly enjoyable, and it sounds just as monumental today as it did ten years ago.

I've never listened to this album, but...
A friend of bought this album four months ago after repeatedly reading how utterly fantastic it was,how it was probably the greatest album ever. Today he uses it as a coaster for cups of coffee.

13 years and still kicking
well, depending on what u grew up with all changes the aspect of what you like...so all opinions are welcomed, but in my opinion nirvana has qualities that some bands could only dream to master, instand fame, and kurt's ability to write lyrics, just listen to what he has to say before you criticize his voice, everyone is born with a different vocal talent. And then there's my man Dave Grohl on drums where he belongs, not on guitar with the foo fighters, anyways, nirvana had the attitude needed for this decade and if not for them...music today would not be the same, you can't deny it...

DIS ALBUM ROX
this album is by far the best album of the 90's! anyone who doesn't have dis album has 2 get it. with a song like, smells like teen spirit, who could go wrong? everytime i listen to this album, it just blows me away. Kurt is the ultimate, and if u dont have dis album, u r totally missin out! get it! it rox! ... Read more