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They earned wide acclaim with the double-disc Southern Rock Opera, a sprawling concept album about Lynyrd Skynyrd. Their three-guitar lineup and greasy look signify big, dumb rock in the minds of many, but their songwriting is relentlessly whip-smart. And what may be their greatest song, "The Living Bubba," is an ode to a righteous, hard-rocking redneck felled by AIDS. No, the Drive-By Truckers never do anything by the book, so it's no surprise that with Decoration Day, the band's first release for indie New West Records, Patterson Hood and his mates take another rewarding left turn. The album boasts a handful of crowd-pleasing, party-starting cuts, like the brash, cranky rocker "Hell No, I Ain't Happy" and the Stones ringer "Marry Me." Yet more common are moments of startling beauty (the steel solos on "The Deeper In" and "Loaded Gun in the Closet" and the jangling guitars, rolling melodies, and soulful fiddle breaks of "Heathens" and "My Sweet Annette") and heavy doses of recrimination and regret, as in the back-to-back suicide tunes "When the Pin Hits the Shell" and "Do It Yourself." --Anders Smith Lindall ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A Great Follow-Up to an All-Time Classic
You can call Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley a lot of things, but insecure isn't one of them. Not since Lynyrd Skynyrd brought in a young Okie by the name of Stevie Gaines has a great rock band suppressed their egos and added a talented guitarist and songwriter of the caliber of Jason Isbell. Isbell, the new addition to the Drive-By Truckers' three-guitar attack, is absolutely spectacular, a fact to which anyone who has seen him shine on lead guitar duties during their current tour can attest. Based on the evidence from Decoration Day, the kid can write songs and sing 'em too.

Coming on the heels of the all-time classic, Southern Rock Opera, Decoration Day had a lot to live up to. The DBT did the smart thing and seemingly wrote Decoration Day to please only themselves. It initially comes across as less accessible than its predecessor, but repeated listens reveal it to be a richly rewarding album. More than any DBT record before it, Decoration Day feels utterly anachronistic, like it was recorded before the CD era and should ideally be listened to on LP with all the attendant hisses and pops.

The stark opening cut, "The Deeper In" recalls Springsteen's Nebraska album both in mood and lyrical content. "Sink Hole" is a rave-up focusing on an issue near and dear to the heart of Patterson Hood, the collapse of family farms. "Hell No, I Ain't Happy" is typical ornery DBT. Patterson finally relinquishes vocal duties to the Stroker Ace, Mike Cooley, for a classic Skynryd- and Stones-inflected romp on "Marry Me". Songs like "Marry Me" just leave you shaking your head as to how the DBT fail to get airplay on your local rock radio station. "My Sweet Annette" is a pretty little song, even with Patterson and his delightful gravel-throated vocals up front. Isbell makes his first appearance on vocals on the arresting "Outfit" - a few listens to that song and you'll realize that this kid is amazing.

"Sounds Better in the Song" is another of the many highlights on Decoration Day. Cooley referred to it as a "love song" at a recent concert in Pittsburgh, even though it is about a woman who once shared his goals in life but eventually outgrew him and moved on. It's a wonderfully depressing song and hope for Cooley's sake that it is not based on something that happened to him. "Your Daddy Hates Me" recalls those classic Skynyrd blues ballads like "Cheatin Woman" and "I Need You". "When the Pin Hits the Shell" is where Decoration Day peaks. Cooley's on vocals again and, surprise, he's singing about something depressing - this time it's suicide. There's an extraordinary earnestness to his voice and the simple guitar solo after the first verse is one of the most beautiful musical passages I've heard in a long time. "Do It Yourself" is another suicide-themed song, though more upbeat with Patterson on vocals. "Decoration Day" features Isbell's second turn on vocals and again hints at the staggering potential this guy has as a singer and songwriter. To close the album, Cooley obliterates any chance that you aren't depressed yet by turning in yet another suicide-related song, "Loaded Gun in the Closet". It is a very fine closing track and even leaves some hope that the suicide won't occur, which you'll definitely appreciate by this point.

Whereas Southern Rock Opera is the sort of album you can blast at parties, Decoration Day is far more introspective. The best I've ever heard Decoration Day sound was on a recent sweltering Sunday evening while I was relaxing on the couch with the ceiling fan circling overhead. I worry a bit that with the addition of Jason Isbell, there is now too much songwriting talent in the band for everyone to get their chance in the spotlight. Hopefully, the DBT are good enough friends to overcome any inherent tensions related to the number of songs each guitarist gets to write for future albums. I'm sure every DBT fan has his or her own opinion on the topic, but I think that Cooley is the premier songwriter in the band (by just a shade). However, if you sit down and listen to Patterson's "The Deeper In", Isbell's "Outfit", and Cooley's "When the Pit Hits the Shell", you'll immediately grasp why there are three reasonable opinions on this matter. I'm just thankful that there is a band out there as great as the DBT and urge you to support them and their uncompromising brand of rock music.

another gem
this band had me from the first note i ever heard them play. they're all about the rock show. decoration day creates a unique atmosphere alot like they're southern rock opera album did. the album is solid throughout, no real weak points, it just sounds damn good. if you know this band, you're gonna love this album. if you're not familiar with they're sound yet here's what i can say about it; if all of your stones, skynyrd, allman bros, aerosmith, alice cooper and ac/dc albums are more of a religion to you than just music then these guys are for you. i'm not saying they necessarily emulate any of these bands, it's more like the apple not falling too far from the tree. let it rock everyone. let it rock.

The Best ROCK Record in Ages
There have not been many great records of late that one could say are "roll down the windows and sing along at the top of your lungs". This one cetainly qualifies.

Many people cite Lynyrd Skynyrd or the Allman Bros., but what I hear is Steve Earle joining up with the Replacements. These guys don't shoot for the majesty of FREE BIRD, instead they create a grungy Southern-Fried Riff rock that draws as much from punk as classic rock. Great songs, supurb lyrics and a blue collar spirit that does not dumb itself down to the lowest common denominator. HELL NO I AIN'T HAPPY could be an anthem of epic proportions if ever anyone heard it on the radio. All in all, a modern (Southern) classic.

A Great Album From Start To Finish
This album was my first experience with the DBT and floored me from the start. Yes, this is definetly southern rock no less. Songs about incest, cheating, death, defeat, etc. There is variety yet a cohesiveness with three band members taking there turns with the songwriting and leads in songs. Overall, a great set of songs played with passion by a well seasoned band. And screw the moron who dissed this album, it rocks.

Patterson Hood in DENTON TEXAS 6-12-04
What can be said.. Patterson makes the world a better place, with the help of Brad Morgan, aka Easy B, he rocked north Dallas from 11pm until 1:30am at Dan's silver leaf. From the start he dropped songs on us like Heathens,Uncle Disney,Sink Hole,etc.. you go to a show wanting at least 1-2 of the songs you love. I got around 15 of my favorites. I hope anyone who can will go and see him or DBT. Buy there stuff. I can't figure out why they haven't blown up BIGTIME. They will hit it big or there is no justice on this planet.Congrats on your recent marriage. ... Read more

Reviews (55)

An Excellent Addition to the Seattle Scene
This is an excellent debut album by yet another Seattle band,and holds out to be better than anything the band releasesafterward. It does not break any new ground overall, but it definitely makes for a great rock album. The anti-drug rocker "You" caught a lot of attention on national radio wavs, and it set up nicely the smash success of the power ballad-like "Far Behind." The album is filled with catchy tunes, and the standouts include the two afforementioned, "Change," "Arrow," the soothing ballad "Cover Me," and the album's best surprise "He Calls Home." This closing track harmonizes an excellent acoustic guitar riff with a chorus that you will be humming in your head all day. Candlebox doesn't offer a style of music that hasn't been heard before, but they certainly know how to play some excellent Seattle-brand rock n' roll- and this is the best they have to offer. If you like good '90's rock, then this album is for you.

Rock & Roll Through and Through
This is the album that started it all for Candlebox. One listen to Candlebox's debut tells you that this album was crafted from a place of passion, heart and talent. Definitely not grunge as billed but believe it or not, just to clear things up, the band is indeed from Seattle. Kevin, the singer, is the only transplant and he moved to Seattle from San Antonio when he was 14 yrs old...I think that counts. The media just wanted to label them as some sort of bandwagon jumpers. Anyway, back to the music at hand, this album is definitely an amalgamation of hard rock and blues rock. If you delve a bit deeper you will hear latin rhythms and come across some acoustic numbers. The diversity of this album lends to influences such as the Doors, Aerosmith, Santana, and Led Zeppelin. Not that the members of Candlebox didn't appreciate Pearl Jam, Soundgarden or other Seattle acts, but it is clear to me after listening to this album numerous times that these bands were not Candlebox's mentors as otherwise stated.

This album while great, does not have quite the level of maturity of later releases such as Lucy or Happy Pills but if you're in the mood for a great, energetic rock & roll album, You can't go wrong here!

When music was good!
Candlebox was one of the many great bands that made the 90's the greatest decade EVER! This album has to be the greatest by Candlebox, the best hit off this album is easily "Far Behind". Treat yourself to the 90's and buy this album.

Among the worst of the 90's
A bunch of hair metal rejects who decided to try their luck at "alternative". Horrible, monotone singing with that cheesy fake 90's twang (that is somehow still selling records for Creed and Matchbox 20, who stink also). Weak, weak guitar solos. TERRIBLE lyrics. "Now may-ya-ya-ya-baya, i did-own me-yown to treat you ow so bayad, but I did anyway!" Are you kidding me? People bought this? People give this 5 STARS!?

Anyone who gives this group a positive review is certifiably clueless.

Best Album Ever.
Well it's been more than 10 years since this CD was made. I bought it a couple months after that. And since then, I've listened to this CD at least once a week for those 10 years. In my opinion, this is the best album ever, and Far Behind is the best song ever written. The reason why I rate this album so highly is because it's full of emotion. Kevin Martin sings his heart out here, and you can really feel what he's saying in "You" and "Far Behind". The lyrics are great all around on this one. Some of the best guitar solos of the 90's are on this album, on the tracks "No Sense" and "Rain", and the musicianship on this album as a whole is very good. Candlebox is definitely the forgotten band of the whole "grunge" movement, and the most underrated which is a shame. It's a shame because Candlebox didn't quite sound like any other early 90's grunge bands, they were fairly unique. Still, their debut album rocks from the fast paced opener "Don't You" all the way through to the somber acoustic ballad "He Calls Home"; which is a perfect ending to this one, in my opinion. So, in conclusion, if you're looking for a hard rock album with some amazing songs and a pretty unique sound, check this one out. ... Read more

Album Description

Debut from The Used who have performed on the Warped andOzzfest Tours. Special Enhanced CD featuring a video of'A Box Full Of Sharp Objects' plus 12 tracks. Features thesingle 'The Taste Of Ink'. 2002. ... Read more

Reviews (289)

I dont believe what I'm hearing.....
Is this heaven? This is quite possibly the best cd I've ever heard. I guess I should tell you now, if you dont like screaming, dont get this cd but if you do, feast your ears on this masterpiece. I cant get enough of this album. I've owned this cd for about a year now and the used has slowly but surely become my favorite band. So much emotion and intellect was put into this album and the result is a perfect hardcore screamo emo punk cd. My favs are Say Days Ago, Buried Myself Alive, Box Full of..., and Noise and Kisses. All the others are just as good but I gotta have favs so there. Please get this cd, put it in, and experience the sweetness. Only then may we be friends. Also check out Maybe Memories, their cd/dvd w/ unreleased stuff and live performances. If the s/t cd doesnt get you, Maybe Memories will. I promise. If you still dont like you may not talk to me ever again. PEACE!

Awesome
This Cd and Band are just simply awesome. The first time I heard The Used was when I listened to their pop-punk song "Taste of Ink," I liked it even though it poppy so I bought the CD. I expected the rest of the CD to be the catchy pop punk kind of tune that their single was. I was wrong. The rest of the CD doesnt even compare with "the taste of Ink." I goes deeper. The blend of screaming vocals, and beautiful guitar and symphany is what got me with this CD. The way Bert McCraken blends screams with background vocals in "Poetic Tragedy" really shows how talented these guys are. Not only is the music and tone in this CD great but the lyrics were incredible. This band isnt just another group of angry teenagers who hate their parents for no particular reason. They show a maturity comparalbe to bands that have been playing twice as long as them. I reccomend this CD to anyone who truly wants to be moved by great music, while rocking out at the same time.

they suck, BUTT AT LEEST THEY'RE HOTTT!!!!11OMG
so yeah, a band of mormons trying to play "hardcore"(since when did black flag and the cro-mags sound like this?) dude, you're a freakin mormon, the only thing you have to complain about is the fact that the stores all close at 8. oh oh oh and, Bert(oh, how cute is that name?!) is a supposed ex drug addict who "lived on the streets." please, everyone knows a mormon has no clue what a drug is and even if he did live on the streets(in Utah) he'd be living in the same enviroment as someone who lives in a middle-class family's house. another worthless generic band who wont matter in 3 years. glassjaw, i love you, but why did you have to help spawn this trash?

haha, mormons.

Unexpectedly awesome
I wasn't overly excited to listen to this CD, but my friend told me about them and borrowed me the CD. I think this is how The Used survives, they aren't a big band yet they sell out concerts because of word of mouth. When a band is this good, they don't even need to promote like other bands...the fans tell 10 people, who tell 10 people, who tell 10 people.

It's an awesome CD, worth a listen definately.

People are stupid
I think this is a great cd. I don't understand why the people that give it a bad rating think there is someomthing wrong with anyone who doesn't share their musical tastes. I wouldn't have even looked at this CD if it wasn't for the fact that the majority of hard rock music out right now is terrible and therefore has kept me searching. I don't get why someone else is a "retard" for liking any type of music. Is someone who likes hamburgers a "retard" to someone who doesn't? no. its all about personal preference. its what the people who are complaining about fabricated bands are complaining about - they want people to be "different" even though different means having the same opinion as them. anyways, great cd. box full of sharp objects is one of my favorites. I dont give it 5 because no album is absolutely perfect on every song. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Patti's new turf
I've already bought this cd twice, once for me and once to give to a friend. I love it. Everybody I know who's heard it loves it. And we agree that her husband Bruce may be the boss of Jungleland, but Patti Scialfa owns 23rd Street. I've been listening to this cd for a week now and I like it more every time I hear it. First of all, it's great summer music -- dreamy, fizzy-pop, bluesy, fun. I like it, too, for the way the thoughtful lyrics tell stories in a way that nobody else (it seems) does these days. These are songs written by a smart, grown up woman who has a wry and affectionate way of looking back at her past. The result is a really appealing cd. Finally, I like the musicianship on this cd a lot. Everybody's just playing so well on it that it's a joy to listen to. Then there's Patti's girl-band voice, which is so unique and warm and adds dimension to these songs. A friend said Patti reminded him of Sheryl Crow, but with a better voice and singing better songs. I agree.

Wonderful... If Lou Reed had married Ronnie Spector...
... maybe with a little Roseanne Cash on the side.

"23rd Street Lullaby" shows that Patti Scialfa is a strong writer, an excellent singer, and an artist of the highest caliber.

Like Lou Reed, she writes striking stories of the city - stories that paint vivid pictures and put the listener right in the middle. Like Ronnie Spector, she has a fragile-but-strong girl-group voice that sounds as if its owner has lived every one of those stories.

Each of the songs on this disc not only painted a vivid picture, but also summoned ghosts from my own past... people, places and situations that engendered some of the same feelings Patti expresses. Nearly every song is absolutely capitivating, closer in feel to a Steinbeck short story than to a pop song.

Patti was a songwriter with a career in music long before Bruce came along, and her work should be judged independently of his. Perhaps anyone who has seen more than a half-dozen Bruce shows should disqualify themselves from reviewing Patti's work, or at least remove their BRUUUUUUUUCE! filter before doing so.

Really Good
I ordered this cd after seeing her DirectTV concert. I'm a HUGE Bruce fan, so I figured I would check it out. It is really good! Patti Scialfa can really tell a story through her music. I love to listen to it while I'm in the car and I love to put it on while entertaining. There really isn't a bad song on the disc.
Well done!

HAD to Get this NOW...
when was the last time you heard a song... and had to Run Out and Buy It NOW ---- so you could run back home and listen to it, Over and Over again?

For me, it was Aaliyah in July of 2001, just before she died - the song was More Than A Woman [performed Stunningly, Hauntingly on Live With Regis and Kelly]... which I played, on Repeat, in the car and at home, for a month, until I'd wrung every nuance of it out and absorbed it into my being...

The end of August, I was replaying another of the best songs on the CD..."I Refuse"... on repeat.. for 3-1/2 hours straight... while painting the study... during the very time (i found out on CNN about 7 hours later ) that she was killed in a terrible plane crash... because she didn't "refuse" to put up with the celebrity industrial complex and what it does to the souls of artists...

Music is, is supposed to be, a ministry, like going to church - and a healing, to restore us, to celebrate us, to make us whole,... something that, at its best, makes us feel fully ALIVE, and fully aware of This time, and All of our time, in This life in This world... to transport us, fully, In to being in This Body in This moment... now... where the past is a remembrance, and the future a dream...

When i first heard 23rd Street Lullaby on Letterman, I ididn't buy it Immediately because the budget is tight this month. Tonight, seeing and hearing several songs, I can hardly wait for the CD to arrive [free super sver shipping, that is]. I know what I'M listening to - on repeat - for the rest of this summer...

this is truly a New Sound, a GREAT sound, a Womanly sound... the right resonance and expression for what i'm feeling Now...

How often does That happen? For What It's Worth, Buffalo Springfield... The Doors and Light My Fire... The Airplane and Somebody To Love... Cyndi Lauper Girls Just Want To Have Fun... David Bowie Wild Is The Wind...Anita Baker, Whitney Houston, Janis...

these songs "make me feel so young... like spring has sprung" while feeling just as glad to be fully 52.

I'd recommend everyone to at least try a free 30 second listening... it might Wow you...

sorry to go On and ON... but this is THAT Special... and if isn't often something comes along and surprises, delights me like that...

In books, the Synonym Finder by Rodale Press is THAT good; for kids, Fortunately! (Unfortunately!) by Remy Charlip is the most fun children's book; Viktor Frankl's book, Man's Search for Meaning, will change you...

Great 2nd Album
This is a really great album. I bought both Rumble Doll and this one as I did'nt know she even had done any CDS.
The bonus cd is good too.. Hope she puts out more CDS. Keep up the great music Patti. She can do it on her own with out Bruce and I really like him as I have most of CDS. Try this one and Rumble Doll if you have'nt already. You will not be disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (86)

not for the squeamish
soundgarden are one of the pinnacle bands of the nineties and this album is one amazing trip. an album that is one of the heaviest, noisy gems to sludge its way out of seattle. part sabbath and part zepplin lead to amazing riffs from my least favorite soundgarden member in kim thayil. matt cameron, now in pearl jam, is always a monster drummer especially on songs like jesus christ pose. just listen to the drums. amazing. ben shepard is one amazing grooving bass player. songs like slaves and bulldozers and room 1,000 years wide are where he shines (and two of my favorite songs)
chris cornell's voice is an instrument and he pushes his voice to the limit, sometimes screaming and wailing while other times holding back to let the music do the talking. there are many influences here from metal (in songs like searching with my good eye closed) and punk (in songs like face pollution and drawing flies) the music is complex and can be epic or can be simple. we all know songs like outshined and rusty cage but there is so much more to this album. soundgarden were unique and this album is diverse and briliant. words never truly cpature the greatness. some albums must be felt in order to experience the greatness. this is such an album.

Not for the timid
This whole album is exceptional, but you have to really like heavy rock sounds of all types to hear it the whole way through. Soundgarden's breakthrough "Badmotorfinger" album is an hours' worth of some of the heaviest music to explode out of Seattle in the early 90's. The band was completely hungry, musically brash, and exceedingly fluent at either heavy grunge, speed metal, or fast punk. Like their contemporaries, Soundgarden had an integrity about them, a shield that kept the crassness of the music industry biz at bay. Soundgarden stood above hype and silly marketing. Songs like "Rusty Cage," "Outshined," and "Jesus Christ Pose" are well known and vintage early 90's Seattle, vintage rock and roll at that. "Outshined" is phenominal, a dark rock song that conveys singer Chris Cornell's bleak outlook of making it big. It's a big, loud, guitar-driven rock song with screaming vocals, but also soft pipes at certain interludes to give the song sheer melody at times.

The comparison of Led Zeppelin meets Black Sabbath = Soundgarden is pretty accurate. As hard as these guys were on their early albums, the riffs were complex enough to stand out from the headbanging crowd, while Cornell added his own melodic muse to the mix, making for a very interesting band. This album is filled with epic grunge/metal songs built to last. The dirge riffs of "Slaves and Bulldozers" go on for seven minutes, while Cornell sings like a man possessed - God only knows how he hits those high notes. Like Zeppelin, these guys weren't afraid to stretch out their songs. Later Soundgarden would incorporate lighter pop elements into the picture, but "Badmotorfinger" contains none of that. More typical here is repetative riffing, as heard on the awesome "Jesus Christ Pose," a railing tune against glittery, force-fed religion, similar in message to the much more tame "Wooden Jesus," another Cornell tune performed by Temple of the Dog. Another huge tune from this record, one sometimes heard on the radio if you're lucky, is "Searching with my Good Eye Closed," a mid-tempo rocker that blends heavy riffage and Cornell's smooth singing, in this case distorted with a layer of sheen for a cool effect. He also screams wildly in the song.

As good as they were at drawn out epics, Soundgarden were also superstar punk rockers at the drop of a dime; listen to the raging "Face Pollution" and Who-like riffs on "Drawing Flies." The versatility of this band was demonstrated even more keenly on future records, but they also do a good job of varying their sound on this one, though casual listeners might disagree. Because of their musical versatility and talent, Soundgarden were a hard band to categorize. Chris Cornell has a wide singing range, Ben Shepherd played a throbbing base, Kim Thayil is a very diverse guitar player, and Matt Cameron, now of Pearl Jam, is as good as rock drummers get. They played a bit of everything, and everyone in the band contributed to the writing.

Appropritately, "Badmotorfinger" ends with two long, grungy songs that Soundgarden so thrived on during this era. Overall, it's easy to see why so many people were captivated with Soundgarden's music in the early 90's - and why these sounds started a new trend in music. Hundreds of bands have tried to emulate certain elements of this band's sound in the studio, but it's hopeless because Soundgarden were a one in a million band. They were trendsetters who had ideas, a vision, and integrity. Plus, they knew when to quit when the time was right, unlike so many other bands who keep playing only for money and continued fame.

Incredible Album....Huge Inspiration
i bought this CD long before i even owned a CD player

When is it gonna arrive?
I ordered this a couple weeks ago and still havent recieved it.I think I did everything I was supposed to do in order to order it so why hasnt it arrived?

Classic
Man im only 19, so when this album came out i was like 7 or 8, this cd was played daily in my house, i remember playin air guitar and headbanging to this cd. I loved this cd when i was 8 and i love it now. Definately Soundgardens best cd and in my opinion one of the best albums of the 90s no matter what genre. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the almost two and a half years it took to make their third album, Canadian rage rockers Finger Eleven have undergone a radical transition. Gone are the overwrought guitars, gratuitous venting, and nu-metal posturing that marked there early work and in their place are some tightly constructed melodies and emotionally articulate lyrics weaved into a coherent song cycle that documents the disintegration of a relationship. This isn't to say that the one-time headbangers have gone soft because they're writing love songs and featuring gorgeous acoustic guitar work. There are some bonecrushers among the 11 songs here, but the sturdy rockers are less prosaic than the band's earlier efforts, and it's clear that they have paid more attention to song structure and dynamics, although Scott Anderson's staccato delivery can give you whiplash. --Jaan Uhelszki ... Read more

Reviews (116)

Finger Eleven's Self Titled: Best Rock Release of 2003.
Finger Eleven has opened new doors with this long awaited follow-up to their second album: The Greyest of Blue Skies. Though not as heavy as TGOBS, this self titled release has great energy. The opening track (Other Light) is a good hint to the overall mood of the album. Scott Anderson's powerful vocals and emotional lyrics add to the most upbeat material F11 has to date. Another great aspect of the album is the DVD which includes video of 8 songs proformed at a recent live show (which is great for people who live in Louisiana becuase Finger Eleven only tours here about once every 25 years). There are also two acoustic songs featured which I was originally skeptical about: Thousand Mile Wish and One Thing. But they are both epic songs which defintely don't fall into the gimmick rock acoustic songs featured by the bands Disturbed, Flaw, Cold and the most recent diassapotment in music- Staind. True F11 fans will also notice the difference between the sound engineering, mixing and recording for this album. Johnny K. (Disturbed producer) has done a sub-par job in comparison to Arnold David Lanni (TGOBS and Tip producer). The previous two albums had much better sounding drums, especially the bass drum. The guitars are also a little less loud in the mix which was excellently balanced in TGOBS. Johnny K. has also added a few pointless sound effect which takes away from F11's artisticness. Despite the lower level of production, this third album is still a great credit to F11. This by far blows away the rest of releaseed rock albums of 2003.

A complicated answer
I have mixed feelings about Finger Eleven's new self-titled effort. On one hand, I absolutely love F11. Tip and The Greyest of Blue Skies are both among my favorite CDs of all time. They have this unique talent for compositional genius, creating songs that strike the perfect balance between art and entertainment. On the other hand, this release is a step apart from TGOBS. Not necessarily a step forward or back, just.....to the side. F11's earlier stuff was very accessible, enjoyable, and very basic. The new CD is less accessible, stepping away from the four chord progressions and focusing more on rhythmic variations. Still, while it is more complex, there are less stand out songs. Good Times, the single from the album, is utterly disgusting. It's the sellout Finger Eleven, stepping away from what's good to cater to the MTV crowd. It melds their traditional no-nonsense rock with pop-punk, and the hybrid turns out like Frankenstein's monster: big, clumsy, and hideous. The rest of the album, however, turns out quite well. Therapy, Obvious Heart, Stay in Shadow, and Conversations are sensational. Thousand Mile Wish is unlike anything Finger Eleven has previously done, and it is marvelously beautiful.

Perhaps I came off a little hard. It is a good album, no doubt. It is simply different from TGOBS, and certianly not as good as Tip, F11's masterpiece. Four stars seems appropriate. This is a worthwhile purchase, especially with the bonus DVD.

Big Dissapointment!!
Are they the Finger Eleven who made the album "Greyest Of Blue Sky" ??? I think this album is a very big dissapointment. Greyest Of Blue Sky is one of my favorite album, their songs in that album blows!!.. How come this new album sounds terrible? the only strenght on this album is the song "One Thing, Sad Exchange and Stay In Shadow" and the others are crap. Well, if your a big fan of F11 then take this make it one of your collections :)

Wow
Wow! That's all I could after listening to this CD. It is truly one of the best if not the best CD I own. Finger Eleven brings everything to the table in their latest effort; great guitars, sweet bass lines, creative drums, deep lyrics and of course the amazing vocals of Scott Anderson.

The CD starts of with the great track 'Other Light'. I could listen to the intro a million times and never get old of it. 'Complicated Questions' follows 'Other Light'with great lyrics and amazing guitars. I really love how the song changes from verse into chorus. Later in the CD we find the two great tracks 'Panic Attack' and 'Therapy' which are found in the #9 and 10 slots respectively. Whenever I have a bad day and just feel like head banging and venting some energy I blast 'Panic Attack'. Following it is 'Therapy' which starts off a little slow but brings it to us leading into the chorus. This song is very catchy and easy to sing along to. But by far the best song on the CD is 'Thousand Mile Wish' which strays away from the past formula of Finger Eleven. Everything about this song is beautiful. I sit back, put this song on, and just relax. The whole mood of the song is very poetic and the lyrics can be put into the same category.

The CD never seems to lose itself from start to finish. I wouldn't label any of the songs as filler tracks because they could all easily be singles. With that said I give out my first 10/10 to the truly talented Finger Eleven.

Great Album - but subpar for F11
I've been a Finger Eleven fan since seeing them open up for Fuel back in 1999, so I am extra critical of their work since I expect so much.

With that said, this CD was a slight dissapointment for me. Not because they sold out, or because all the songs sound the same, or cuz they went soft. None of that. In my opinion, this is the first F11 CD that contains filler tracks...something I'm not used to from these guys. Songs 7 & 8 decent, but are just missing something that would make them great. Then songs 9 & 10 are just not good. I skip them every time. Even song 11 (their only radio hit to date - "One Thing") isn't that good in my opinion because it lacks the F11 originality. On all 4 of those songs, I feel like the guitars are too thin sounding. I can't really think of a better way to describe it...it just sounds like they need more power, or as if they leave the song feeling empty. Better songs than most other bands out there, but by the F11 standard, not very good.

With the negatives out of the way, let me present the positives:

- These songs don't sound like anything else on the radio. I'm not saying its a groundbreaking album, but the guitars and rhythms are very distinct..not like most alt bands now-a-days that you would swear all use the same distortion pedal.

- The "non-filler" songs are absolutely incredible. When I heard the first 6 songs on this disc I was ready to get on here and tell everyone how this is the best F11 CD to date. The CD also finished out on a great note with "Obvious Heart" - a solid closer makes this disc so much better.

- The lyrics as usual are amazing. Nothing has changed from their 1st two CD's here. Scott Anderson is just an amazing lyricist and vocalist.

Overall...this is a really good CD. I only gave it 4 stars cuz its the first F11 disc where I can say there are 2 songs that I never listen to. Luckily, the rest of the songs more than make up for it. It's a year after I bought it, and I still enjoy listening to it on a regular basis. I think that speaks for itself. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

In 1994 Cash stunned the music world with this commanding collection of 13 solo acoustic performances that roll from gospel to cowboy to sarcastic folk. Minimalism had long been Cash's meal ticket, but this time around, producer Rick Rubin stripped it all away, recording the bulk of the record in Cash's cabin or his own living room (two cuts were captured live at the Viper Room in front of an emphatic audience). Cash offers five typically direct and vivid originals, but he also seizes control of songs by Kris Kristofferson, Nick Lowe, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, and Loudon Wainwright. Forty years after "Hey Porter," Cash delivers a pure, naked, and incredibly moving record that, dare we say, rivals the impact of his greatest achievements. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (61)

the best CD I own -- period.
I listen to every and all kinds of music. Until I went to college, that was true for all genres except country. I liked the western stuff my dad played, but I didn't think it was the same. But I had been playing guitar for several years and I was looking for folk music I could play. Then two things happened. 1) I saw the video for Delia's Gone while flipping through cable channels. I was drawn to it, and then 2) I saw the five star review it got in Rolling stone magazine, so I gambled my 14 bucks, or whatever. My life was changed. In the early 90's, while Kurt Cobain screamed about the world that didn't pick him for kickball in gym class, or Eddie Vedder sang about, well, whatever, Johnny Cash sang about real people who felt guilt and regret, not ironic resentment/jealousy. The voice was like listening to an old testament prophet. His words seem to be more than emotion, they seem to be truth. It's often said that God speaks to us like a still, quiet voice. This IS Johnny Cash' American Recordings. I have cried to this album many times, esp. to Like A Soldier, and The Beast In Me. Accepting one's own contradictions is the key to loving yourself. Johnny's album helped me to do this. It is the most important sound recording I own. Do yourself a favor and buy it.

Spellbinding
It's hard to believe that over half of the songs on this album are actually not written by Cash himself. He takes these songs and commands them; they're damn near definitive readings, if not fully definitive. When Cash does write, the results are amazing. Unsurprisingly, he sticks to Biblical themes ("Redemption") and the dark side of the psyche ("Delia's Gone"). He also tells a bracing Viet vet's story in "Drive On," and that song gives me chills something fierce, it's so honest. But that's just one of the many provocative classics here. Listening to beauties like "Oh Bury Me Not" or "Like A Soldier" makes you feel like this album is a solid, direct link back to the simpler folk/country of the '50s. While almost every band since has taken a concept and toyed with it, Cash stays true to his original plan -- his deep, tremulous voice and his acoustic guitar -- and proves just how moving it can be. I cannot recommend this album enough. (The CD I got also included a 6-page handwritten essay by Cash himself on his roots in music...way back to the time he was 3 years old!)

Simple and Beautiful
For those who think that you've got to be borned with a beautiful voice or play skillful guitar to make it, Cash proves that you don't. All you need is expression and honesty in your performance, and the result will be an album like this.

This disc is essential
The other reviewers on this site have done a good job of delineating the contents of this cd, so I will just add my comments. I will begin by saying that I am not particularly fond of country music, but I greatly admire this disc. It has a cross-genre appeal that is primal in power.Moreover, it is just plain cool. Buy it today.

It's Cash's Delia-not mine!
"Who has Desecrated "MY" Delia?", I thought the first time that I heard this recording.
Only recently did I order this and after listening to this both yesterday and today did I come to the realization that it was not "MY" Delia but Cash's. He was always ready to change with the times, (Remember when he had Dylan on his television program in the 1960's?) and in this recording he has proven that change is indeed good.
Tracks two (02) and three (03) are both, dare I say brilliant.

It is hard to believe that this was recorded in a living room with just Cash and his guitar.
The thirteenth (13) track, "The Man Who Wouldn't Cry", was recorded at a place called Vipers before a live audience and Comes highly reccomended. Reminisant of his earlier recordings
Like his "Everybody Loves a Nut" Album, you can tell that he had to have enjoyed not only performing this number but had to have had a hell of a fun time composing it as well.
Now quit reading everyone else's opinion about this. Buy the damn thing and listen to it yourself. I look forward to reading your comments concerning this masterpiece in the near future. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

After Chris Hillman dragged new friend Gram Parsons into the Byrds, they made an album as close to a country masterpiece as a rock act could ever make. In fact, the only tunes better than the definitive covers here of songs by Bob Dylan ("You Ain't Going Nowhere"), Guthrie ("Pretty Boy Floyd"), and the Louvin Brothers ("The Christian Life") are Parsons's originals, especially the incomparable "Hickory Wind." Sweetheart wasn't the first country-rock album, but with its gorgeous three-way harmonies and sweet pedal steel, it remains the best. --David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (58)

you will get hooked
i had heard about this cd and how good it was so i pick it up i was blowed away right off.it has changed the kind of music i listen to.it got me into the BYRDS and GRAM PARSONS.if i could only own one cd this would be it.all the songs are great.YOU AINT GOING NOWHERE and NOTING WAS DELIVERED are great covers of DYLAN songs the BYRDS make them sound like country standards.the vocals on I AM A PILGRIM are some of the best you will ever hear as well the other songs.you will find your self singing right along with the song THE CHRISTIAN LIFE no matter if you dont like the christian lifestile.MCGUINNS vocals on YOU DONT MISS YOUR WATER are some of his best.when you GRAM singing YOURE STILL ON MY MIND it makes you want to be in a honky tonk.PRETTY BOY FLOYD is the BYRDS doing some great folk, bluegrass stuff a great take on a WOODIE GUTHRIE SONG.from the start of the steel guitar on HICKORY WIND your hooked its one of the best GRAM PARSONS songs ever writen and i think its the best take of this song.ONE HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW is another great GP song.CHRIS HILLMAN does a great job on singing on THE BLUE CANADIAN ROCKIES its a great song and its overlooked alot.LIFE IN PRISON is great what could be better GP singing a HAGGARD song.the bonus tracks are what makes this cd you get to here how the record could have been if GP vocals where left on.ALL I HAVE LEFT IS MEMORIES is a great instrumental with some tasty picking from CLARENCE WHITE a geat glimce of things to come.this record and GP would change the sound of the BYRDS and a lot of other rock bands.buy it.it will change your life

The blueprint for all country-rock! A sleeping masterpiece!
When I first heard this album in 1968, I said "What is this, redneck music?" Sure, I've liked a little country, but the Byrds? Well, country folk didn't particularly like long-haired hippies making fun of them. What we failed to look at was the outstanding musicianship and American character of this new Byrds band featuring Gram Parsons. It swings and rocks gently, and it was a roadmap for the Eagles sound of the 70's and other country-rock bands. "You Ani't Goin' Nowhere" "The Christian Life" and "You're Still On My Mind" are my favorites. They treat country music with respect and still manage to create a new sound. I guess anytime something is revolutionary, it's bound to confuse a lot of people. Time has proven this to be a sleeping masterpiece. One of the landmark releases in rock history!

Groundbreaking, but not up to today's best
This album has a few good songs, nothing great certainly. A couple sound like Greatful Dead or Mamas and Papas knockoffs (but then again - who came first?). No doubt a groundbreaking album and it holds up well, but there are lots of better albums out there now in the same genre (get BR549's first or the Rockhouse Rambler's Torch this town or Domino King's Life and 20).

Quintessential country rock
Without a doubt THE most influential example of country rock
ever to be produced on this planet. This is the one that
started it all! The Burrito Brothers,Commander Cody, Poco,
The Eagles-they all would have sounded different if it were'nt
for this piece. If you are even remotely interested in the
country rock genre this album has got to be the cornerstone
of any collection.

good, but second best, actually...
yes, this is a sterling album, one that has held up over the years. great songs, great harmonies, a wonderfully positive concept (listen to "the christian life"). surely, it will never be "old" to my 56 year old ears, but...the byrds did a better album after parsons left the band, then the planet...it was titled..."untitled." i'd give "sweethearts" 4.4 stars and "untitled" 4.5. ... Read more

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Less successful when it's sentimental (Waylon Jennings' "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys") than when it's wry (Willie Nelson's myth-puncturing "Me and Paul"), this cash-in compilation of previously released cuts was just in time to grab the first platinum record ever awarded a country album. It's not bad, but both Jennings' contemporaneous Dreaming My Dreams and Nelson's Red Headed Stranger are more nuanced tastes of the good-bad-but-not-evil-ol'-boy lifestyle. (Not to mention much of Tompall Glaser's own Outlaw compilation.) This 1996 CD reissue adds nine more tracks from the era as well as a new Jennings-and-Nelson version of Steve Earle's "Nowhere Road." --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Snapshot of a Transitional Time
This album is like a phantom that won't die, and in this case that's certainly a good thing. Forget that, when it was first released in 1976, it wasn't even "original." Indeed, RCA was out to capitalize on the fact that Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson were finally receiving widespread radio recognition as establishment rebels and that Jessi Colter was, for at least a couple of years, one of the biggest selling female artists in country music. All three of them had made a series of uneven recordings back in the early 70's under contract with RCA, several of which became the 'Outlaws" album in its smash-hit 1976 incarnation. Now, two decades later, more kindling has been added to the fire, but the effect is not entirely pleasing. Listening to several of the 'newer' songs by Waylon and Willie, one realizes why they never made it to any final studio album cuts in the first place. The album does remind us, however, that it's a bit of a shame that Jessi Colter faded into the woodwork after three massive-selling albums during the outlaw years--her songwriting hooks and stark vocals--especially on 'If She's Where You Like Livin'--are still oddly ahead of their time. This album is for die hard outlaw cultists only.

a childhood memory, an adult treasure
I remember back in the late 70's sitting in the back of my parents car on numerous roadtrips across Texas listening to this album. Now even though I was into rock and roll at the time, this album still held my attention on those long trips. I bought my own copy a few weeks ago when I heard that Waylon had passed to that great honky tonk in the sky. Man what a great album! My boyhood memories have been coming back to me with each listen. There is not a weak track on this record, with many of them finding their way to Willie and Waylons greatest hits albums. As mentioned by earlier reviewers, Jesse Colter is the hidden gem of this album. The album includes ten new tracks that did not make the original cut, but are all strong. "Why you been gone so long" by Jesse is really outstanding. Finally, the newest track "Nowhere Road" is a Steve Earle song recorded in 1996 by Willie and Waylon (Earle produced it). All I can say is this song should be playing on country radio right now, as its better that 99.9% of all the current country tunes. Do yourself a favor and add this album to your collection. Put it on, sit back and listen, you might be able to imagine what the Austin outlaw country scene was like in the late 70's!

ONE OF THE GREATEST COUNTRY ALBUMS EVER!
Lord this is a great album! My dad had this one when we were growing up and I remember listening to it in the evenings when the day's work was done. It includes hits from all the big fellas. Gosh you don't find music of that caliber nowadays. When I was 15 I borrowed this record from Dad's collection and broke it accidently. I felt bad for what I'd done and made it worse by lying to him when he asked me if I knew where it was. A few days later he found it and I had to fess up. Boy was I in trouble! It was a sore lesson, but I needed it. I understand why Dad was so upset. That Outlaw record was his favorite. If you grew up with this music or just like to reminisce about the good ol days, I honestly think you'll love this album.

Country and Western Got Cool Here
Outlaws are often the stuff of country and western songs.

In the annals of popular music, this CD is a bit of an outlaws tale. After this album came out in the mid 1970's, Nashville's total dominance of Country & Western was ended. Austin Texas, a sleepy small town in the middle of the Lone Star State, became a rival center for country, blues, rock, and other music genres.

Willie & Waylon contribute most of the sound, style, and songs here. Perhaps this is to be expected, since they were already "names" at the time this CD was originally released: Waylon as a performer, Willie as a songwriter. But Jessi Colter has a great voice, and Tompall Glaser provides great instumental accompaniment as the rhythm section.

Willie and Waylon were pure gold after this, and while Jessi Colter & Tompall Glaser were not heard from much afterward, they do live on here.

Waylon Jennings had several big singles and successful concert tours after he and Willie Nelson went their separate ways. But even so, his biggest applause came when he did the tunes from this CD. Sadly, Waylon Jennings declined and was in ill health during most of the 1990's. Willie Nelson has managed to sustain a career full of comebacks -- the IRS, marijuana arrests, and an occasional flop album have all failed to stop him from becoming an (admittedly unlikely) popular folk-hero.

Like "The Weavers at Carnegie hall", which is often credited with launching a folk music revival, and the early Beatles & Stones albums which generated interested in anything that came from England, this album is often credited with the birth of "alt Country".

Because of its maverick style and content (more radical at the time than today), it has retained or obtained a status that few country and western CD's ever do: IT'S COOL.

A wonderful collaboration!
Nashville's rebels and outlaws are back! Waylon and Willie's original "Outlaws" CD is titled, 20th Anniversary CD. It includes the originals, the lost songs, and the new, a total of 21. Included is Waylon's wife Jessie Colter, who I believe had a modest career of her own, her most popular, or as they say, signature song, a beautiful ballad "I'm Not Jessie"

The combined talent of Nashville rebels, Waylon and Willie was phenomenal! With different vocal styles, their teaming was a major success! Nelson's nasal sound worked well with deeper vocals of Waylon. Tompall Glaser, I can't say I had heard about him, but he does "Tea for Texas" and the catchy sexist tune by Shel Silverstein "Put Another Log on the Fire". ......fill my pipe and then go fetch my slippers and boil me up another pot of tea, then put another log on the fire and come and tell me why you're leaving me.

"Me and Paul" has always been a favorite by Willie, here his deeper voice projects. That and "Yesterday's Wine" are both written by Willie Nelson. Also included on the original LP are "Heroes have Always been Cowboys." Jessie and Waylon do their hit "Suspicious Minds." Twenty years later, a 1996 anniversary CD is a classic timepiece and includes the lost songs, these do include several more by Jessie Colter, who lends a very soothing beautiful voice to the male dominated CD. She and Waylon do "Under Your Spell."

The "new" portion stated on the CD includes rockabilly and folk singer Steve Earle's hit "Nowhere Road" done by Waylon and Willie. Steve Earle produced this anniversary CD. I love the two Willie Nelson ballads "Healing Hands" and "You Left a Long Time Ago", a very soft, mellow song about watching and losing a love. A first-rate collection, a real classic! ...MzRizz ... Read more

Reviews (11)

finally, dischord extends...
When they first started making music, Rites of Spring and Fugazi were innovative and unique. After 15(ish) years, however, the imitators have multiplied. Fugazi turned quieter on their last record, 2001's The Argument, continuing to tread new ground.

Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina's new project, The Evens, strip down the Dischord brand of punk to its barest elements, and extend beyond the sound to boot. MacKaye shows that he can sing tunefully and then some. Farina's drumming shows how important and interesting drums can be in a rock setting. The only downside of this record is the occasional quiet, introspective tune, that doesn't quite hit the mark (see Sara Lee...). But, overall, this is well worth the ten dollar investment. Check out Around the Corner for a standout track...

a new step for dischord
i've read a few bad reviews of this album, and i cannot understand why.everyone who heard about this automatically expected a fugazi/warmers soundalike.if they had done that, i actually would have been dissapointed in it.i enjoy that they simply made the record they wanted to make.
the minimalist approach in the music is unique for dischord and the lyrics on this album are unbelievable.i really hope i get a chance to see this band live.

A triumph of minimalism
A lot of bands coming out now are big and bloated and doing the same thing.That is why its refreshing to hear something new: a powerful sound from a duo.The vocals are riveting, the guitar intricate in some parts, cutting in others and I never knew you could get so many different sounds from a drum.A great effort!

post- post-punk
I read a review for this album where it was described as post- post-punk, a label which very accurately describes this album.Don't buy this album expecting the frenzied attack of MacKaye's earlier projects, listen instead for the quiet tension.Fugazi's amazing strength came not through its intensity, but rather through its subtle, compelling melodies.This album is a logical extension of this approach beyond the limits of post-hardcore.Just listen to what can be done with the three notes of "On the Face of It."There is still intensity here, but it is more along the lines of Fugazi's Instrument Soundtrack.Mackaye's baratone gutair and Farina's druming clash in a near-perfect interplay as they share the burden of the album's melody.The vocal duties are split up fairly evenly, making certain that this is definately not an Ian Makaye solo project.Ian's voice is suprisingly melodic and effective, and Farina's has a suprising edge that is regrettably absent in many female vocalists. This album might effectively signal a new stage in the continuous development of punk that MacKaye has been at the forefront of for his entire career.And it is definately time for some change.

Unforgetable
I've been into Fugazi for years because of there dedication to punks DIY ethic as well as there remarkably singular sound, but the Evens are something that I never unexpected.MacKaye takes a break from Fugazi and makes an album that is just as heavy as any Fugazi album but this time its heavy without the volume.The album sounds like elliott smith meets the white stripes, but without the country edge and somewhat like some of the spacier tunes on The Aurgument.The fact of the matter is is that this record is mind blowing and intense, VERY intense.My favorite song is Mt. Pleasant Isn't but all the songs are great.I hadnt heard of the Warmers, but I like the girls voice and she lays down some stead beats.I think the album is great and MacKayes voice very different from his days in Minor Threat.Almost, dare I say it, fragile?! ... Read more

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East Nashville lies just across the Cumberland River from the mansions and skyscrapers Music Row built, but for Todd Snider it may as well be in outer space. On his seventh album, he paints a word-drunk, smart-ass, but always affectionate portrait of this gritty neighborhood--the dead-end dives, low-rent bungalows, and musicians barely scraping by--with a freewheeling comedic spirit as true to country as it is to rock & roll. He gives Mike Tyson a chummy hug, flips off the moral majority, fails to decipher "Louie, Louie," and turns an attempted suicide into a bittersweet recognition of human folly. Producer Will Kimbrough keeps the sound loose and tipsy, sometimes whittling back to a single acoustic guitar, which is just right for Snider's funniest, sharpest, and most life-affirming album yet. --Roy Kasten ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

After the more experimental themes and misanthropic bit players populating his prior album, I Love Everybody, the songs on this superb 1996 set return to the more affable, earnest, but still knotty balance established by Lyle Lovett on his first four albums. He spins amiable yarns about his preferred headgear ("Don't Touch My Hat") and larger-than-life love objects (the one-eyed "Fiona"), sways hilariously through the backfired seductions of the samba-paced "Her First Mistake," and swings buoyantly through "That's Right (You're Not from Texas)," then ropes the equally droll Randy Newman into a tongue-in-cheek duet on "Long Tall Texan." In between, he sneaks a fresh string of dark love songs ("Private Conversation," "I Can't Love You Anymore") that sustain his formidable standards. Forget the forced issue of his putative ties to "new country": Lovett is simply one of the best American singer-songwriters extant, whether playing raconteur, philosopher king, or wounded romantic. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (38)

A Landmark Album!
Does Lyle Lovett ever put out a bad album? The answer, as he reaffirms us with The Road to Ensenada, is a no. This is definitely one of the finest country albums of the 90's. Lyle Lovett proves that he can cut through the trash that populates today's country market and still make an excellent album. This is one of the most personal and revealing albums I've ever listened to (by any artist). Although this album was put out after his split with Julia Roberts, Lyle doesn't wallow in misery or self-pity. He even manages to slip in some of his now-famous dry wit on several of the tracks. He's also one of the few singers who can look at relationships objectively, while still incorporating all of the feelings that go with them. This is simply a phenominal album. This is a very intelligent album, but it doesn't sacrifice good music in the process. This album is both thought-provoking and fun to listen to at the same time. No CD in my rather large collection has received as many spins as this one.

The best in a tight field
How do you pick the best Lyle Lovett album? Do you go for the melancholy and jazzy strains of Pontiac? The big band meets country of the Large Band album? Perhaps the sad and beautiful Joshua Judges Ruth? All would be albums most artists would kill to call a career best. But Lyle? He beats them all with The Road to Ensenada.

He has quirky, laid-back and humorous moments in songs like Don't Touch My Hat (a Texan answer to Elvis' Blue Suede Shoes) and Long Tall Texan, which pairs him again with Randy Newman in a gently humorous cowboy song (you'll of course remember You've Got a Friend in Me which the two sang together). The western swing of That's Right, You're Not From Texas is so infectious that you simply can't help singing along. The best of these is Her First Mistake, with it's marvelous wordplay and off-beat rythm. If you're not sure what people mean by country cool you'll have no question after hearing Lyle's delivery on that one.

But while his wry and humorous songs can always be counted on, it's with the songs that dig deeper into human emotion that Lovett excels. Listen to the loneliness of the narrator in Christmas Morning: :Lesser songwriters might have included some vitriol or nastiness to flesh out this song of a lonely man ignored by the world. Lovett manages it with quiet resignation, answering people's empty "have a nice days" with "Hey, what could they mean by that, perhaps I'm the fool they take me for, not anything more."

The title track reaches a similar level of sadness, and the hidden bonus track crosses between the humorous, the lonely and the hopeful for a beautiful finish to a perfect album. The Lyle-curious should start here. The Lyle-faithful surely already play this one on a regular basis.

A lot of fun with Lyle...
This is my 2nd favorite Lyle Lovett album, after Pontiac, because it shows his self-reflective humor in songs like, "Her First Mistake." It also has music that draws you in effortlessly, such as "Fiona" and "Private Conversation." This album made me truly happy he and Julia Roberts split up so he could get back to making good music. My only criticism is that "That's Right (you're not from Texas)" is over-produced and, when he performed it on "Austin City Limits" it was acoustic with crowd participation (and Willie Nelson participation) that made it sublime.

It is his best, bar none!
If you don't own a Lyle cd, this is the one to buy. Lyle's music has many influences. His earlier cd's have fused pop, jazz and country in a delightful blend of acoustic treats. His Large Band is tight, as tight as they come. The Road to Ensenda is toe tapping good from beginning to end. This particular recording is less jazz influenced than say, Pontiac but the jazz influences are not ignored. This is simply a great cd.

So much more than a songwriter
It's one of those things that has become immutable over time. This album captures so many moods - while Lyle and the band certainly know how to have a good time, the pauses for reflection are what tips the scales for me. It is certainly among my Top 10 favorite albums of all time as it has a melancholy quality that transcends just about anything I've ever heard. The uptempo numbers sure do swing and I can't help but smile when I hear them, but everything leads up to the last two tracks - The Road to Ensenada and the gorgeous "Girl in the Corner". With the exception of Bruce Cockburn, no other songwriter captures the longing one can experience in the smallest encounters. This is soul music and music for the soul and I would be less for its absence. Thank you Lyle. ... Read more

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No Doubt's 1995 release, Tragic Kingdom, brought Southern California's ska scene to a national stage while elevating the band to star status. An irresistible mix of reggae, punk, and power pop, Tragic Kingdom scored several hits, among them "Spiderwebs," "Just a Girl," and "Don't Speak." Singer Gwen Stefani's looks made the group MTV shoo-ins, but her soaring voice is the real star, as evidenced by such songs as "Happy Now?"--a classic you'll-regret-you-dumped-me anthem that recalls Blondie--and the bouncy "Sunday Morning." Despite recurring themes of pain and regret, Tragic Kingdom manages to somehow feel sunny throughout. --Courtney Kemp ... Read more

Reviews (238)

At the top of the Kingdom!!!
This is a killer CD from No Doubt- topping Return of Saturn, in my opinion- and I've yet to listen to all of Rock Steady, so, currently, this is my favorite No Doubt CD.
The songs on here are pure ska, funk, reggae, pop, dance mixes that are outstandingly No Doubt. When speaking of No Doubt, I would give someone the CD and then say, "Here. Listen. Learn."
The guys are excellent musicians, and Gwen is a truly talented singer. The guys admire her looks, we girls admire her voice. It's a win-win situation with her.
Some of the best tracks on the album include "Just a Girl" which is oustandingly Female. It's quite the song- as is "Spiderwebs", a really good tune to listen to. However, the best song (in my opinion) has to be "Don't Speak", a tragic breakup story. You can see the lyricist agonizing over what to pen next...up late at night with their head in their hands, thinking over and over again: "Don't Speak/I know what you're thinking......don't tell me cuz it hurts....."
All in all, a truly great effort from No Doubt- really really good!

The album that put No Doubt on the map
Released all the way back in 1995, this album went on to sell over 20 million copies worldwide (over 15 million in the US alone). This CD includes the hits Just a Girl, Spiderwebs, Don't Speak, Excuse Me Mr., and Sunday Morning.

The album opens with 1. Spiderwebs (5/5) This song is pretty much instantly catchy, and if your a person who likes to bang your head around, the chorus is perfect for that. 2. Excuse Me Mr. (4/5) This song is a pretty hardcore, in-your-face kinda song. It's probably the worst of their single releases from this album, but it's still really good. 3. Just a Girl (5/5) Now this is THE song that put No Doubt on the map. It's a girl anthem, but unlike alot of them, it isn't a man hating one! It opens with that famous, catchy guitar riff, and the song just goes from there. 4. Happy Now (4/5) I think it's pretty obvious that this song is about Gwen and Tony's break-up, but, it's not a bad song. It's pretty catchy to. 5. Different People (3/5). Another catchy song, about people being, well... different... It seems like a bit of a filler, but it's still an okay song. 6. Hey You (4/5) Lol, the chorus is kinda weird ("Your just like my Ken and Barbie doll"), but weird in a good way. The song is catchy, and I love the way they use the Sitar. 7. The Climb (4/5) Definitely the longest song on the album, topping the 6 minute mark. The only thing that keeps this song from reaching 5 stars, is the fact it seems to drag. Other than that, it's a great song.

8. Sixteen (5/5) One of my favorite songs not to be released from this album. It's really catchy, and has a great chorus. Great song. 9. Sunday Morning (5/5) I think this is one of No Doubt's most underrated songs. The big long drum roll at the beginning is great. Everything about this song is great. And, it's so damn catchy. 10. Don't Speak (5/5) My favorite song off of this album, and maybe my favorite No Doubt song ever. I mean, who hasn't heard this song. It's one of the most beautiful break-up ballads of all time. This song shot straight to #1, and became No Doubt's biggest single ever. Gwen sounds so heartbroken in this song, it gives me chills. Believe me, if you listen to this song when your sad, you might just cry. 11. You Can Do It (3/5) Another song that seems like a filler, and is probably the worst song off of the album. It's not a terrible song mind you, and is pretty catchy. 12. World Go 'Round (5/5) This is my other favorite song not to be released off of this album. Everything sounds great on this song, and it's so catchy. 14. End It on This (4/5) This is pretty good song. Another song that is most likely about Gwen and Tony's break-up. It seems to drag a bit at the end though. And finally, 15. Tragic Kingdom (4/5) I think this song is the perfect way to end the album. It's a good song, but it can be kind of confusing. It drags a bit at the end to.

All in all, this album is great. I recommend if you're looking to become a fan of No Doubt's music, you start with this album. But, if you only like a few of their songs, I'd recommend buying The Singles 1992-2003.

Not So Tragic
Before No Doubt released Tragic Kingdom they weren't well known. They actually just released this so they could get their songs out, then they would go on with their lives. Luckily their first single "Just A Girl" hit well and they didn't have to do that. Tragic Kingdom in my eyes is No Doubt's best work, filled with all good songs. I don't there are many cd's where I happen to enjoy all hits, but this is definitely one of them.

The cd starts of with "Spider Webs" which is an ingenious song. One of my favorite songs in No Doubt history is "Excuse Me Mr." which is just an awesome song. Next is "Just A Girl" which was their first single and possibly the "star" of the cd. Another one of my favorite songs from no doubt is "Different People" which is just so awesome. Then later comes their other hit from the cd, "Don't Speak" which is still getting radio play today. "You Can Do it" is also a fun song, though it kinda sounds like something the Spice Girls would sing. Then comes my favorite song on the whole cd..."Tragic Kingdom". It's so fun, heavy, deep, imaginative, and basically has a nice flow.

The whole cd is just loads of fun and I would suggest it to anyone who has only heard their new stuff.

I LOVE THEM! NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE NO DOUBT AND THE CRANBERRIES!
GWEN RULES!
I NEVER REALLY LIKED THIS KIND OF MUSIC UNTIL THEM!
THEY ARE DOPE!!!!!!!
5 STAR STUFF~! *****

This Is Pretty Good, But Tracks At the End Drag It Down
I like this album, even thoguh it's really old (almost 10 years)

1. Spiderwebs- Really good way to start the album, really energetic. 9/10
2. Excuse Me Mr. Not as good as previous song, but still pretty good. 8/10
3. Just A Girl- First single, and I can understand why! It's so good! 10/10
4. Happy Now- Not too good, but stil ok! 7/10
5. Different People- Favorite song! It's not even as fast as the others, it's jsut really good. 10/10
6.Hey You- Um, this song is very interesting. 8/10
7. The Climb- I think this was too long but it's stilkl a decent song. 6/10
8.Sixteen-The guitar is so cool! 10/10
9.Sunday Morning- It starts out really weird but it's still a great song! 8/10
10.Don't Speak- The verses are good, the chorus is awful. 5/10
11.You Can Do It- This song is ridiculous, sorry No Doubt. 3/10
12.World Go Round-This album's second half is proving to be bad. 3/10
13.End It On This- Way better then the 3 songs before. 7/10
14. Tragic Kingdom- YAY! Perfect! 10/10 ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Wilco's follow-up to A.M. impresses first with its size: 19 tunes fill the double-CD package, and the packaging unfolds like a larger-than-life 1970s-era gatefold album cover. But the love affair with the artwork is short-lived, fading as the music takes center stage, making plain the band's overwhelming stretch into innumerable styles. Jeff Tweedy's love of pop and the mechanics of making pop albums is clear almost immediately, as he and his cohort utilize the studio to create and manipulate undertows and snaky recorded elements throughout many of their tunes (a keyboard touch, a guitar's flair, a cymbal's unexpected crash). There are the plainspoken acoustic numbers, recalling Tweedy's tenure in Uncle Tupelo, and there are also unwinding swoops of tinted, guitar-heavy rock--one of which collapses into chromatic jabs at a piano only to resolve in silence on "Sunken Treasure." Oodles of influences fill Wilco's collective mind, and they're perfectly content to pile the trace elements atop each other and make scrambled pop perfection. --Andrew Bartlett ... Read more

Reviews (71)

The Absolute Best Album in Years by ANY Band!!
If you've never heard an album by Wilco, start now. They, along with Radiohead and Pearl Jam, have something in common you never see anymore: integrity. These bands have changed a lot in music, and have been solace to a lot of people. Wilco excels at that. No one is better at expressing emotions than Jeff Tweedy. Being both the main songwriter and singer, he has that knack for telling a good story and making you want to come back for more. Of the 2 Wilco releases so far, this is the better listen for people new to the band. It shows such diversement and uniqueness . The tracks go from straight out rock ("Monday", Outta Site (Outta Mind)"), to the more mellow and thoughful tracks ("Far, Far Away", Red-Eyed and Blue", "Sunken Treasure"). My personal favorite would have to be "Don't Forget the Flowers" off of Disc 1. Wilco always picks the right instrument to use, and they choose a slew of guitars and a banjo to keep this one going. It's not easy to liken Wilco's sound to anything else, but that's what makes them so great: they're unique. If you love catchy melodies, diversity, and from-the-heart songs, give these 2 discs a few spins. And then add yourself to the ever-growing list of Wilco fans.

The last great country album.
The addition of studio and musical talent Jay Bennett makes the hidden force of Wilco become apparent. This is very much a collaborative effort between lead Jeff Tweedy and Bennett, and it's got some of Wilco's best lyrics. The melodies are excellent, and you'll be listening to the music, which compliment the lyrics nicely. Some of these guitar solos, for instance, have made a few of my more musically proficient friends turn heads.

Standout tracks and hooks would be "Misunderstood" (an excellent opener and lyrical rockout, but better live), "Monday" (I dare you not to tap your foot to this one), "I Got You [At The End Of The Century]" (EXCELLENT hook and intro), "Hotel Arizona" (Get a load of that solo), "Sunken Treasure" (the hands down best country or alt.country epic EVER -- "I was maimed by rock and roll"), "Why Would You Wanna Live" (good time melody, cynical lyrics, hopeful turnout - everything I want).

And how could I forget the five minutes and seventeen seconds that *is* "Kingpin". You need to hear this song. Your mother needs to hear it. Your estranged relatives need to hear it. Buy Being There for "Kingpin" alone, and the other tracks will also blow you away.

Get this album. Impress your friends.

The lows are low, but the highs are staggering
This was a fairly staggering conception, warts and all, and it wouldn't be until the next release that Wilco truly become masters of the artform, but it's quite a worthy, powerful ride for what it is. The record, for the first place, should have been on one CD and trimmed a bit. There are some half-songs ("Red Eyed and Blue," "I've Got You," which while peppy has some pretty dumb lyrics, and "Kingpin") and it gets a bit mired in its own moroseness towards the end (though "(Was I) In Your Dreams," Why Would You Want to Live," and "The Lonely 1" are all lovely songs in their own respects, it's a bit punishing to have them back to back to back), but there are such dizzying moments of transcendence on this record that you can mostly forgive it for its faults.

The two focal points of the record, "Misunderstood" and "Sunken Treasure," are powerful, emotionally geared epics that set the course for the whole record- themes of loss, betrayal, and distance. The whole record throbs with an organic closeness- the songs feel like they're no more than a few inches from reach. "Far Far Away" sounds like the band's encircling you in the studio, Jeff Tweedy in front of you strumming an aching melody. "Dreamer In My Dreams" is like a racous live take (hoe-down, even?), with some frenetic violin playing and an improvised feel with Tweedy's hoarse vocal.

One could say the record throbs with pain, as well- the sonic equivalent of pain and trying to be ambivalent about it. It's the band's most intimate recorded performance, and though they will aim for and achieve higher, this will hold a special place in any fan's heart too.

Brilliant- an amazing effort
This CD is just stupendous. Its awe inspiring almost. The 2nd CD by this amazing Chicago-based band leaves a fresh taste in your mouth. The CD manages to avoid the problem that many artists have of having all the songs sound the same. "Being There" has many different sounds to their songs, from the sweet country feel of "far, far away" to the almost Weezer-ish sound of "outta mind(outta site)"- all of which are driven by their impressive lyrics. If you like any of Wilco's other work, or if you appreciate good lyrics or slow mesmorizing melodies, you must buy this CD.

The Beginning
Being a longtime fan of Wilco, I love introducing people to the group. While I was first introduced to 'AM', I think they really moved to another level with 'Being There'. The album foreshadows the directions that Wilco will take in the future, while still remaining attached to their progenitors, Uncle Tupelo. From the juxtaposition of the alt-country in 'Far Far Away' with the power pop of 'Monday' to the overwhealming saddness of 'Sunken Treasure' to the sheer joy that is evident in the rousing 'Dreamer in My Dreams', Wilco is found noodling around with many different ideas. Try to name a recent album that brings to mind everything from the Beatles to the Beach Boys (yes, the Beach Boys! Listen to the harmonies on Outta Mind, Outta Sight!) 'Being There' shows the band trying on so many different styles, experimenting with so many different paths to follow that this becomes a must for anyone attempting to follow the band's rise. ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Hiatt has had such extraordinary success as a songwriter that, even if you haven't followed his career as a performer, you'll find you know most of these songs by virtue of their hit cover versions. Bonnie Raitt ("A Thing Called Love"), Suzy Bogguss ("Drive South"), Rosanne Cash ("The Way We Mend a Broken Heart"), Jeff Healey ("Angel Eyes"), and Aaron Neville ("Feels Like Rain") have all dipped into the Hiatt songbook with spectacular results. Hiatt's originals (plus a couple of new tracks) are terrific in their own right, thanks to his gritty vocal style and stellar accompaniment on some tracks by Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, Jim Keltner, and Sonny Landreth. The only missteps here are a rerecorded version of "Have a Little Faith in Me" (the original is one of Hiatt's most powerful performances) and the inclusion of "Take Off Your Uniform," a distant memory from Hiatt's days as a new waver in the Elvis Costello mold. --Daniel Durchholz ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Buy "Hiatt Comes Alive at Budokan."
John Hiatt has written some of the best music and lyrics I've ever heard. "Slow Turning", "Stolen Moments" and "Bring the Family" are all great disks. If you're looking for a good collection of Hiatt songs, choose "Hiatt Comes Alive at Budokan." "The Best of John Hiatt" falls far short of his best work. Don't give this disk to your friends if you're trying to turn them on to Hiatt's music.

A fine sampler
This album was originally titled "The Best Of John Hiatt 1973-1998", but since it effectively sidesteps his earliest recordings, it is actually more like "The Best Of John Hiatt 1983-1998".

Compared with A&M's "Greatest Hits 1987-94", this Capitol release also features material from Hiatt's 1983 album "Riding With The King", from which it draws the title track, but unfortunately not the great roots-rock of "You May Already Be A Winner" and "She Loves The Jerk".
But there is a lot of good stuff here anyway (the track list is quite similar to the A&M compilation). Hiatt's tough, muscular blend of rock, folk, country and blues works particularly well on "Perfectly Good Guitar", "Cry Love", "Child Of The Wild Blue Yonder", "Slow Turning", and the excellent "Don't Know Much About Love" (a new song which is unique to this album, as is the fine ballad "Love In Flames").

"The Best Of John Hiatt" also features the wonderful "Buffalo River Home", one of Hiatt's best tunes and lyrics. Hiatt's first recording of his own "Angel Eyes" (which he gave to Jeff Healy, who had a hit with it in 1989). The groovy, slow and sexy R&B of "Take Off Your Uniform". And a lovely country-rock duet with Roseanne Cash, "The Way We Make A Broken Heart".

It is by no means defintive, but it is a very good sampler, and long-time fans will certainly not be disappointed with the new material.

A Little Faith, Repaid
My best friend got into John Hiatt several years ago, and kept trying to get me to listen. Finally he bought this album for me, and I was floored. Buy it--and play it the next time you've got a 2-3 hour drive somewhere, through the country. It's great road music--from Crazy Little Thing Called Love ( 3X better than the lovely Bonnie Raitt version) and Memphis in the Meantime, which are both slinky R&B to the outright country of Tennesee Plates and Slow Turning, it's clear-eyed, funny, funky music from one of the 2-3 best indie country writers ever. Raitt, Eric Clapton, and Ry Cooder have all made big hits with songs on this album. This is the perfect doorway into a brilliant gem of a singer-songwriter.

Odd collection...
This one had the feel of a middle finger being raised in the direction of A&M Records, who had recently dropped him. Hiatt and his new label cobbled this collection together from live recordings and newly recorded versions, along with a recent track ("Cry Love") and some licensed older material. A&M would return the favor a year later with the vastly superior "Greatest Hits". While the title may be misleading, there certainly is good music here. "Riding With the King" was until recently an overlooked classic, and "How We Make a Broken Heart" (with Roseanne Cash) is quite nice. The set also features two new songs, "Don't Know Much About Love", and "Love in Flames". If you're a Hiatt fan looking to expand your collection, this may interest you. Those seeking an introduction or essential best-of are referred to the aforementioned "Greatest Hits".

In Retrospect: Some Perspective
Hiatt fans were understandably distraught when this compilation first came out, because no comprehensive collection of his estimable talent had been available at the time. But now that Hiatt has two compilations covering both halves of his career ("Y'all Caught?", the MCA & Geffen collection, and "Greatest Hits," from the A&M years), "The Best of John Hiatt" serves a worthy purpose that the other two don't: it gathers in some stray, unreleased songs that have littered the path of his prolific career: the band-and-choir version of "Have a Little Faith in Me"; Hiatt's duet with Rosannce cash on the gem "The Way We Make a Broken Heart" (from the "Riding with the King" sessions); a studio version of "Angel Eyes," and two others from sessions that never made it to albums. So...with this optional "Best" release, it's possible we're actually seeing the germ of a long-awaited, and long-deserved, box set from an undersold artist whose work historically has been scattered hither and yon among other, appreciative artists. May Hiatt long be permitted to litter so freely. And may Rhino or some other venerable instituion provide clean-up duty. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Contemporary Christian music has come a long way toward secular acceptance in recent years thanks to the likes of Switchfoot, who avoid obvious sacred references in their lyrics. It's also refreshing to hear CCM songwriters like Switchfoot's Jonathan Foreman explore love and belonging as song subjects. Unfortunately, The Beautiful Letdown hews too closely to the formula established by alternative CCM brethren Jars of Clay and Creed. Songs like the title track and "More Than Fine" come close to forging their own identity, but too often sound overproduced and designed to appeal to the widest audience. Still, Foreman's songwriting shows potential, and his progressive vision for spiritual themes indicates a willingness to color outside the lines. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (326)

Switchfoot: The Beautiful Letdown
Switchfoot's latest album "The Beautiful Letdown" has proven to be far from one. This is their most polished sounding album to date along with their usual catchy hooks, sizzling guitars, and heartfelt medleys. Switchfoot has switched over to Columbia records on "The Beautiful Letdown", but they have stayed true to their own style and lyrics. When Switchfoot's first CD came out I was hooked, by the second I wanted a guitar to play along, third I had a guitar, and now for their fourth I can play along. That's just what they do to you! Jon Foreman is lead vocals, lead guitarist, and writes all of the lyrics. He won the 2001 Les Paul Horizon Award for up and coming guitarist. Tim Foreman plays bass, does BGV's, and also co-wrote three of the songs on the disk. Chad Butler plays drums. Jerome Fontamillas is "the new guy" on the disk playing piano, keys, and guitar.
Track List:
1.) Meant To Live ~ Starts off the new disk with a boom. "We were meant to live for so much more. Have we lost ourselves?"

2.) This Is Your Life ~ You'll love Tim's bass on this one. It pushes us into a contemplative thought on our own position in life. "This is your life. Are you who you want to be?"

3.) More Than Fine ~ Snaps us back into happy mood with it's flowing pop/rock style and light hearted feel. "More then fine, more then just okay."

4.) Ammunition ~ Back to the rock! This tune really puts you in your place. "We've been blowing up. We're the issue. We're ammunition."

5.) Dare You To Move ~ Don't even think about saying, "Why is this same song on here again!". They have completely re-tracked it. Most people I talk to agree it's better than the original. "I dare you to move like today never happened before." There are no excuses after listening to this song.

6.) Redemption ~ "I've got my hand in redemption's side whose scars are bigger than these doubts of mine. I'll fit all of these monstrosities inside and I'll come alive." Great tune.

7.) The Beautiful Letdown ~ A truly beautiful letdown to learn from this. "In a world full of bitter pain and bitter doubt I was trying so hard to fit in, until I found out I don't belong here. I will carry a cross and a song where I don't belong." Again with Tim's great bass! Jon originally wrote this as a gospel tune.

8.) Gone ~ What a fun song! From the painful truth to comedy, they even slip in a reference from their first album "The Legend Of Chin". "She said he said live like no tomorrow. Every moment that we borrow brings us closer to a God who's not short of cash."

9.) On Fire ~ Here's where the piano comes in and makes us all cry. "You are the hope I have for change. You are the only chance I'll take. And I'm on fire when you're near me. . .I'm on fire burning at these mysteries."

10.) Adding To The Noise ~ It speaks for itself. "If we're adding to the noise turn off this song."

11.) Twenty-Four ~ In my book this is one of the most beautifully written songs I've heard since, well, since they made their last album "Learning To Breathe". "And I'm not who I thought I was twenty-four hours ago. Still I'm singing, Spirit take me up in arms with you." What a beautiful way to end a beautiful CD.

I would highly recommend you check out all three of their previous albums in addition to this one: The Legend Of Chin, New Way To Be Human, and Learning To Breathe.

absolutely worth every cent.
Switchfoot has been together for several years, producing album after album of some of the very best in indie rock music to date... and The Beautiful Letdown only proves Switchfoot's more than capable in keeping a fanbase interested after every release. The Powerful sounds of I Dare you to Move in particular (track 5) was re-done to be re-released (rightly so) on this album, as it has to be one of the most powerful songs I have yet to hear, from ANY artist. The songs range from a somewhat hard rock genre (meant to live), to slow melodic tones (on fire, 24). The title track A Beautiful Letdown is particularly interesting in it's usage of Bass riffs and loops.

I could honestly throw an onslaught of fancy words at whoever may be reading this in efforts to get them buying their cd's... but realisticly, Switchfoot is simply a band one needs to check out for themselves. I can ASSURE you, this cd, as well as the others, are well worth the money and the time to check them out. 5 stars by every means! rock on.

Oh Brother.
LoL.It's unbelievable how bad some people can slam such good talent.Switchfoot is unbelievable.A group that finally raises some eyebrows and catches you're attention.On The Beautiful Letdown it's like we're getting a taste of different styles of music.<br /> Examples:<br /> MEANT TO LIVE: This song is totally all rock;great,strong vocals, and guitars are all out on this one.<br /> DARE YOU TO MOVE: Is more Pop/Rock and sounds 100% better than the original,with such highly impressive vocals.<br /> ON FIRE: Now we get into a more heartfelt ballad, with beautiful lyrics,keyboarding,and powerful singing.<br /> <br /> Switchfoot has done everything in the book. Which is;Wonderful vocals,lot's of meaning,different musical ballads,and went straight to the heart. Jon Foreman is one of those rare artists who can sing Rock songs,and Slow ones just as well. An example of this would be ON FIRE.Most Rock Singers now a days can't really sing slow songs even when they try to. But Foreman has proven that he can. This is an unbelievable group.

I love this CD
I love this CD. What more could be said?
Meant to Live - great song. I can listen to it OVER and OVER again, and sing it with my friends and make a.... um... "joyful" noise. Sounds better when Jon sings it.
This is Your Life - incredibly powerful message. "This is your life, are you who you wanna be?" Truly inspiring song
More than Fine - about not settling for just being fine. Living life to live, not to just be not dead.
Ammunition - truly well written, shows what a great songwriter Jon Foreman is. I guess if you don't like people screaming at you, you should be a little wary of this song, but you'll learn to love it.
Dare You to Move - another one I sing with my friends and we don't sound so good. Off of the 3rd CD, very inspiring, motivating, thought-provoking song.
Redemption - awesome song, "I've got my hands in redemption's song, Whose scars are bigger than these doubts of mine" pretty self-explanatory.
The Beautiful Letdown - there's that humility again. I love the last part. "What a beautiful letdown, painfully uncool. The church of the drop-outs, the losers, the sinners, the failures, and the fools," describes us perfectly. If we were perfect, we wouldn't need Jesus.
Gone - I really love this song. It's not, "life is short, so do every stupid thing you can before you die," it's "life is short, so don't hold on to the things of this world."
On Fire - could very easily make me cry. "When everything inside me looks like everything I hate, You are the hope I have for change, You are the only chance I'll take." That means so much to me.
Adding to the Noise - a good song, about how far ahead of itself this world has gotten, to the point where it's inventing things to push your cares away temporarily just because you're scared. "So if we're adding to the noise, turn off this song"
Twenty-four - so many lyrics in this song that catch my ear, I find myself listening to it over and over again. I love it.

Well, I only gave very brief descriptions, because telling the meaning of a song is like giving away the punchline of a joke. It's for your interpretation, so you'd just better get it yourself. I recommend it... a lot.

keep your jesus out of my rock!
oh my god, this record is terrible... rock and roll is supposed to be intense, controversial,and socially important. rock is supposed to be a giant middle finger to the system- "the man", if you will. what we have here is the most bland, platonic, hopelessy...vanilla, there we go...band in the history of the world. does anyone remember the unstoppable juggernaut of drugs and sex that used to define this stuff? very few people pull of being whiny, and this band is NOT AMONG THEM. jesus, go buy a nirvana record if you MUST wallow in your depression, at least they were good at it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When you come up with the most-played radio hit of the year, there is no need to wrack your brains for a follow-up. Lifehouse, who earned such a distinction with 2001's highly addictive "Hanging by a Moment," shrewdly stick to the emotional guitar-rock palette of that breakthrough single for most of their second album. "I wouldn't change a thing," frontman Jason Wade declares on the searing "Spin," and the band follows through on powerful, life-affirming tracks such as "Wash" and "Take Me Away." Produced by Ron Aniello (Days of the New), mixed by Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, U2), and written primarily between tours, this is the kind of ambitious and endearing album that suggests its makers won't settle for anything less than global domination. --Aidin Vazari ... Read more

Reviews (103)

Don't overlook this album!
Stanley Climbfall is one of the best cds I've purchased this year. I've been anixously awaiting Lifehouse's second album ever since I got my hands on No Name Face in early 2001. I was not at all disappointed by Stanley Climbfall. The album is amazing, but keep in mind, it is NOT a carbon copy of No Name Face. The band has grown and matured significantly without abandoning their catchy melodies and honest, uplifting lyrics. Lead singer Jason Wade's extrordinary songwriting skills really shine on this cd. He has expanded his vocal range as well. Most importantly, Lifehouse sounds like a band now--the songs sound like group efforts, like all members made contributions, not just Jason. The band has amazing chemistry together. It's difficult to listen to the cd only once though; it takes a few listens for the depth of the songs to really sink in. The album has a good mix of fast, mid-tempo and slow songs, making the cd perfect for any mood you're in.

DO NOT be afraid to purchase this cd!! If you liked No Name Face, you will like this album. Even if you didn't like No Name Face, give Stanley a listen anyway, the band has grown and now you just might find yourself singing along to "Spin" next time you hear it on the radio.

A few of my favorites: The Beginning, Am I Ever Gonna Find Out, Spin, and Empty Space

Lifehouse - Stanley Climbfall
Lifehouse frontman Jason Wade quoted a Dreamworks executive saying 'you have you whole life to write your first album and just a few months to write the second'. Although that statement sounds credible and applicable for Lifehouse, the difference in quality between their debut album 'No Name Face' and this follow-up is barely recognizeable, though the band has invented a totally new sound for themselves while keeping some of the first album's characteristics. Below you will find reviews of all the tracks.

Spin - An oath to Led Zeppelin? Maybe. Seemingly inspired by that group, it opens the album in a typical rocking fashion. 9/10

Wash - Features a great instrumental intro and an awesome chorus. 7/10

Sky Is Falling - A bit monotone, but beautiful in some parts. One of the more quiet songs on the album. 7/10

Anchor - Sounds like it wasn't made by Lifehouse, being very heavy and hard. The lyrics are typical of Jason Wade, but it's a bit too far off for my liking. Still a great song in its own right. 6/10

Am I Ever Gonna Find Out - Makes great use of the wide range of Jason's voice, a bit on the short side, but one of the better songs on the album. 8/10

Stanley Climbfall - A beautiful ballad that has Beatle-esque atmosphere troughout some parts of the song. One of the best songs on the album. 8/10

Out of Breath - Hanging by a Moment part 2, the pacing in this song is similar to the smash hit by Lifehouse, though the bass line and chorus aren't quite as catchy. 7/10

Just Another Name - One of the weaker songs on the album, it is a quite boring one for Lifehouse standards and the lyrics aren't in the same league/style that we're used to from Jason Wade. 6/10

Take Me Away - One of the best songs Lifehouse has ever made, this song is beautiful on the album, but it can be played in so many variations: a long, epic rock variation as well as the acoustic set, which transforms it into an emotional ballad. An awesome, awesome musical masterpiece. 10/10

My Precious - Drowns in not so memorable lyrics and insturmentals, one of the weaker songs on the album. 5/10

Empty Space - Superb song with great lyrics. Ballad-like, but has a rocking style to hide its purpose. One of the better songs on the album. 9/10

The Beginning - Something totally different for Lifehouse, but it ends up being a great song. Starts slow, but the pace picks up further along. 7/10

How Long - Awesome song that features as a bonus track on the album. Very great intro with drums and some guitar accords. 8/10

Sky Is Fallin acoustic - Great acoustic version of a great song. 7/10

All in all simply not as good as 'No Name Face', but this is a great follow-up seeing how high the expectations were. My highest possible reccomendation, also for people who still know Lifehouse only from Hanging By A Moment, Sick Cycle Carousel or the beatiful Breathing.

Buy it, buy it, buy it
I'm going to try and keep this short, so I'll just start by saying that this is one of the best albums I own--and I own a lot. Whereas with "No Name Face" there were always tracks I could skip over to get to the better ones, such is simply not the case with "Simon Climbfall." The title track itself is all strange and blissful sadness, and when Jason Wade writes lyrics like "living just to make it through another day," it sticks with you. So many of us think that, and yet no one ever really says it, at least aloud. He's a wonderful songwriter.

Other standouts (must I pick?) are "Wash," "Just Another Name," "Take Me Away," and "Spin." The band is truly adept in writing music that is more an experience, rather than just clever wording or hooky bass riffs; I believe they accomplish this with actual MELODY and what must be a very good knowledge of composition, in order to turn in and around those beautiful resolutions the way they do.

While there's no mistaking that this music is the product of Lifehouse, I see growth and greater collaboration among the members themselves. When artists fail to grow with each album, they are accused of not doing anything different, not maturing. When they do mature, however, people will inevitably complain that "it's just not like their first one." I believe that artistic growth is much more important than the bottom line, and while I'm very disappointed that this album sold so relatively few copies, I'm glad there was little artistic sacrifice. Here's hoping they come out with their next one soon, and that the masses will rediscover how truly gifted and real these guys are.

Climbfall Falls Flat
Being a huge fan of the great craftsmanship that went into their previous album "No Name Face", Stanley Climbfall could not compete in the least.

The songwriting was very dull, the production boring, and the album continuity flat. Nothing of the great creativity that went into songs such as Everything and Breathing.

Not worth the money. Better luck next time to Lifehouse.

Don't bother with this garbage
This album pales in comparison to no name face. No name face is without a doubt a five star album, but these songs are somehow horribly inferior. The lyrics are still emotional but sung without the same conviction of no name face leaving the songs sounding dull and boring. I was expecting so much more after their debut brilliance. Forget this, get no name face. ... Read more

Amazon.com

From 1999's Music Bank box set and its one-CD compilation offshoot, Nothing Safe: The Best of the Box to a 1996 Unplugged CD, the Alice in Chains titles continue to arrive even while the band--and especially reclusive frontman Layne Staley--stagnates. The quartet's heavy, dirgelike music is aging well, but the 10 songs that comprise Greatest Hits are the basic radio hits. Greatest Hits features no new music, no liner notes, no lyrics, no new photos, and no elaborate packaging. Still, for the rock fan, every song on the disc (five of them penned solely by talented guitarist Jerry Cantrell) is a bona fide hit, from the band's earliest, their 1990 breakthrough "Man in the Box," to the lush orchestration of "I Stay Away" to 1995's dark pop gem "Heaven Beside You." Greatest Hits provides a quick fix for newer fans, but with The Best of the Box boasting 9 of Greatest Hits' 10 songs, plus an additional 5 selections. Skip Hits and go for The Best. --Katherine Turman ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Great for the casual fan 9 hits [inexpensively]
Just incase you didn't pick up the 16 track Nothing Safe: Best of the Box, and the Music Bank Boxed Set, the Greatest Hits have been released. For the casual fan of Alice In Chains that hears them on the radio and loves them, this is great, because its at a [low] price and it comes with 9 hits and a filler track... Them Bones. For those who have never heard these songs before, Man In The Box is a slow rocking melody, which centers around one constant guitar riff and the singer's vocals. Them Bones is a hard rocking song that only lasts two minutes, but its worth a listen. Rooster is a slow mellow song with the hook phrase "they come to snuff the rooster, but he ain't gonna die." This song gets very boring once you hear it 3 times. Angry Chair centers around a tranquil drum beat and a quiet guitar riff, which occasionally breaks for the singer to emphasize something. Would comes from several soundtracks and has a nice rolling beat to kick off the song before slowing down into trance like vocals. Unfortunately fans of Alice in Chains are cynical about this release, because there was a 16 song Best of released only 2 years before this.

What the hell....
It saddens me that record companies are willing to resort to this kind of marketing. The only difference between this album and "Nothing Safe" released 2 years ago is the name and the fact that it has 5 fewer songs. Nominally, this will be Alice's "Greatest Hits" album though really Nothing Safe has done the job quite well. There is no need for this.

The only reason I'd buy this album is because I love Alice In Chains and I seek to have everything they've made. There's no value in this besides another CD that says "Alice In Chains" on my rack. Instead of resorting to this nonsense, Columbia would have done much better by either releasing a CD of "authorized" bootlegs of live recordings and rare tracks, or released a video of live Alice material. This compilation doesn't come close to filling a CD, and is a stark reminder that maybe Columbia and not Alice is now running the show.

Dont waste your money, stick with the studio albums.
Just buy the album's, AIC had no need for a greatest hits. All there albums were greatest hits. This is just a record company ploy to make money. If your looking to start somwhere buy "Dirt".

Notable for getting me into AIC, and it will make you a fan!
Although this compilation surely isn't the BEST or the Worst collection of Alice in Chains, it's a good compilation with all of Alice in Chains best-known songs. Although having only 10 songs on the CD, they all are classics which no reviewer would dare question, and are the perfect introduction to Alice in Chains for a casual fan. Thankfully, I picked this CD up at a Garage Sale for 5 Dollars, and I've never looked back since, purchasing all of Alice in Chains excellent albums, and none disappointed. Although reviewers will pan this CD because it's missing a "Lot of songs", it's really only missing 3 songs, the mild radio hits "Down In a Hole" and "Sea of Sorrow", plus the fan-favorite "What the Hell Have I?". Plus, this CD is basically a steal, as you can get it for ONLY 9.99$ at most Record Dealers, while the other Alice in Chains compilations, Best of the Box and Music Bank, can cost you much more. Best of the Box is a good compilation, but it suffers from an over-emphasis on live material, and Alice in Chains Live is simply not as good as the studio recordings. Music Bank is criminally expensive, and there's no reason to buy it unless you want Early Demos of Alice in Chains before they released Facelift. Also, another good thing about this album is it is in Chronological Order so you can see how Alice in Chains improved(Or didn't) as they went along. You get "Man in the Box" from Facelift, "Them Bones","Rooster","Angry Chair", and "Would?" from Dirt(Probably Alice In Chains Best Album!), from the Jar of Flies acoustic EP you get "I Stay Away", and "No Excuses", and from Alice in Chains (Sadly) final Self-Titled (Coined "Tripod" by fans because of the 3-Legged Dog on the front)album you get the songs "Grind", "Heaven Beside You", and "Again". Overall, the only album it doesn't cover is the Sap EP, but that really has no good songs, and was made when Alice in Chains was still trying to find their style. TO ALL POTENTIAL BUYERS, IF YOU HEARD ALICE IN CHAINS WAS GOOD BELIEVE IT! IF YOU BUY THIS AND LOVE IT(Which you will!), GO AHEAD ANY BUY ALL THEIR MATERIAL(Except for maybe SAP), AS YOU WILL LOVE IT ALL! If you like Grunge(Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden) or Metal, you will like this! But really, Instead of buying this compilation or any other, I would just go ahead and buy Facelift, Dirt, Tripod, and Jar of Flies as they will only set you back 35 Dollars, which is a very good deal! Overall, a short but sweet compilation that delivers what it says it will, and is a cheaper alternative to Music Bank or Best of the Box. The only reason this compilation gets 4 stars is that it is simply impossible to create the "Definitive" Alice in Chains Compilation, but it does a good job even if it is missing a few songs, or maybe even many songs.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! START YOUR ALICE IN CHAINS COLLECTION WITH THIS COMPILATION, AND IF YOU LIKE IT BUY ALL THEIR OTHER RECORDS!

Short and sweet
I know that hardcore AIC fans won't stop and dive for the racks just to nab this collection, but I consider myself a casual listener so I picked it up because it contained the essential radio-aired songs that made them famous. Sure this CD doesn't add up to The Best of the Box, and it's not supposed to, but if people love the band so much they'll buy Facelift, Dirt, Jar of Flies, and the final self-titled album instead. This is short and sweet, and that's how I like my music. 4 stars in total. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Neko Case's third solo effort is a moody, atmospheric affair that both satisfies and mystifies. Recorded in Tucson with a stellar band that includes Calexico's Joey Burns and John Convertino, Blacklisted charms you with its haunting, reverb-soaked songs, most of which were written by Case herself. The lyrics are impressionistic and, at times, inscrutable. "Fast train, where do your passengers wait?" she sings in the title song. "What's at the heart of your engine's rage?" While it's not always clear what Case is getting at, the overall mood of the album is one of loss and melancholy. Soaring above it all is Case's remarkable Patsy Cline-meets-Judy Garland voice, which she uses to great effect on the album's two torchy cover songs: Sarah Vaughan's "Look for Me (I'll Be Around)" and Aretha Franklin's "Running Out of Fools." --David Hill ... Read more

Reviews (65)

The third time's a real charm!
This is Neko Case's third and best solo album. Her music has steadily gotten better with every effort. But on this one, I think she's finally found the right style of music to fit her voice. Oh, and did I mention that this girl can not only sing, she can wail! She's gone from rockabilly infused country on her first album, to pretty much straight goodime country on her second. But on this third she's added everything from blues, pop, and late night jazz, to that thang they call alternative country. This is also a much darker album than her previous efforts. The biggest difference here is how she has slowed her music down, and put her voice up front and center with a minimum of arrangements. But with what seems like better production and overall sound quality. Sometimes I think she slows it down too much. As in the late night 3 am jazz vibe numbers like "Outro With Bees" and "Look For Me". I still think her voice is better suited for country and pop than trying to do the smokey K.D. Lang thing. The rest of the album worked very well for me. Especially on songs like "Deep Red Bells", "Stinging Velvet", and a fantastic version of Aretha Franklin's "Runnin' Out Of Fools". Songs that fit very well in the pop category, but with Case singing them with a little bit of that Patsy Cline twang in her voice. Although the arrangements are understated, they are very very good. With members of Calexico and Giant Sand, she's in good hands. They give this album a high plains expansive feel with songs like "Pretty Girls" and the Spaghetti Western sounding backdrop of "Blacklisted". On top of all this great singing talent, she also wrote just about everything here. Something I respect alot, especially when it's this good. Why this girl isn't more recognized in the country or pop world I can't understand. Maybe that's what Blacklisted is all about. She seems to be "Blacklisted from radio, television, the Grand Ole Opry, and everything else that's suppose to be associated with talent. Maybe after this latest effort she'll get the recognition she deserves. I've seen this album on a lot of year end top 10 lists of the best of 2002. That's ditto for me. Very impressive!

Neko Case - The Woman with the Haunting Voice
Neko Case is perhaps, along with Kellie Hogan, the most interesting and accomplished vocalist to emerge out of the alternative country scene. Her voice is big and soulful, reminiscent of Loretta Lynn or Tammy Wynette at their best. But she uses this wonderful instrument in service of some really terrific, dark songs, with arrangements by turns traditional and edgy, to create a truly memorable album.

Case's lyrics impress with their melancholy and their poetry. Her themes are timeless, love, helplessness, breakup, loss.... the very stuff of country music, but as seen through a modern lens. Case's voice delivers her songs with a lovely full-throated sound, with a hint of blues and just the right amount of "twang"...not so much as to be nasal, but enough to give it the right country sound. The arrangements are spectacular. Things That Scare Me starts with an almost Appalachian mountain sound which lends a sense of dread to the song. Other great songs include Deep Red Bells, which has an almost Ghost-Riders-In-The-Sky style baritone guitar riff...Wish I Was the Moon, with it's folk ballad quality and Look For Me (I'll Be Around) which sounds like a modern update of a 1950s rockabilly ballad.

If you have a taste for vocals without the requisite Nashville gloss.... without the over produced arrangement....if you have a taste for sophisticated country music without the pop trappings, Neko Case is for you. She is the best Alternative Country has to offer.

The next Lorreta Lynn
This is possibly the very first Alt-Country album that I bought, discovering Neko through the wonderful New Pornographers. I was so enamoured by her voice that I ran out and bought whatever albums of hers that I could find. I was suprised, then, to discover that her music wan't poppy at all, but instead...country? I was a little skeptical at first, but it didn't take me long to fall completely in love with this album, and the rest of her work (which I highly reccommend). Neko possesses a voice so unique that I'm hard pressed to compare her to anyone from the past...the way she belts out her songs is just so incredible, that you can't help but love everything she does. This how country is suppossed to sound: dark, twisted, and full of despair and longing, not this Shania Twain drivel we're subjected to on a regular basis. She creates a wonderful atmosphere of creepiness with songs like "Deep Red Bells" and "Things That Scare Me", while retaning her softer side with tunes like "Tightly" and "I Wish I Were The Moon". The best of the bunch, however, is a cover of "I'll Be Around", which is tranformed into a eerie nightclub number in which Miss Case really lets loose. Pick this gem up; you WON'T be dissapointed.
Also Reccomended:
The Virginian, Furnace Room Lullaby
The New Pornographers-Mass Romantic, Electric Version
Loretta Lynn-Van Lear Rose
The Sadies-Tremendous Efforts
Trailer Bride-Hope Is A Thing With Feathers

voice like velvet
I first heard neko case on a indie radio station here and immediately rang them and asked who owns that incredible voice....I absolutely LOVE the album, in particular "deep red bells" and "I wish I was the moon tonight" I have played this album to death!!! So I intend to purchase her other albums plus any others she has done with the "new pornographers"

Ridiculously bad production makes this album unlistenable
"Reverb-soaked"?? More like "reverb-inundated". The songs are interesting but the overall sound is muddy, boomy and, ultimately, irritating. I may try running this through Digital Performer to see if I can remove the worst of it. She deserves far better. ... Read more