Amazon.com

Wilco's de facto frontman, Jeff Tweedy, sports a colorful past, one where he wrote paint-peelers dedicated to late Minutemen founder D. Boon as a member of the feted (and maybe fated) Uncle Tupelo and where he dolefully crooned Woody Guthrie lyrics on 1998's Mermaid Avenue. But Wilco's Summer Teeth shows hardly a tatter of Tweedy's herky-jerky postpunk intensity or the agrarian rootsiness that so often came in the past from him. Instead this layered album spreads its digits far into guitar-heavy Britpop, with full-group backing vocals carrying bouncy choruses and synths whistling over the melodies. The tunes sound like a crosshatch of orchestral plans and an execution drawing on Alex Chilton and Big Star, the Kinks, and, only distantly, Wilco's debut, A.M. "We're Just Friends" and "Via Chicago" stand as harmonized twists on ballad formulas, the latter recalling Mermaid Avenue's "California Stars" with the opening line, "I dreamed about killing you again last night / And it felt all right to me." So it's not always uplifting or cheery, but it's got dozens of surprises in a mere 15 songs. --Andrew Bartlett ... Read more

Reviews (167)

A Musical Explosion
Wow. That's all you can say about 'Summerteeth' after you listen to it for the first time. Being a longtime fan of the band, I was excited when I had first heard about this album. While I first heard Wilco on 'AM', I had not really grown to like them until 'Being There', a rich, diverse album that showed the band ready to grow in new directions. Looking back, it seems the band was merely streching it's muscles. Tweedy takes Wilco to new heights here, demonstranting, once again, while the band is so important right now. Instead of focusing on radio friendly music, the band continues to refine the experimentalism of 'Being There', which results in a whole new catalouge of rich, atmospheric work. From the opening track of 'Can't Stand It' to the lushness of 'Pieholden Suite" to the power of 'Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway (Again)', this album marks the new Wilco, with only the faintest glimmer of Uncle Tupelo in their work. While I loved 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' for the continued experimentation, for people who just want a great album and do not desire to explore the band, this is the single ablum to get.

It had to have been made
Upon "Summer Teeth"'s release in 1999, Wilco had been playing the stripped-down, folk-tinged rock card to excess. Their two previous albums, the unnoticed "A.M." and the poppier double-album "Being There", were good, but hardly distinguishable from frontman Jeff Tweedy's first band, the seminal Uncle Tupelo. The songs off the first two releases were, for the most part, good to exceptional, but the country-esque lullaby production was getting rather redundant. Here, it seems, multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennet's pop influences have more presence. By using a more Brit-pop approach to their catalogue here, Wilco created their first masterpiece album.
It's surprisingly consistent, too. From the organ-driven first track "Can't Stand It" to the Kinks-like hidden closer "Candyfloss" everything here is outstanding. Even the folk songs like "She's a Jar" and "We're Just Friends" (the former of which is Wilco's best lyrical song to date) seem to have a new life when put into this masterful collection.
After this came Wilco's finest hour, the Amazing "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot", and by listening to "Summer Teeth" it's not difficult to see where they were headed.

Apex Versus Turning Point versus Evolutionary Progress?
This was the first Wilco album I listened to, and (cliche, I know) was quite blown away. I was giddy for three days. Now I've been a shamelessly obsessive Wilco fan for 5 years or so, and can better digest what this album represents. Take the defining alt-country band Uncle Tupelo, launch a spinoff with Tweedy as frontman, Tweedy takes over, steers the band to ever more progressive obtuse pop. This is the first album where that direction was clear: the irrevocable departure from straight ahead roots rock towards an unknown realm of experimentation (though their latest work remains unapologetically listenable, unlike much of the other stuff promulgated by the likes of Captain Beefheart). Here we still see fairly simple country based ditties, but even in these is visible the desire of Tweedy and company to get a little darker, scarier, more surreal at times. There are upbeat rockers aplenty (Shot in the Arm, Can't Stand It) but listen to the lyrics and you'll see they're well beyond boymeetsgirl. There are breezy country-rock styled riffs, but again, scratch the surface and you'll hear Jeff Tweedy singing about growing old, fighting loneliness, etc. Bonus track Candyfloss is a shameless Beach Boys raveup, pure hyperglycemic pleasure. My two favorites are quite dark: She's a Jar (somehow it's about physical abuse and pervasive disappointment, though the lyric is a bit obtuse at times)and Via Chicago (darkest imagery, powerfully presented).
Even with the breakthroughs of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost is Born (their two subsequent albums) Summerteeth remains my favorite. The next two continue to depart from the pop mainstream while remaining quite accessible; Summerteeth was closer in, more comforting, more satisfying in a very basic way.

the greatest pop album ever made
Poetic lyrics, excellent production, wonderful melodies, truly the best album I have ever heard and one I cannot go a week without listening to at least once. If the beatles could have made one more album and brian wilson produced it, it might sound like summerteeth. Just go buy it, words cannot describe how great an album it is.

Great Great Great Disc
What do you say about one of our generation's most defining albums when no one has heard of it? The music, lyrics, and that undefinable edge of this album rank it as an all time classic, but few critics would rank this in their top picks. The reason is simple: Wilco's success has always been limited to intelligent discerning individuals looking for great music-not the next big thing. Wilco might never become Top-40 radio darlings, or their next album might propel them to popularity on par with the Beatles. Either way, they remain one of the best bands out there-no matter what genre of music you listen to.

Summerteeth is a miasma of rock, pop, and country music swirled into an amazing tapestry of sound. The songs evoke hard and true feelings: bitter anguish and bubbling euphoria. Like all truly great albums by truly great bands, they defy description and they work together. Wilco doesn't use cheesy concepts or themes to tie their songs to one another, but this is one disc you have to listen to all the way through to appreciate.

In the end, that greatness may be their commericial undoing. Although certain tracks would certainly work on pop radio, they're not as good by themselves. To hear one of Summerteeth's songs without hearing the rest of the album is like reading a single and random chapter of a great novel-it may be good reading while you're reading it, but you have to read the whole thing to appreciate its magnitude.

Buy this album, and listen to it, and it alone, for a week. Then buy Yankee Foxtrot Hotel and Story of the Ghost and consider yourself a Wilco fanatic. Trust me-it's worth it.

PS: also check out Greg Kot's forthcoming (June 15th) book on the Wilco. Greg is the Chicago Tribune's lead rock critic and one of the most honest and earnest voices out there today. His reviews are right on and transcend criticism to bring you the true story and significance of the music. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Rockin' and eclectic, this Austin quintet aims to brighten honky-tonk nights with their fifth album, Wicked Twisted Road. Sure, there's a sense of regret in the opening title track and "Dogtown"--mostly for squandered youth and aspirations--but Celtic fiddle lines and singer Willie Braun's lilting melody makes the tour story "Seven Nights in Eire" a genuine pub song, and "Motel Cowboy Show" celebratesall-night boozin' and lovin' with hot pickin' and a rollicking drum beat. A revving motorcycle kicks off the bad -boy-on-the-run stomp "Sixgun." And there are bad girls, too, like the cruel lover who's "bitter and sweet as a death-row meal" in "Nobody Haunts Me Like You." There's also no shortage of big guitars, growling through half of these numbers and happily rubbing up against the spiky blues harmonica of the post-breakup slammer "Wretched Again." The album winds down with a lovely acoustic instrumental version of the title track--proof that even a wicked twisted road dotted with robberies, heartbreak, and drunkenness can turn back home, peacefully, again. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (5)

This is what country bands SHOULD sound like
If country radio was true to itself and its listeners, and not caught up in imaging, Reckless Kelly would be one of the most played bands.

I've been a mediocre fan of theirs for several years, but after hearing a few tracks from this CD on XM Radio, I became a true believer.WICKED TWIST ROAD is not too polished, but also not too raw.The album flows wonderfully, from sad ballad, to honky-tonk, to country-irish (is there such a thing?), to good country-pop, and finally, memorable western story songs.

I rarely give CDs 5 stars, but this is a must-have for any alt-country fan.This is what country is all about.

Masterpiece
This album all together is a great album, no bad tracks. My review of each song.

Wicked Twisted Road - 8/10 Great title track song, unlike others, but is one of the weaker songs on the album

Dogtown - 8/10 Another one of the better songs on the album

Seven Nights In Eire - 9/10 One of the best tracks on the album, it has a great Irishish sound to it

A Lot To Ask - 9/10 Great song about the trouble with taking someone back

Motel Cowboy Show - 9/10 Just a real fun song

These Tears 9/10 Well put together lyrics and melody

Sixgun - 10/10 Greatest song on the cd, the story of a bank robbery, betrayel, and love. Also the longest track on the cd.

Nobody Haunts Me Like You 10/10 Very haunting song, just like the title insinuates. Comes in a very close second to Sixgun

Wretched Again - 7/10 While it is a good song, it just doesn't have the memorability like the others

Broken Heart 8/10 Good song, but it's still one of the weaker tracks compared to Sixgun and These Tears

Stick Around 9/10 Great lyrics and a very catchy tune

Baby's Got A Whole Lot More 8/10 This song seems more filler than anything, its a good song, but they could have done better

Wicked Twisted Road (Instrumental) 9/10 Its refreshing to see instrumentals coming back with the likes of Brad Paisley and Reckless Kelly

Wow!!!! Just discovered this awesome band
Just bought this cd and it blew me away. I was so impressed i went out and bought Under The Table & Above The Sun which is also a fantastic cd. The story telling along with the hard hitting music makes for an unbelievable sound. I can't believe i am just hearing Reckless Kelly now what a hidden Talent.
Wicked Twisted Road
1. Wicked Twisted Road 10/10
2. Dogtown 7/10
3. Seven Nights In Eire 10/10
4. Alot To ask 7/10
5. Motel Cowboy Show 10/10
6. These Tears 8/10
7. Sixgun 11+/10 Best Song On Cd
8. Nobody Haunts Me Like You 8/10
9. Wretched Again 6/10
10. Broken Heart 8/10
11. Stick Around 7/10
12. Baby's Got 8/10

RK has a bonified hit this time.
Many of you have probably never heard of Reckless Kelly but let me tell you what you are missing out on.Anyone who likes something a little different than what you hear on the radio and at every little bar will love this album.It has a mix of everything from slow "countryesque" ballads to fast, instrumentally supurb rock/americana type songs. If you wanna try something a little different and alot better than what you are used to, then this album is for you.

The best yet....
I'm the first to admit that my take on Wicked Twisted Road is biased because of my love of RK's music.I knew before I even heard the record that I would love it.I guess what I wasn't counting on is how great of a record it would actually be.I knew it would be great, but I didn't know I'd like it so much more than their previous efforts.

The album is tied together wonderfully by the bookends of Wicked Twisted Road and the Wicked Twisted Road reprise.Other highlights of this record include Motel Cowboy Show (sure to become a staple of RK concerts to come) and Wretched Again (which reminds me of Southern Harmony Musical Companion era Black Crowes material).The songwriting, as always is great on Wicked Twisted Road, but it's taken a turn towards the darker side of life, which is certainly a welcome addition to Rk's music.

The real gem of this record though are the musical performances and the production work.Ray Kennedy's (known for his work with Steve Earle as part of the Twangtrust) work shines through on Wicked Twisted Road.Kennedy found a way to bring the feel of a live Reckless Kelly show to a CD.For the first time, you can really hear the little intricacies of the music from the mandolins, fiddles, percussion and the bass lines.It's the most accurate recorded representation of a live electric Reckless Kelly show.Everything and everyone shines on this record and it's sure to propel the band to new heights.

Reckless Kelly is:

Willy Braun-Vocals, guitars
Cody Braun- Vocals, fiddle, harmonica, mandolin
David Abeyta- lead guitar
Jay Nazz- drums and percussion
Jimmy McFeely- bass guitar

www.recklesskelly.com ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Call them the Nine Inch Nails of punk. Like NIN, the Offspring preserve the essential ingredients of their chosen genre--guitars grinding out three chords, shouted vocals, and plenty of vitriol--and layer them over a melodic base that packs considerable popular appeal. The singles from Smash, the Offspring's breakthrough album, still receive considerable radio airplay: "Gotta Get Away," "Come Out and Play," and "Self Esteem."With these and Smash's 11 other tracks, the band chronicles the adolescent experience with clarity and surprisingly incisive wit. That pretty much describes all of their albums, but this is the one to get. It's got more shape than their earlier material and isn't as disturbingly poppy as their more recent recordings; it's the perfect blend of riffs and rage. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (316)

I would recommend it
Hard to believe that it's been almost a decade since the Offspring released what was to become their best work, "Smash". Brewing with Dexter Holland's so-cal voice, clever lyrics, and nice all-around punk energy, Smash represents the prime of one of the Epitaph labels best bands.

But to label the Offspring as just another Epitaph band would be wrong. This is a punk album, make no mistake about it, but if you're looking for something along the lines of noFX, Randcid, or Pennywise, you might be in the wrong place.

Not to say that "Smash" isn't up to par with "Punk In Drublic", "...And Out Come The Wolves", and "About Time", but it definetly has a sound of it's own when compared to those three.

If I could, I'd rather give this 4 1/2 stars, but unfortunatly, Amazon.com only allows me a 4 or a 5 so I'll go with the latter, because though it's not exactly a 5 star CD, it's definetly not a 4 star. Here's a quick track by track listing.

1. Time To Relax: Simple introduction. Kind of pointless, but it's not bad as far as introductions go.

2. Nitro: Very fast and energetic track. It sets the tone for the rest of the album very well. As the chorus states, it's about "living like there's no tomorrow".

3. Bad Habit: Like many other Offspring songs about serious subjects, Bad Habit's take on road rage is surprisingly up tempo (save the first 50 seconds or so, and somewhat comical.

4. Gotta Get Away: Arguably the best track on the CD. Very nice, but somewhat slow and monotonous. Still manages to have one of the best choruses ever. It's about a person suffering from paranoia.

5. Genocide: Fast song. One of several on here dealing with political issues. As the title suggests, it's about genocide. "Dog Eat Dog, every day, on our fellow men we pray".

6. Something To Believe In: Self explanatory. One of the more pointless songs on the album. It sounds almost exactly like all the songs around it.

7. Come Out And Play: The unreleased single turned hit. For a song about gang-violence, it's surprisingly up tone and seems better suited for a party than such a serious issue.

8. Self Esteem: At this point you reach the peak of the CD (although Smash helps bring it back to that level near the end). Come Out And Play and Self Esteem might be the two best songs on the CD and they come right after each other. It's about a guy being abused in a relation ship.

9. It'll Be a Long Time: Yet another political song. Deals with how world leaders may never set aside their differences for the greater benefit of all.

10. Killboy Powerhead: About as significant as the title leads you to believe.

11. What Happened To You: Poppiest song on the album. Deals with a guy's best friend turning into a druggy before his eyes and him not being able to help him. Once again however, very uptone for a serious subject.

12. So Alone: Quick fast, swearing. It wasn't meant to be anything deeply meaningful, and it doesn't have to. It's great just the way it is.

13. Not The One: Voice of a generation. Scoffs at youth being labeled as causing the problems in society while so many of the worlds problems were caused by past generations.

14. Smash: As good as any of the other songs on this album. In my opinion the best. An anthem for all of those who don't fit in and don't care what the "mall-ratts" think about them. I'm sure that if it wasn't for the constant swearing, this would've been their first single.

So there you have it. The Offsprings Smash. Very good, but not Great. But still, good enough that I'd recommend it to you. Check it out. You won't regret it.

An absolutely amazing cd.
It's hard to say which Offspring cd is the best, many people say this one. Although I'm not sure I agree (too much competition for me) those people have good reason to call this the best Offspring album.

Time to Relax, a good intro, a little bit worse then disclaimer and Neocon. No rating

2. Nitro, a good opening track, the guitar sticks in your head badly. The lyrics dont make much sense but they sound cool. 9.5/10

3. Bad Habit, a fun song about road rage, this is the one I heard first off this album. One of the songs that shows what the Offspring are like. 9.5/10

4. Gotta Get Away, an awesome song with a great chorus. Has some cool lyrics and a weird music video. 10/10

5. Genocide, a song with an awesome guitar riff (used at the end of the album and in the Ixnay song Change the World). A fun song to sing aloud because of the dog eat dog line. 10/10

6. Something to Believe in, I don't know why people dont like this, it has an AWESOME chorus and a great interlude. 10/10

7. Come out and Play, a really fun song that I still hear on the radio all the time. The lyrics are hard to figure out but they are good. 10/10

8. Self Esteem, another single, a cool song that I heard awhile before I bought this album. A little slow but has good guitar. 9.5/10

9. It'll be a Long Time, the only song on the album I don't love. It's ok but not spectacular. 7/10

10. Killboy Powerhead, The 2nd worst song on the album, but
that dosent mean its bad, 7.5/10

11. What Happened to You, pretty good and funny 8.5/10

12. So Alone, I get it confused with All Along from CO1, I'm not sure which is better. 9/10

13. Not the One, awesome awesome lyrics with cool guitar, I love this one 10/10

14. Smash, aaaaaaaaah the best song on the album. Awesome lyrics and cool guitar. The bridge is AWESOME AND COOL. Wow this is good. 11/10

Offspring's Finest
Smash is the album that made the offspring famous and its deffinatly their best work. Sure, this CD might be from 1994, but it's still awesome

1)Time to Relax- an intro, so nothing to worry about. no rating
2)Nitro (Youth Energy)- a catchy drum line at the beginning and powerful sound. the song has great lyrics that will fill you with energy. the song is basically a song about teens doing what they want. 10/10
3)Bad Habit- a very funny song that starts out w/ just slow bass, then turns into a really rocking song. the lyrics are amusing and shows the humor that these guys posess. the song is about someone w/ road rage 10/10
4)Gotta Get Away- 1 of the hits, it's got a great sounding intro and a catchy sounding chorus. the song is about someone who is paranoid and can't stand himself 9/10
5)Genocide- its got a very catchy punk sound w/ good but not great lyrics. the song is about how people fend for themselves and walk all over the little guy 10/10
6)Something to Believe In- 1 of their political songs, its about society falling apart. the song starts out slow, but gets faster and has a good sound 9/10
7)Come Out And Play- 1 of the hits, its the song that made them famous. the song has kind of a strange, but catchy middle eastern sound to it. it also has a great sounding chorus. the song is a sarcastic look on teenage gang violence 9/10
8)Self Esteem- 1 of the hits, the song has a more mid-tempo sound and is organized strangely, but has awesome lyrics. you can just visualize the situation going on- the guy trys so hard to look for love, but all hit gets is abuse. but that's all made up for when he gets sex(...) 10/10
9)It'll Be a Long Time- 1 of their political songs, it gets faster and has a more punk sound as it goes a long. the song is about how the the superpowers (ie usa and brits) do what they want, but in turn harm the rest of the world 9/10
10)Killyboy Powerhead- a dijets cover, the song has rather pointless and repetitive lyrics, but an ok sound with good guitar 7/10
11)What Happened To You?- a very fast paced song w/ high energy and almost a ska sound. the song has some good lyrics that move fast. it is about a good person who fried their brains on drugs 9/10
12)So Alone- the hardest sounding song on the CD, it is about loneliness and depression. however, the song is so short (a minute 15 seconds) that its hard too enjoy 7/10
13)Not The One- 1 of their political songs, it is about how society's problems are passed on to the next generation even though they didnt cause them. the song has a good punk bass and drum beat 9/10
14)Smash- the best song on the CD! it has an awesome sound and a great solo. it also has the perfect lyrics for a punk song and it is about doing what you want and not conforming. the song is actually 3 minutes long, but if you keep listening, there are about 5 minutes or so of instrumental pieces, after it 10/10

this is why everybody likes offspring
this album rocks. the singles for this are the kinda songs you dont mind hearing over and over on the radio. the rest of the songs in this are good and is the best offspring cd out there. they may not be the most hardcore punk band out, but who cares?

Their best. Perioud.
This is the best independent CD sold to date. And that says enough. If you like any of the other albums, you'll love this. ... Read more

Reviews (193)

Happy, hoppy, Hip
Hey. If you've never had CAKE, you've never had anything like CAKE. These wacky guys from the West are funky and fresh. Their latest offering has several true gems.

As with their previous collections, they are either way on or they're way off. Luckily, the "on" songs are plentiful enough to make this CAKE rich and flavorful.

On Comfort Eagle, CAKE uses several trusted sources to mix their tracks, and the variety pays off in a driving concoction of pleasurable delights. From the groove of "Meanwhile Rick James..." to the hard edged "Shadow Stabbing" to the immediately addictive "Short Skirt/Long Jacket", the boys weave a tight blend of keyboard, guitar, and horn, then sprinkle liberally with an endless variety of percussion to punctuate their quirky and unpredictable lyrics. The result is unmatched, unimaginable and fun fun fun fun.

You'll get the hook right away, and beware: the songs will STICK with you for days.

Don't bother with tracks 5, 10, 8, and 11. They're off. I also recommend that you skip past track 1, "Opera Singer", until you've enjoyed the rest of the album thoroughly. It may put you off unless you are already a fan.

A solid effort. Another great driving road album. Look for "Love You Madly" on the radio.

Searching Enoch, Mike

More of the same, and that's just fine with me.
One thing about Cake is that they have a very distinct sound. This may be due to the fact that they produce their own albums. I anxiously await each new album and don't expect to be disappointed, and I'm pleased to say I wasn't when I popped in "Comfort Eagle". Call it rock-funk-country-disco-pop, if you will, or don't call it anything. It's a sound that cannot be labeled. It's THEIR sound. If you are a fan (like myself) who owns their previous 3 albums, you won't be disappointed with this offering, because it's more of THEIR sound for a fourth time around. "Meanwhile, Rick James..." has a sort of hip-hoppish/Ol' School rap sound as the basis of the track. "Shadow Stabbing" is reminiscent of a classic 80's tune in its chorus. "Arco Arena" is an instrumental offering lasting only a minute and a half, powered by a driving guitar. The title track will have you shouting "DUDE!" along to your car stereo. This album has a unique sound all its own when compared to Cake's other releases. Each track on this album has a unique sound all its own when compared to the others, but it still has THEIR sound, and hopefully it's a sound that will be around for many more records to come.

Good Songs BUT...
The ever strange Cake deliver an album of very well done songs but listining to the entire album gets boring. Pop it in listen to the songs individualy over a few days. This would make two great EPs but as an album, it gets old after Comfort Eagle and somtimes before that.

Ridiculously Tight
I've always loved Cake's special outlook on the world. It's here again on this album. "Pretty Pink Ribbon" is a good example of this - great take on girls, kind of similar in message to No Doubt's "Just a Girl".

At any rate, the instrumentals on this album rock. The harmonies are tight, as always. Get it.

Anyone know when we'll see another Cake album?

underrated totally underrated
even if you are a hardcore KORN or 311 fan youll get a strange joy out of this album (god knows some of my friends did!) my appreciation of this album cannot be placed into paragraph form so ill do it in bullets

the band sounds ultra-cool,the choppy retro guitar, tight synth-like drum. heaping loads of vintage keyboards (MOOG's rule!) the steady, bouncing ball style of bass, i mean who could resist!

lyrically, this band reminds me of TMBG(They Might Be Giants) quirky lyrics about love,(love you madly, obviously!)anything off the top of their heads(opera singer) completely morbid and/or macabre topics but meanwhile remaining able to sound upbeat and poppy(pretty pink ribbon)the music biz(comfort eagle)and Complete nonsense(meanwhile Rick James...)

all i have to say is BUY IT! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sell 10 million copies of your debut album and you might find yourself putting on a few airs. Evidence that it's happened to matchbox twenty can be found in the new, spelled-out format of their all-lowercased name and the pretentious insertion of that name into the title of this, their sophomore set. The level of popularity achieved by their 1996 debut, Yourself or Someone Like You, posed a more profound problem, though--should they follow in the footsteps of that smash effort, or strike out in a different direction? To their credit, the Orlando quintet puts their massive popularity on the line by opting mostly for the latter course: there are no obvious retreads here of earlier hits such as "Push," "3 a.m.," and "Real World"--or of "Smooth," the multiple-Grammy-winning Santana hit penned and sung by matchbox frontman Rob Thomas. Instead, the album sports a nice mix of material that is catchy, but may take a little longer to settle into your memory banks, such as the moody yet intense "Bent," the horn-driven rocker "Black & White People," and several songs examining various aspects of relationships, "If You're Gone," "Rest Stop," and "Bed of Lies." Whatever the members of matchbox twenty want to call themselves, these guys may yet be able to have it all--artistic growth as well as massive sales. They're not headed for Hootieville just yet. --Daniel Durchholz ... Read more

Reviews (500)

A Pop Rock Standard
The sophomore album of Matchbox 20 was very difficult to create. Although Rob Thomas is an excellent lyricist, some of his songs didn't seem to have the catchiness that is a must when it comes to pop rock songs. Sure, people liked his songs when they first heard them on the radio, but this changed after about two weeks because after hearing it only a few times, they got old. This album features more of the same, but also some great inspired rock that makes it stand out. "Angry" is a great starter and a mere prelude to "Black & White People," which flat out rocks you with...horns? Yes, horns. I really like "Crutch" although the lyrics could be made slightly more intelligible during the verses. "Last Beautiful Girl" is a very catchy, midtempo song that I rate the second best on the album. "If You're Gone" is next, which has been way overplayed on the radio but fits nicely in its position on the album. "Mad Season" is simply the best. I think if they put this out as a single it would go straight to #1. It's typical MB20, but with excellent tempo and dynamic changes. Then the album slows down for a bit. "Rest Stop" shows that MB20 is progressing a little bit on their slower side, but "The Burn," which I rate the worst on the album, quickly changes your mind about that. This is followed by another great single, "Bent", followed by a slow one that never really caught me, "Bed of Lies." Then it's time for "Leave", which may sound boring in the first couple of minutes but when it gets slightly louder becomes an excellent piece. "Stop" shows a bit of MB20's hard rocking side. Then the album closes with "You Won't Be Mine," which is a frank waste of time. The song length is listed as 9:54 or so but three minutes of that is total silence towards the end trying to make fans think the album's over when it really isn't. They could have filled up that time with another great song.

Just a brilliant CD!
"Mad Season" is perhaps the only CD I own on which I can't name one track as my definite favourite. The standard of music is incredible: right from the up tempo, catchy opener "Angry" to the final haunting "You Won't Be Mine". I bought this CD on impulse having only heard Mad Season and Bent and had to play it through several times before I fully appreciated how great it is. The songs on this album are just too good and I can't pick one outstanding one. Top contenders would be "Rest Stop" and "You won't be mine", closely followed by "Leave", "Bent" and "Bed of Lies" "Last Beautiful Girl". This is a CD that you can listen to straight through without having to skip any tracks. There is a perfect mix of faster, catchy songs such as "Crutch", "Angry" and "Stop" and ballads such as "Rest Stop" and "You won't be mine". Some songs worth mentioning are:

Mad Season - One of the most enjoyable songs on the album. Up tempo and irresistibly catchy.

Bent - This is an amazing song that it's impossible to get tired of. Great vocals and guitar sound on this track.

Last Beautiful Girl - The chorus is the highlight of this song. Another very catchy song with great lyrics.

Rest Stop - A slower song about the breakup of a relationship. I love the emotion the lead vocalist puts into this.

Bed of Lies - a deep, very emotional song with an almost dreamy quality to it.

Stop - I really like this song. It's very different to everything else on the album and has a harder rock sound.

You won't be mine - The haunting final track on this album is powerful, emotional song, filled with desperation and loneliness. "You won't be mine" is a totally unique, original track with fantastic vocals and an incredible orchestral sound.

"Mad Season" is without doubt one of the best albums in my collection, at present second only to The Goo Goo Dolls' "Dizzy up the Girl". I can't wait to get "Yourself or someone like you" so I can hear some of Matchbox 20's older material. I would highly recommend this CD to any music lover. Fans of Vertical Horizon, Nine Days, Third Eye Blind and the rest will love this amazing CD.

~Jenna~

WOW!
Okay, first let me tell you that matchbox twenty is a band unparralelled by any band of the past or present. seriously don't think any artist will match what they have done. Second, I don't think there will ever be a greatest hits collection because if there were it would have to be a three disc or more set featuring every song they have ever written. There is not a bad song in there library. If you don't have all of the CD's, buy them on amazon or at a store. You won't be let down. The CD starts off fast with the wonderful "Angry" which is only preparing you for what is to come. It is one of the weakest songs on the album, but it starts the album perfectly and. Then comes the incredible "Black and white people which completely destroys "Angry" This song should have been a single, and is one of the best songs on the album, or of the last fifty years. Following it up is "crutch", which is kind of like the sequel to "angry" to, and proves to be about the same in the goodness area. Then, just when you think the rest of the album might be like track's one and three, "Last beautiful girl" comes on and then you are truly hooked to the end of the album. This is another one of the best. Then comes one of the three songs on the album that everyone knows. "If your gone" is a fantastic and moving ballad. It was the third song off the album released as a single. It is really good, but nothing will prepare you for what comes next. "Mad season" the title track and the second song release as a single is possibly the best song on the album, and one of matchbox twenty's best. It is such a great upbeat masterpiece, that if you don't like it, you should get airlifted to the closest medical center because something its wrong with you. "Rest stop" is another one of the best on the album, and continues the albums on going streak. It's such an incredible piece of music you may think that matchbox twenty has alreay shown all of it's best songs, and the rest of the album won't be that great. You are wrong. You, believe it or not, have already seen the worst. Next up is the song that challenges "Mad season" as the best, "The burn" and it may even beat it. It is such a fantastic song that you could listen to it a million times and it wouldn't get old. This ALONE is worth the price of the album. Next comes the first song that was released as a single,"Bent" and blieve it or not, is one of the weakest songs on the album. I loved the first matchbox twenty CD, and after hearing this song, I thought that they had only managed one great album. I was wrong. Next comes "Bed of lies" a great song like all the rest. The lyrics are pretty amazing in this one, mad season, and "the burn". Then comes the amazing ballad that is "Leave" a song that gets better with every listen, and then the CD charges right in to "Stop" one of the harest tracks, and one of the best. I really cannot explain the sensation listening to this song gives me, and then fianlly, after the musical ride of a lifetime, comes the finaltrack "you won't be mine" which is the perfect song to close out the album.
In the end, mad season does exactly what it should. Improve one the original, and states that there is no such thing as a sophomore slump.

This gets thrown around a lot, but I mean it: a masterpiece
Being a huge fan of matchbox twenty after their first album, I of course was in the store on the day Mad Season came out. The first time I listened to it, I was immensely unimpressed. This was nothing like the sound Matchbox 20 had generated. Certainly, it was Thomas' voice, but it was a way different sound, and I didn't like it.
But I kept listening. Quickly I realized that some of the distracting blues horn or piano in many of the songs only added to the songwriting brilliance of the songs' lyrics. That whole summer I didn't need one other album, I could find so much in Mad Season. Day after day I found something new and great about the album. This also gets thrown around too much, but now I absolutely love every song on the album, and pop rock really isn't my thing. But this album is a MASTERPIECE.

1. Angry- Begins with an unfamiliar electric riff that totally violates all previous assumptions about the band. The song really sets the tone for the album, light-sounding, but, when analyzed closely, a really deep emotional expression for Thomas.

2. Black and White People- Brilliant lyrics. The horns at the start are sort of stupid, but they grow on you, and the lyrics, as aforementioned, are awesome. There are vague statements about racial unity, and everything else is an emotional scape of life in general.

3. Crutch- Gets a lot of respect and really deserves it for its rough and twangy sound. A good tune that will gradually start to annoy you.

4. Last Beautiful Girl- I would hate to be the woman who Thomas wrote this about, because the lyrics are vividly angry and condemning. Its really an uplifting song for someone going through a breakup.

5. If You're Gone- Really a good love song. Of course, when I say love song, this is Rob Thomas we are talking about, and he tends to not add the whole "Green Eyes" touch to his songs. He has a lot of frustration molded into the song.

6. Mad Season- An awesome title track. This is one of my favorite MB20 songs ever. Enough said. It's a spectacular blues song.

7. Rest Stop- Emotional and immensely depressing. I'm a Radiohead junkie, though, so if you're like me, the emotional pull you feel from this song is really powerful and awesome.

8. The Burn- Another song with a stupid start that makes you want to turn it off, but it turns out to be a good song in the end.

9. Bent- Best matchbox twenty song ever made. Deserved every bit of air time it received. If you hated this song, buy the album anyway. If you liked this song, buy the album anyway. In my opinion it's a classic (seriously).

10. Bed of Lies- Another soft one, with a pleading mood and the typical Thomas anger always right below the surface.

11. Leave- Really a sad song, and very, very good, after you get used to how terrible it makes you feel. Needless to say, it's really powerful.

12. Stop- It sort of sounds twangy and out of place near the end of the album, but I can't find anyone who doesn't like this song, including myself. Stop defies logic and makes you want to hear it again.

13. You Won't Be Mine- The slow blues piano has you at the beginning. An awesome song. The orchestration just makes you speechless with sadness for just an instant.

If you want a happy album, obviously this album isn't too good. It sounds like a mix between country and Raffi when you first turn it on, but then you hear the blues, and the jazz, and the rock, and you realize that this is a wonderful album. With this album, matchbox twenty demonstrated their ability to experiment with their music in a way that to date only U2 and Radiohead can match. One of the best rock albums in the nascent decade.

Liked this album
I like this album a lot better than the first. Rob Thomas' songwriting and the band backing him up are so well done and executed. I still like "Bent" and I got to hear it again on the radio 3 weeks ago--still rocks a good 4 years later! It has that Friday night--meets Saturday morning hangover at a race track kind of arena rock sound! I always get excited every time I hear it. Their later album from 2002 has opened them much wider, but I like this second effort from them. The rest of this album is very well performed and I like "If You're Gone"'s smooth pace. They will be a band to continue to watch for in the years to come! ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Wow, They've Done It Again!!
Dear God, please don't ever let Dishwalla stop making music!! I became a fan of Dishwalla when Pet Your Friends was released (thankfully I didn't give up after "Counting Blue Cars" was played every 5 minutes on the radio), but was really amazed after hearing them cover Depeche Mode's "Policy of Truth" (my favorite band) and realized the range and value of this band.Since then, I can honestly say I've loved every album and song Dishwalla has ever created.That said, I tend to lean towards their "rock-ier" music and therefore, unlike most reviews listed, thought Opaline was a little lacking of the beats and melodies I so love from this MUCH underrated band - but don't get me wrong - Dishwalla is also the master of the ballad and Opaline was magic in it's own right.But, oh, I am so, so happy to hear that the rock is back!!Its hard to pick favorites on this album cause they're all fabulous, however, if I had to pick, be sure to listen to and you'll love "Bleeding Out" and "Above the Wreckage".And, oh, the sultriness of JR's voice on "Ease The Moment" is what fans live for.These are definite standouts and essential Dishwalla in my opinion.To the band if you're reading this:Please know that you have MILLIONS of fans who can't go a day without listening to your music!!Thank you for gifting us with your amazing spirit and vision!!

Not disappointed
I have to say I had extremely high expectations of this CD. I played Opaline so much I practically melted my CD player.I've been a fan of the band since Pet Your Friends came out. JR has an amazing voice that just draws you in, that was never more in the spotlight than on Opaline.Now it's the rest of the bands turn to show they can shine as well.Is this CD life altering?No.Is it great rock music?Heck yeah.I'm so tired of lesser bands getting more notoriety and radio play when Dishwalla albums are SOOO good.Best kept secret in rock. If we're going to talk about how the songs sound the same have you listened to Coldplay? And as much as I love Tool and Perfect Circle there is a sameness to their songs. I mean I like coldplay but they are harldy breaking new musical ground.I'm just looking for better rock music than "emo" slugs Linkin Park, Cold, Three Days Grace, Three Doors Down.I'm so sick of the whining and "I'm-a-victim" songs. And don't get me started on the Blink 182 clones.It's tired and so are they.Sorry, back to Dish, some standout tracks here are Collide, Above the Wreckage, Winter Sun.But as previous reviewers have mentioned this one as well as Opaline is good from start to finish.

Well Worth It
I had not previously heard of Dishwalla (unfortunately for me!) until I saw them perform on a recent TV show; when I was then transformed into an instant fan! Luckily I taped the live performance of the songs "40 Stories" and "Collide", and have watched them several times. I then could not help myself but order this CD, which I have found to be awesome! LOVE YOU DISHWALLA!!!

New Direction, Next Level
I share many of the same Opaline comments - Opaline is an excellent CD.The self titled CD is nothing like Opaline, but it does share one major characteristic - it's a CD you play start to finish and enjoy the whole thing.I really love the new CD....it's raw Dishwalla doing what they want rather than trying to please a production company that only wants them to to craft pop songs for the radio (theres not really a "single" on this CD). If I could make one final recommendation it would be to play this CD alongside Opaline in shuffle mode....makes for a great Dishwalla experience.J.R. Richards continues to be one of the best kept secrets in music....saw them in concert last weekend and they rocked!If you get a chance to see them live, do that as well.....you won't be disappointed.

Top notch effort
I'll start off by admitting that Opaline was and probably always be my favourite Dishwalla offering. That said I have to give this album credit, as it truely is a fantastic alt-rock album, the musicmanship is among the best you will find anywhere, like many have said the drumming especially sticks out here, it's not extremely technical drumming but it suits the record so well.

I guess I was hoping for an album that was prehaps 75% opaline but juiced up with a bit of inspiration drawn from their earlier work...and in a way it is, the beautiful and haunting melodies are still there but with the guitar crunch turned up. I like this album alot, but a couple of the songs just lack some impact... for example when JR is repeating "I would give my life to keep you safe for a lifetime" on winter sun it all sounds so very plain and a bit of an anti-climax from the first 2 minutes 30sec of the song. "Life for sale" has to be the dud on this album though, I just can't say anything good about it, it feels weak and has filler written all over it with the boring riffs and repetitive nature of every part of the song! "Surrender the crown" isn't far behind, but is somewhat more engaging which scores it a few more points.

Those negativities aside, the album is still nothing short of excellent and I await the next Dishwalla release with baited breath because there is something this band kicks all other bands asses' at, and that is consistantly producing 'pleasant suprises' of albums and re-enventing themselves each time around.

Bravo! ... Read more

Amazon.com

As a teenager Dave Alvin frequented legendary L.A. blues clubs like the Ashgrove, where he soaked up the licks and the spirit of T-Bone Walker and Big Joe Turner. Alvin's first collection of new songs in six years repays these debts with the meanest electric blues he's ever played--and some of his most vivid, and most elegantly arranged, character studies. "Out of Control" nails the seediest of L.A. night-crawlers, the autobiographical "Nine Volt Heart" reveals the wonder of growing up with soul-era radio, and "Everett Ruess," the story of a desert drifter who happily disappears forever, questions how much we'll ever understand the human heart. Song for song, Ashgrove is Alvin's best record since King of California. All the narrative poise, lyrical soul, and guitar muscle of an American music master is here. --Roy Kasten ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Authentic American music for adults.
This CD is a surprisingly effective combination two different forms of genuine American music: Country and Blues. Dave Alvin has not only the audacity to do this, but the talent, both in song writing and performing, to bring it off successfully...The musicianship is first rate and Alvin's guitar work has never sounded more accomplished. His hard driving electric blues riffs and his near poetic acoustic work not only showcase his virtuousity but display a skilled musician at ease with his playing. His voice naturally complements the emotions of each song, from the growling blues in "Out of Control" to the elegiac wistfulness of "The Man in the Bed"...Most of the songs address loss: loss of love, loss of youth, loss of hope with depth and wisdom...In this era of bland aural product, unworthy of the title "music", marketed to adolescents, it's a wonder and a pleasure to listen to this accomplished and heartfelt collection of music. Think of a combination of Stevie Ray Vaughn and Johnny Cash and you'll have an idea of the music found here. I highly recommend ASHGROVE.

tough songs for tough lives
Dave Alvin has produced yet another set of magnificent songs. This one's different from "Blackjack David," his 1998 collection -- it is 1/2 a singer/songwriter album, and 1/2 a blues album. In fact it sounds like it might have been two quite different albums, but Dave decided to blend them. Whether or not that speculation is on target, the alternation of heavier blues numbers (Ashgrove, Black Sky, Out of Control, Sinful Daughter, Black Haired Girl) with more contemplative folk/country songs (Rio Grande, Nine Volt Heart, Everett Ruess, The Man In the Bed, Somewhere In Time) works to great effect. Dave has clearly been working on his electric blues guitar, with some great influences -- he sounds like Son Seals on "Black Sky"! Greg Leisz plays guitar and produces, and is indispensible once again for the overall sound. One of the best albums of 2004, without a doubt.

Tell the Truth!
We can all agree on one thing about Dave Alvin: the boy tells the truth, in his playing and his lyrics. This is another amazing musical gem and my personal favortie since "Blackjack David," his last CD of all-new original material. Not that he's ever done anything less than 4-star quality, mind you.

I wrestle with the mystery of how folks like Springsteen get such (deserved) credit, whilst Alvin consistently releases equally impressive -- if not better!! -- CDs. Should the blame be his punchless record label, today's sorry state of radio, or managment that can't hook him up with a huge tour to reach the masses? The problem sure ain't the material and performance.

An interesting study is listening back-to-back to "Somewhere In Time" off this CD and recent Los Lobos release. The Los Lobos session ranks as my "Song of the Year" thus far in 2004. Nonetheless the more economical version contained here still drills deeply into the soul, exposing deep aches and loss we've all suffered through, minute-by-minute, only to find some hope to help us survive.

The title track is the honest howl of a genuine man. He has lost his youth and is now victim of his own drive and desires formulated at an impressionable age. It's a contemporary perspective worthy of comparison to Blake's "Songs of Innocence and Experience."

"Out Of Control" is just a brilliant character study, and Alvin may have read my childhood diary before writing "Nine Volt Heart."

"Black Sky" and "Black Haired Girl" are other superb standouts (after "Blackjack David" what other black song will we get?) that showcase Alvin's band this time.

The Guilty Men are a formidable backing ensemble, but session players on this were definitely open for business at the studio. Bob Glaub on bass is especially well situated in the mix, emphasing and punctuating the messages with an underlying and subtle urgency.

Whaddya want? It's summer. So do yourself a great big favor. Put "Ashgrove" on, pour a crisp drink, go outside under the moonlit sky and listen to a CD that'll revise the how you see life while it validates your personal truth and values.

Dave Alvin finally releases a perfect studio album
... at least of his own material (Ironically, I think the highest quality album of this classic songwriter is Public Domain, his arrangements of traditional songs).

I love Dave Alvin's music, but often the production values of his records doesn't always equal his songwriting and musical talents, and his studio work doesn't equal the power and perfection of his live performances. Until his new album, Ashgrove.

Ashgrove has the perfect sound -- Dave and Greg Leisz have really outdone themselves. Buy the album and go see Dave and the Guilty Men on tour -- these songs are tremendous live, especially with Chris Miller accompanying dave on guitar/steel guitar.

His Best Effort Yet
Dave Alvin, while always good, has gotten progressively better over the years and Ashgrove arguably marks his best effort yet. Despite a string of fine CDs under his belt, Alvin has thus far failed to gain a wide audience beyond Southern California and a few cognoscenti scattered around the globe. This is the CD that should finally bring him the notice and acclaim he has long deserved. With the proper promotion, this album should attract alt-country and blues-rock fans, as well as cementing his musical ties with his established fan base.
Ashgrove starts strongly with the hard-rocking title cut and alternates harder rock and blues numbers with country-tinged ballads. I like the whole CD, though a couple of the softer numbers, The Man In The Bed and Somewhere In Time are on the weak side. My favorites are the evocative ballad Rio Grande, the searing Black Sky, the blistering rocker Out Of Control, and the plaintive ballad, Everett Reuss.
I certainly owe my friend Felice Kay, as she is one of the cognoscenti who brought Alvin's music to my attention several years ago. Without her tip, I may never have discovered him.
Obviously, Ashgrove has my highest recommendation. If you are not yet a confirmed Dave Alvin fan, this CD will make you one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Ramones' April 1976 debut, recorded for little more than $6,000, long ago passed into legend. Its exalted status as the inspiration for thousands of punk bands worldwide, though, hasn't overshadowed its monolithic roar, the knowing hilarity of its lyrics ("Judy Is a Punk" crams the SLA, the Ice Capades, and a salute to Herman's Hermits into a 90-second frame), and the impulse to blast it for everyone within earshot: Hey, listen to this. Embracing and rewriting rock & roll history at once, Ramones speeded up heavy music, adding a pop patina to songs inspired by horror movies and glue sniffing, and claiming a great Chris Montez tune ("Let's Dance") from the supposedly fallow period that had fallen between Elvis and the Beatles. Absurdist, yeah (how could anything with Joey's super-affected Liverpool-via-Queens accent be otherwise?) and also smart: "Havana Affair" is the greatest song about the cold war this side of Dylan. This remastered edition complements the original LP with a slew of demos, including a Spectoresque "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," and the single version of "Blitzkrieg Bop," that, equally prophetically, puts Joey's vocal through a mixing trick that makes him sound like he's on the mic at a football game. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (58)

A true piece of Americana
If the United States were to bury a time capsule, the music representative should be this record. Not only is it great to listen to on an induvidual basis, but it's importance to popular music today is incredible. Johnny's roaring guitar fuzz, Dee's Dee's heart stomping bass, and Tommy's pulsating drumming capped off by Joey's vocals kickstarted an entire new musical genre. At a time when popular music was dominated by bands like Led Zeppelin and Rush playing eight and nine minute songs with four minute pointless guitar solos, as well as that thing called disco, the Ramones took rock and roll back to what it was in the first place, a simple and fun song. That is what this album is, a collection of real rock and roll songs. These sound quite simply like Beatles-esque songs played very loud and very fast. This record is essential for any comprehensive collection.

The shot heard 'round the world
In retrospect, it's easy to overlook how revolutionary and different this album was when it hit the streets in the second half of the '70s. Just play a Yes album, a Styx album, or an Emerson, Lake & Palmer album beside it to try to get an understanding.

Recorded for barely over $6,000, The Ramones' debut album broke all the rules of pompous '70s rock and a new type of music was "invented" in the process: punk rock. Not very different from '50s and '60s rock, just a lot louder and faster. No solos, just a bunch of power chords and catchy melodies.

Not counting the bonus songs, there are 14 songs on this album. None of them are longer than 2:32, and many of them come in at under two minutes. It's all over in less than half an hour. But there's more packed into those 30 minutes than many bands pack into an entire career.

The sound quality is very raw. However, the remastering has made the lows a bit lower and everything a bit crisper, making everything seem even more powerful than before. Dee Dee's bass is shoved into the left speaker, Johnny's guitar screams from the right, and Tommy's drums thud relentlessly in the background. On top of this, Joey spits out his lyrics with his unique accent and equally unique delivery.

And even though this album would have been a landmark just for the aforementioned qualities, the songwriting is strong as well. Everyone knows "Blitzkrieg Bop (Hey Ho Let's Go)," but every one of these tracks is fantastic. "Judy is a Punk" is my personal favorite, with three verses, three choruses and an instrumental break all packed into 90 seconds.

After this album was released, a whole new batch of bands started up. Suddenly, it didn't matter if you couldn't play like Keith Emerson or Steve Howe, all that mattered was how much you believed in yourself and your music. The Ramones were probably the first somewhat popular band to use its limitations in a positive way, and many other soon followed: The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Blondie, Talking Heads, U2, etc. Had it not been for The Ramones, these bands might not have formed, let alone have been signed to a major record label.

Quite simply, one of the most important - and fun - albums ever made.

REAL PUNK!!!!
I don't know what the HELL Infedel is talkin about!! The Ramones INVENTED punk!! Avril isn't punk, she is pop (IMO she is crap). The Ramones rule, best damn band ever!

Don't Listen to the Infidel
The Infidel, I pray to God you were kidding. This music is incredible. Avril Lavigne is not punk, she's pop. blink-182 is not punk, it's pop. Good Charlotte is not punk, it's pop. The Ramones are punk. They invented punk. If it weren't for The Ramones, Avril Lavigne wouldn't be able to call herself punk. But anyways, onto the cd. This cd is incredible. Has some of the best Ramones songs on it, and the one song that when you think of the Ramones you think of, Bliztrkieg Bop. This might be a bit corny, but go get one of your friends and say to them: "Hey Ho! Let's Go!(buy The Ramones)!"

The 6 Thousand Dollar Album
Gentlemen (chuckle), we can rebuild the seventies. We can make the world's first Junk Rock Record. The RAMONES will be that record! It will bet better than it was before: simpler, LOUDER, FASTER. We will use Marshall amps and turn it up to 11. We will abandon guitar solos and over the top jamming, as well as replacing every drum solo and fill with screwed up 4/4 signatures and cymbal crashes. We will boil syrupy 70's schmaltz ballads in the battery acid of our amplifiers and make the record sound like the whole decade is being ground up in a garbage disposal. We will pay tounge-in-your-girlfriend's- cheek homage to horror movies (Chainsaw), child abuse (Beat on the Brat), drug abuse (I Wanna Sniff Some Glue), political abuse (Havana Affair), dope fiend street hustlers (53rd and 3rd), romance (I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend), and the inevitable bust ups (Loudmouth). We will also bookend this plate of punk with the ultimate gameplan (Today Your Love, Tommorow The World), and the epitome of glorious calls to trashing good fun in Blitzkrieg Bop. We will crush everything the 70's has smeared on us or we will scare the record buyer right out of the friggin store..oops, we scared the friggin record buyers right out of the store and developed a rabid cult following instead. Oh well, who needs those pinheads anyway! Count it Dee Dee! "1234." Belt it out in your best Mersey-meets-Queens accent Joey, "Hey ho! Let's go!" ... Read more

Album Description

FILMS ABOUT GHOSTS, a greatest hits package featuring songs from every fase of the band's ten-year recording career. Also includes the hit single from SHREK 2, "Accidentally In Love." ... Read more

Amazon.com

You don't need a bottle of Jack or even a trace of Southern lineage to appreciate the genius of Drive-By Truckers' Southern Rock Opera. Without a hint of irony, the Athens, Georgia, quintet creates a fast-driving, hard-living tribute to the indelible music and legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Like any good concept album, there's a modicum of plot and a theme to these 20 songs (loosely based around the rise and fall of fictitious Southern rock band Betamax Guillotine), but the best tracks make you forget the story line altogether: "Birmingham," "Zip City," and "Let There Be Rock." The "opera" aspects bog things down a bit--you probably only need to hear the spoken-word track "The Three Great Alabama Icons" once--but the overall concept still comes off without a hitch. The lyrics are great, the trio of electric guitars is blessed with raw production, and the tunes--though lacking the pop sensibility of, say, "Gimme Three Steps"--will have you cranking up the album for your friends. And, after a few spins of Southern Rock Opera, you might even find yourself digging out those old Skynyrd LPs to hear the real thing again. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Reviews (34)

The Drive By Truckers aren't trying to BE L.S.
Reviews so far are either glowing or very bad. The later seem to involve people who bought this recording based on reputation and the fact that it's supposed to be "Southern Rock." I can see how a purchase with those expectations might lead to disappointment, particularly for those who don't really like '90's and '00's roots rock and were expecting a faithful remake of Lynard Skynard. The band lists L.S. as an influence, but they obviously have a lot of other influences. I hear a good bit of Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Steve Earl, Seattle grunge and more in their music.

Pros: If you're a Southern person of the 30 something age range whose had any issues coming to terms with what being Southern means, both good and bad, then the theme of this album is likely to hit you between the eyes. These guys speak with a certain honesty not often heard. The album works on both first and repeated listenings and is one of the most REWARDING new releases to listen to in several years. These guys are fast becoming my favorite band.

Cons: A half star or so deducted due to rather primative guitar soloing (which also has its good side) and here and there a little bit of crudeness in the lyrics (I'm not talking about profanity . . . I mean the lyrics are a little unpolished in spots). Note, both of these criticisms are mere nit-picks when the work is considered as a whole.

Overall, an amazing album!

The best Southern rock album of the last twenty years
I'll stand behind the title above. DBT are proud of their Southern heritage but at the same time very realistic about the shortcomings of Southern life. Hence their songs have in the past been about everything from incest to glue sniffing. Intelligent lyrics and keen insight are crucial aspects of DBTs songs.

In Southern Rock Opera they push the envelope in an odd way. They record a two cd song-cycle that is basically about life in the seventies and the end of Lynyrd Skynyrd. It could have been a disaster or a pigeon-holed curiousity. Instead it may be one of the best rock albums of the last twenty years.

There are great songs here such as "Ronnie and Neil" and "Dead Drunk and Naked". Truth be told there really aren't any throwaways in the bunch. But the real stand outs in my mind are the near spoken word "Days of Graduation" and "The Three Great Alabama Icons". I don't think anyone who went to high school in any small town or lived in the seventies and knew who Wallace was can listen to this and not feel the impact.

Highly recommended.

It's a southern thang.
I must say that I never cared about "Lynyrd Skynyrd" much, but I saw this compared to other things I did like, and gave it a shot. Overall I'd say it's pretty good. They definitely walk that line between classic southern rock, and some of the recent alt-country bands, and I can see how "Southern Rock Opera" could please either crowd. There's a few slower/speaking parts that drag this down some, but tracks like "72 (this highway's mean)" and "Guitar Man Upstairs" rock along well. "Ronnie And Neil" is really good, and actually sounds like "Crazy Horse" to my ears, which may be the point. Not every song amazes, and I wonder if this wouldn't have been a better 15 track single disc, but oh well. So even though this is a decent album, I think when the mood strikes, I'll reach for "My Morning Jacket" instead.

Southern Gothic
The theme of this album is obsession. Obsession with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Neil Young, George Wallace, Southern/Classic Rock and what the whole "southern thing" means in general to this band. No one in this group can play, write or sing on the level of the legendary groups that inspired them. The music is not melodic at all, the singer sort of shouts raspily along to the ragged but rockin' sound of the band. But I will say their music and the themes of their lyrics are very refreshing in the face of what else is out there in the world of music today and they definately pour their hearts into it and that counts for a lot. The vocals have such a thick southern accent at times,(particularly during the spoken word segments) that it sounds like the cornpone accent Mick Jagger used to use as a goof on songs like "Sweet Virginia" or "Far Away Eyes". Highlights for me were,"Let There Be Rock" and "Ronnie And Neil". These guys have some serious raw talent and ambition to spare and they are definately inspired by the right guys. I hope they grow and transcend their great influences, but for now, this is one of the most interesting rock CD's I've heard in awhile.

Missed the point
I discovered these guys roaming around amazon and was intrigued by their comparisons to Lynyrd Skynyrd. As a big Skynyrd fan I bought the CD hoping that a band may have finally successfully found the tone and attitude Skynyrd celebrated. These guys haven't done it. The music is good, but they seemed to miss the point as far as who Skynyrd was musically. It is no surprise that they self admitedly just started listening to Skynyrd after years of growing up in Alabama ignoring the music.The album lacks the fun and honky-tonk rock Skynyrd virtually invented. While not a bad album, you don't shake your ass or tap your toes like a Skynyrd album would induce. It lacks the riffs, and electricity. These guys have taken something pure and turned it into melodramatic college rock. Talented musicians, but not worthy of the Skynyrd, Zeppelin, AC/DC comparisons they are recieving on this site. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Veteran troubadour Tom Russell's most conceptually ambitious (and audacious) release to date is less a collection of songs than an intensely personal travelogue through a bohemian America that no longer exists. It's like a postmodern spin on an old-time supernatural radio series, conjuring ghosts from thin air. With Russell as tour guide and circus midget Little Jack Horner riding shotgun, the narrative channels the voices of Charles Bukowski, Jack Kerouac, and Lenny Bruce, while connecting the cultural dots between the Greenwich Village of folk legend Dave Van Ronk, the Bakersfield of Buck Owens, the American southwest of environmentalistEdward Abbey, and the border cantinas of Tijuana. Russell subtitles the album A Ballad for Gone America, and it's plain he means "gone" as both the highest hipster's praise ("real gone," "outtasight") and a celebration of a wild strain of outsider artistry that has disappeared. By reminding the culture how much it has lost--how safe and homogenized it has become--Russell enriches the creative spirit with these echoes from the underground. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (17)

labor of love
tom russel has outdone himself,planting a flag on a high peak.hotwalker, his latest exploration of americana resonates with joy sorrow and longing for the gone world of beat america.for those of us of a certain age and attitude he evokes and celebates our icons and heroes;bukowski,kerouac,guthrie and ed abbey and recreates them for a young audience in need of old wisdom.buy this unique and beautiful disc

GREAT
To answer the reviewer below, I have listened to this CD five times already. It still rules. What does the "test of time" mean? You can pretty well forget how this album sounds like and be amazed by it ten years later. One listen could be well enough as well. It's great, that's all. It's not a usual collection of songs, it's something else - for the better. I have a lot of records in my collection, and for a change, I'm really happy to own something different. At least *this* record is unique in its own way. Also, it's one of the best tributes to American roots, and especially to the Beat Generation, that I've ever heard. Musically and spiritually. This record is the work of an artist and of a human person willing to express something in the best way possible. Got it.

How many times will you listen to Hotwalker?
I am a big Tom Russell fan and purchased this CD on faith.Artists certainly are free to record whatever they like, but for me the true test of a CD is how it stands the test of time, how many times will it be played?For me, once was enough. Buy any other Tom Russell CD and you will be pleased.To call this a sequel to the great "The Man from God Knows Where" is misleading at best.I look forward to the next "music" CD from Tom.

This collection is the director's commentary to Los Angeles
Tom Russell does his best to show those who don't believe that there is any "there" there where to look.Los Angeles is one complicated city - a series of suburbs where every einwohner opeates out of a different commercial center.It and Paris are the most likely models forlife in the world of the Web (Paris being the more organized).

These days, it is the responsiblity of the art historian to cross over into the roll of a carnival barker if the message is to get out.This is apparently Tom Russell's effort to share his personal coming of age through real life idols -- and what idols.

Given the other reviews, you know this is important work.You'll either love it or not get it.To me, this is a precurser to cubismin folk music.Russell completes the recording with a lovely version of "America the Beautiful."Many, I am sure, will not find Russell's observation of that beauty worth celebrating.But for me, thanks for sharing, Tom.

Awe-inspiring, breathtaking and monumental
Grammy? Fuhgettabowdit---we're talking Pulitzer here. Tom Russell has expanded his vistas and dusty western highways and byways into deeper, broader and far more meaningful ways than he previously had accomplished--and we're talking about one of our most gifted and thoughtful artists. An evolution from and sequel to Russell's previous concept album, THE MAN FROM GOD KNOWS WHERE, and its birth seedsevident in his moving Charles Bukowski elegy entitled CRUCIFIX IN A DEATH HAND from MODERN ART, Russell does a panoramic overview, uniquely his own, over the last half of the last century and the "true" nature of American art and experience. Like Woody Guthrie's panoramic vistas of redwood forests to New York Island, Russell does his own artistic/sociological/philosophical review from Dave Van Ronk through Merle Haggard to Bukowski alcohol-fueled Los Angeles nightscape. The players--Guthrie, Van Ronk, Abbey, Kerouac, Lenny Bruce--all gone now but leaving Russell to be the Boswell of their music and poetry that reflects all that we are and all that we could be as a culture and civilization. Bravo, Thomas George Russell! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

On his two early-1970s solo albums, collected here on one disc, Gram Parson lends his fragile, aching tenor to music that's the definition of what he called "country soul." Neither of these titles is quite as strong as the work Parsons had previously done with the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, but with originals as great as "She" and "In My Hour of Darkness"--not to mention backing from Emmylou Harris and the core of Elvis's early-'70s band--both GP and Grievous Angel still stand as country-rock classics. --David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (59)

A Great Voice Lost
After his brief tour with The Byrds and his founding efforts with The Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons released two solo LPs in the early '70s, "GP" and "Grievous Angel" that in many people's minds defined him (for better or worse) as the central figure in the evolution of the musical genre that came to be known as "country-rock." Listening to these songs today (now available on one CD), I'm struck by the fact that by today's standards they are much more "country" than "rock" ("country-rockabilly" is probably a more apt description, with songs like "I Can't Dance," "Oooh Las Vegas", and the not-exactly-live version of the Louvin Brothers' "Cash on the Barrelhead" providing a lot of foot tappin'), and would probably have a hard time penetrating today's watered-down country music programming.

Which is a shame - Parsons had few peers as a country singer, and his songwriting (often centered around the theme of sin and redemption) has endured since his mysterious death in 1973. The band assembled for these sessions would belong in anyone's Hall of Fame, led by the legendary guitarist James Burton, pedal steel maestro Al Perkins, and noted keyboardist Glen D. Hardin, and augmented by appearances from Country Gazette's Alan Munde and Byron Berline, along with then-ex-Burrito and future-Eagle Bernie Leadon. Most importantly, Gram introduced the music world to Emmylou Harris, who served as Parsons's vocal soul mate throughout the recording of these songs, be they heartbreaking ("Hearts on Fire", "Love Hurts"),... kicking ("Still Feelin' Blue", "Cash on the Barrelhead"), longing ("Hickory Wind"), or affirming ("Return of the Grievous Angel). Finally, Linda Ronstadt provides poigniant backup to what turned out to be Gram's epitath, "In My Hour of Darkness."

Gram Parsons did not want to be categorized, and refered to his style as "Cosmic American Music" - but I dare anyone to listen to this magnificent collection and not say to themselves, "Now this is what country music should be all about."

Cosmic Americana
He preferred to call what he did "Cosmic American Music." But as a short-lived member of the Byrds, founder of the groundbreaking Flying Burrito Brothers, and the doomed Hank Williams of the hippie generation, the late Gram Parsons was really the Godfather of what we now call the Americana movement. Dismissing the "country-rock" name-tag placed on his projects, he sought to bring his love for traditional country and soul music together with his taste for rock and roll. And now, both of his solo albums--1973's GP, and 1974's GRIEVOUS ANGEL--are finally on one single CD, exposing Gram for the obvious, if tragically flawed, genius that he was.

Both albums served not only to spotlight his imperfect but emotional voice, but they also shone the spotlight on a young Birmingham, Alabama native by the name of Emmylou Harris, who proved to be the perfect foil for Gram's approach. Among his own original songs (such as "Still Feeling Blue", "How Much I've Lied", and the immortal "Hickory Wind"), we get juicy covers of the J. Geils Band's "Cry One More Time", Tom T. Hall's "I Can't Dance", the Louvin Brothers standard "Cash On The Barrelhead", and "Love Hurts" (originally recorded by the Everly Brothers in 1960).

Besides Emmylou, Gram assembled a cadre of musicians to help him, including many (Glen Hardin; James Burton; Ronnie Tutt) that also served as Elvis' sidemen and who would later serve as part of Emmylou's Hot Band. Country-rock veterans Alan Munde, Bernie Leadon (formerly of the Burritos, and at that time a member of the Eagles) and Al Perkins also lent their instrumental virtuosity. And on the final track, the prescient "In My Hour Of Darkness", Gram paired Emmylou on harmonies with Linda Ronstadt, thus setting in motion a friendship between the two songstresses that continues to this very day.

Gram was unfortunately done in by booze and drugs; and the aftermath of his untimely passing is now the stuff of macabre legend. But his genius is ably displayed on this recording, which should be considered essential by anyone with a taste for the unconventional, which Gram Parsons most assuredly was.

True legend
Gram Parsons was a true visionary artist in my opinion. GP is his first solo album, originally released in 1972. Here it is coupled with his 1973 album GRIEVOUS ANGEL. On GP, it opens with the swinging country number "Still Feeling Blue". This album also paired him with Emmylou Harris, creating perhaps the best duet partners ever, and an undeniable chemistry. Their vocals really bring the material alive. He helped establish her as one of the most distinct and gifted vocalists. They sound especially great on "We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning", and "That's All It Took". The standout tracks though are the beautiful "She" and "A Song For You", which are very