Reviews (55)

The Cocteau Twins' "happier" album?
My first otherworldly experience with CT was my first (I'm on my third!) CD copy of PINK OPAQUE, which is still my absolute favorite CT work after enjoying and obsessing over their music since 1985.

Four-Calendar Cafe is probably my next favorite album, and it's hard to choose! There are moments in FCC that remind me of TREASURE and even more that remind me of BLUE BELL KNOLL. This is the album I give to friends and family as an introduction to CT's unique sound. I don't know of one person I've given it to who didn't rave about it.

There are five songs that I play endlessly when I'm not playing the entire album at a listening: first and foremost is Summerhead. Something about the intro and the melody just puts me in a great frame of mind, no matter how many times I've heard it. Then, Pur would be a close second, though the mood is the total opposite. Pur is one of the loveliest songs CT have ever produced. Lastly, in no particular order, because I enjoy all of them: Know Who You Are At Every Age, Theft & Wandering Around Lost, and Squeeze-Wax.

Though it's possible to UNDERSTAND Elizabeth Fraser's lyrics through many of the songs, it doesn't make this album less Cocteau-Twins worthy, as some reviewers have intimated. Nothing wrong with writing some intelligible lyrics, just as long as your entire album isn't that way, I'm OK with it!

A fab introduction if you don't know them. If you do go dig up a copy of PINK OPAQUE and keep it nearby. I play it weekly....especially Pepper Tree and Wax & Wane!!

Good, but inferior to earlier work
I wouldn't call this their best album - it pales in comparision to the album before it: "Heaven or Las Vegas". One reviewer commented that they "lost their magic" with this album, to which I would agree to a certain extent - there too many inferior songs. Perhaps they made themselves too accessible here - its a little too pop sounding for its own good sometimes. I think that most hard-core CT fans who own their entire catalog would agree.

So why did I give it 4 stars? Well, I think that it is worth purchasing just for the few songs that are excellent (this is the Cocteau Twins after all!). My personal favorites are "Know Who You are at Every Age" and "Theft, and Wandering Around Lost". "Squeeze-Wax" and "Summerhead" aren't bad either.

If you are new to the Cocteau Twins, and are looking for something similar to the sound of this album, I would recommend "Heaven or Las Vegas" and "Blue Bell Knoll".

Ranks among the best etheral albums
I must say first that I am biased because this album holds a bigger meaning for me. I found love in Key West one summer, and this album was definitely etched in my memory forever.

All emotions aside, I must say that musically this album is a rare gem. Very etheral, chill, and romantic, the Cocteau Twins sweep you away with Four Calendar Cafe.

Listen with the lights low, candles lit, and be prepared to clear your mind. This album is amazing... I am so glad I discovered it in one of the best places on earth.

Nice and Eay Feeling
this album is great chill out music, and although i know nothing about the Cocateau twins except for this album, i can tell you that it is a great album, and makes you feel peaceful and is just plain good music

"Theft, and Wandering..." and "Squeeze-Wax"
These songs are absolutely amazing. The rest of the album is good, too. Those who think of FCC as "commercial," or whatever, don't get it. To think of CT as ever having sold out or commercializing is to be an imbecile--they never did. ... Read more

Album Description

UK compilation for the late, shoegazer brit-pop act featuring Emma Anderson (Sing Sing) and Miki Berenyi. 18 tracks which demonstrate with considerable panache just what was great about Lush. 'Ciao!' takes on the band's legacy in reverse order, showcasing the later pop punches like 'Single Girl', 'Ladykillers' and '500 (Shake Baby Shake) all taken from their amazing swan song 'Lovelife', before going onto explore the weighty themes and dense guitar textures of 'Split', working back to the Robin Guthrie produced 'Spooky' to the early woozy harmo ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Lush, layered, and beautiful
One word comes to mind when I hear Lush's music, 'pretty', perhaps a tribute to the delicate feminine touch of both Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson. You cannot mention shoegazing without namedropping Lush, embodying elements that defined the genre, eg, dreamy angelic vocals, guitar-noise/feedback. Yet the band brings a little more to the table, slightly off-center from My Bloody Valentine's fuzzy distortion and Slowdive's swirly atmospheric haze. Lush's layered guitars are like cascading waterfalls, from a spread-out rolling effect to thunderous splashes. The vocals are pixie-like and flirtatious, a little different from the monotone-whispers of typical shoegaze bands. The sound also borders on the indie chimes and rhythmic sensibilies of Madchester, perhaps influenced by the UK musical environment in the early 90's. This is simply beautiful music, like serenading angels in heaven...charming, compelling, and divine. As most shoegaze bands are about symphonic noise, Lush tries cast a spell on you without losing it's guitar edge. An excellent compilation.

Music as colorful as the singers bright red hair.
I still can't swap my albums for this collection, but if you are new to "Lush", this is exactly what you want. Almost as good as 18 "hits" could be. Odd but tolerable, this is in reverse cronological order. Four from the "Lovelife" album. I would have gladly given up the song "Ciao" for "Last Night". That song is what I love about "Lush". Then five from "Split", often refered to as their best album, and the b-side "Love at first sight". I would have liked another b-side or two from "Topolino", like "Carmen", or specifically "I have the moon", also on the 1997 "Nowhere" soundtrack. Another lovely song. Four from the "Spooky" album. Those are decent choices for the most part. Finally four from "Gala", which is actually a collection of EP's. "Scarlet" would have been nice to have, but at least it includes "Deluxe", and the classic "Sweetness and Light", (recently in a VW commercial). Though "Lush" split due to the drummers death, we have their beautiful music forever. Maybe sometime we'll hear something new from "Miki Berenyi". If you're a fan of "Curve", "Shonen Knife", or "My Bloody Valentine", you will be a fan of "Ciao". Ciao.

A relatively well selected compilation of Lush material
CIAO!, the best of Lush, is a collection of material not only from their 4 LPs but also "Love At First Sight" from one of the singles for their 1994 album SPLIT. Fans of Lush should probably already have all of their albums and some of their EPs and singles, but CIAO! is a superb compilation ideal for introducing people to the work of one of indie rock's finest bands musically.

Organised in reverse chronological order, CIAO! opens with "Ladykillers" from their last album LOVELIFE. While by this album in 1996 the band had moved to a britpop sound that some perceived as a bid for public attention, the crystal-clear production of the LOVELIFE material and the excellence of the performance makes Lush's material to the uninitiated attractive from the start. The incredible drumming of the late Chris Acland on "Ladykillers" and Phil King's powerful bass on "Single Girl" can only thrill a person hearing them for the first time.

From there, the songs on CIAO! in my opinion only get better. Six tracks are present from the era of their 1994 album SPLIT, the first of which is the gorgeous "Light From A Dead Star." Concisely packing its glory into 3 minutes, this is nearly perfect song is one of Lush's best efforts. One of my few nitpicks is that on CIAO! "Light From A Dead Star" is not followed by "Kiss Chase", as those two songs formed a great combination on SPLIT. But instead of that, we get "Love At First Sight" is here from one of the singles released to promote SPLIT and is relatively entertaining. "Hypocrite" is a friendly piece of pop goodness where Acland again shines. "Desire Lines" is one of the several longer pieces found on SPLIT which built from simple rhythms, grow into long jams, and finish with a lovely use of strings.

I find the selection of tracks from Lush's 1992 album SPOOKY to be less satisfying. "Ocean" and "Covert", that album's most hyponotic songs, are missing. We get instead simpler, more radio-friendly tracks. "Nothing Natural", "Untogether", and "For Love" aren't bad, they just aren't Lush's best material from that period in my opinion. Nonetheless, "Monochrome" is here to give a glimpse of what Lush's strongest output sounded like during that time.

CIAO! closes with selections from Lush's three debut EPs that were later released together as GALA. "De-Luxe" and "Sweetness and Light" are typical of Lush's shoegazing style during this first era. To my chagrin, the version of "Thoughtforms" here is the first version Lush did, the quiet and badly produced one that shouldn't have been put here in favour of the second version that would blow any listener away and which is one of Lush's best songs. Finally, this compilation closes with "Etheriel", a track from SCAR, their debut EP. Showing a band still begin to explore their musical abilities, "Etheriel" is a fitting conclusion to CIAO!

Lush was one of the 4AD label's best bands, and listening to CIAO! is a sober reminded of how much was lost with Chris Acland's suicide and the band's subsequent breakup. Lush had incredible musical talent. The duo of Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson on guitar constantly pushed the bounds of what etherial rock should sound like. Phil King, the bassist on Lush's post-1992 work, provided a steady base to the sound but displayed excellent improvisation as well. Finally, Chris Acland was one of rock's finest drummers, capturing the attention of drumming greats such as Neil Peart as soon as Lush began performing publically. While Lush fans know all this already, I would recommend getting CIAO! if you're curious about the band, or a long-time fan who wants to turn other people on to Lush.

Great Collection, Bad Remastering.
I'm very much into this sort of music: Curve, Garbage, Lush, Sneaker Pimps, etc. Lush had quite a unique sound, and always developed musically in a new way for each album. This is a collection of their "best" songs by someone's standards, but still leaves out several notable tracks. "I Have The Moon", by someone named Merritt, is one of my favorites and can only be found on the Nowhere Soundtrack. It is not on this compilation, but another written by the same person called "Love at First Sight" is. This track is definitely the most atmospheric and cinematic of all the songs on Ciao!. Can anyone tell me who Merritt is?

On a sour note, though, the "remastering" EQ is unacceptable. The lower treble is unpleasantly exaggerated to give the sound an artificially boosted clarity and precision. This makes many of the tracks unpleasantly bright and fatiguing when the cymbals kick in. It makes me wonder how the mastering engineer even got his job. For this final, archival-like release by the band, someone should have sent it to a higher-end mastering facility like Future Disc or Gateway Mastering.

Update: Thanks to everyone who informed me of Stephen Merrett's Magnetic Fields. Ciao!

A great, great band receives the compilation treatment.
The amount of artistic growth Lush exhibited in the '90s was simply stunning. From the lush, cooing soundscapes of its earliest EP recordings (available in the States as the collection entitled Gala), Lush evolved into a songwriting showcase of magnificent proportions, so it was a shame that just as the band was creating some of its best music, internal ruptures (and a fatality among the membership) put a stop to everything.

Lush's legacy remains a dazzling one. While the earlier, slightly naive songs like "Sweetness and Light" and "Nothing Natural" hold up, it's the music from the last two albums that's stunning. Along the way lead singer Miki Berenyi stopped trying to hide her limited voice within an ambient mix and instead relied on a much more powerful weapon, songwriting. While bandmate Emma Anderson's complex, U2-esque compositions continue to seduce, it was Berenyi's later, confessional, often painfully intimate writing that became the band's richest mine. Still, it was the tension between these two songwriters that made Lush's albums great. On this compilation you get less of a sense of that dynamic, but you can still tell which personality is which. Anderson's songs succeed on sonic grandiosity and innovative arrangements: "When I Die" is a truly moving account of the loss of a loved one, even more haunting in the context of drummer Chris Acland's suicide; "Desire Lines" slowly ebbs and pulls you into its sensual dreamscape; and even "Lovelife", a buoyant pop song, achieves a sense of high drama via almost inhumanly sparkly guitars and vocal tapestries. When Anderson shifts to pure-pop mode she tends to be less satisfying: "Single Girl" and "500 (Shake Baby Shake)" are enjoyable but forgettable pop tunes. Though this collection leaves out one of Anderson's best, "Tralala" from the Lovelife album, she remains well represented in the compilation, having written most of the early material.

Berenyi's songs are Lush's deepest cutting work. Though the song that lent this collection its title, "Ciao!" (a duet with the odious Jarvis Cocker), is about the worst piece of garbage this band has ever produced, a wink-wink, nudge-nudge, I'm-so-cute shuffle with no charm whatsoever, the majority of Berenyi's songs are amazing, especially on the lyric front. Even with "Ladykillers", which Berenyi herself describes as an attempt to write a very basic, accessible pop song, she puts in verbal hooks to spare and some rumbling guitar riffs that show her rocker side. Same for the breathless "Hypocrite", a concise 2-minute dash of complex anger. "Light from a Dead Star" is possibly Berenyi's penultimate song, a unique, eccentrically arranged midtempo ballad with a stunning string section, simple structure, beautiful but forboding harmonies, and an aching lyric that examines love and loss with impressive economy -- three verses and out, leaving more to be suggested.

Unfortunately, Ciao! leaves out many of Berenyi's equally beautiful work in the same vein -- the amazing "Papasan", the majestic, melodic ballad "Olympia", the slowly building, dramatic "Last Night", chillingly upbeat and catchy morality tale "The Childcatcher", as well as "Kiss Chase" from Split, which was a perfect marriage between energetic power-pop anthem and an incredibly dark, disturbing lyric telling a tale of pedophilia and helplessness. Still, what the compilation loses in the coherence of a Lush album, it gains in offering a sample of the band's work over the years. I have the whole catalogue and still I play this one, taking a reverse-chronological journey through this band's history and watching it explore, grow, and then flourish, if only for a brief time.

I'd say if you're new to Lush, Ciao! would be a good place to start. Then again, even better places would simply be the Lovelife album, the zenith of Lush's songwriting career (again, "Ciao!" and "500" not counting), and Split, the band's artistic coming of age. For me, though, the compilation just serves as a sad reminder of what the world lost. Anderson and Berenyi, as musicians, had certainly only *hinted* at what they were capable of. So Ciao! becomes a eulogy -- complete with well written notes and the band's first photo appearances on their own albums! Just as Anderson and Berenyi were starting to reveal themselves, their journey was cut short, and we're the worse for it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A promotional blurb accompanying Marillion's 12th studio album (a venture funded entirely by 12,000 of the band's fans) challenges music journalists to avoid references to progressive rock, Genesis, and dinosaurs in their reviews. "You're all wrong about Marillion, just put it on and listen to it," pleads singer Steve Hogarth. While such sentiments could easily be paraphrased as "You'll be surprised how much this album doesn't sound like us"--hardly a flattering self-assessment--it's true that Anoraknophobia belongs much more to 2001 than the days when certain lambs lay down on Broadway. Even if efforts to get with it are intermittently overeager--the 11-minute-long "When I Meet God" dearly wishes it could be the Verve's "The Drugs Don't Work"--there's much to admire in the shape of the genuinely pretty summer wistfulness of "Fruit of the Wild Rose," the stadium-rock competence of "Map of the World," and the Kula Shaker-like psychedelic funfair racket of "Separated Out." --Kevin Maidment ... Read more

Reviews (83)

Changing the face of neo-progressive rock?
Listening to Anoraknophobia, one really gets a feel for how Marillion has changed over the years. It's been a long time since they paralleled Genesis (with Fish at the helm), and now after a decade with Steve Hogarth, the band is entering the twenty-first century with something quite different from their previous works. In fact, as you can infer from reading Marillion's biography at their site and checking out Barry's "dislikes" on the back insert, they are trying to distance themselves from the whole neo-prog thing (which they helped invent).

Perhaps you can see it coming. Lay out all your Marillion albums, from Script for a Jester's Tear to Marillion.com, then look at the cover for Anoraknophobia. It doesn't quite fit, does it? And just like the clashing cover, the music within is really dissimilar to their previous albums, although it is a reinvention that feels natural, with no contrived deliberation to sound effervescent and cool.

There's a welcome element of diversity here. Songs such as "Map of the World" and "Between You and Me" are warm commercial tracks with undeniably hooks to boot that are far more honest and "real" and the manufactured tripe on the radio these days. Also spread thickly throughout are wonderful, evocative songs like the beautiful and contemplative "When I Meet God" and the ambient "This is the 21st Century." "If My Heart Were A Ball It Would Roll Uphill" sounds like the title belongs on a Meat Loaf album, but fortunately the track is nothing as awkward as Jim Steinman's work. (If you like Meat Loaf, I'm sure you'll be scrolling downward to hit "Not Helpful.") I initially found this song noisy and hard on the ears, but persistence paid off...it's perhaps the most interesting musically, with that densely layered composition and heavy production.

Marillion's latest often tackles unusual song structures, and journeys down paths new to them. This has them straddling lines between a number of styles, which separates them from the masses and keeps them away from being a "me too" band. The trance-like "This is the 21st Century" is a lengthy (11 minutes), spacey song with Hogarth's subtle inflections effectively calling attention to the details of the arrangement. "When I Meet God" is just gorgeous stunner worthy of the band's most sensitive moments, with Kelly's exquisite synth chords giving me goosebumps near the end. "Quartz" is another long one, nearly reaching ten minutes with compelling bass & guitar interplay, dynamic Hogarth vocals, and ambitious melodies.

I'll be honest though -- I was really expecting to be blown away on the first listen. It didn't happen. I liked track 7, because I was familiar with it already (having downloaded it from mp3.com awhile back), and of course the instantly likable "Map of the World," but it took quite a while for this album to really sink in...and it's still got a ways to go, I'm sure. But I've noticed the best albums are like that. For now, anyway, I'm sincerely enjoying what they've put together, and I'm readily cognizant of the long-term listening pleasure this will give me.

After 3 tries Marillion finally gets it right
I know I'm not the only one to be massively dissapointed in the last three Marillion albums. After 1995's Afraid of Sunlight (a work of sheer magic, one of the most underrated albums in history, blah blah blah), Marillion have produced some pretty average (for them) recordings. 1997's This Strange Engine was half genius, and half filler. 1998's Radiation was a pretty pretentious offering where Marillion decided that instead of being Marillion, they would rather be Radiohead (except instead of emulating the natural transendence of Radiohead's masterpiece, OK computer, they simply came off forced and pretentious, and sounding like they so desperately wanted to be hip). 1999's Marillion.com, despite the unfortunate title, was a step in the right direction. The natural ethereal spacey pop-prog the band does so well came back into play, but like TSE, there were some huge duds on the album.

Which brings us to Anoraknophobia. I won't go into a long drawn out review, because it's better to just experience the album for yourself, but it's definitely Marillion back on track. That's not to say this is Season's End all over again, but at least this time out the modernisms sound organic, rather than forced and pretentious. At least the band has taken the time to write eight high quality songs. At least they have found that comfortable niche where their desire to be current seems to gel perfectly with their inherent prog-isms. Some of the songs are geniune masterpieces...21st century, when i meet god....Now..all Marillion has to do for their next album is to keep this direction in sound, but write 8 masterpieces instead of 3 or 4 (I know easier said than done!)

I SO wanted to like this album ... but...
Marillion ask the fans to help finance the album .. a bold experiment to give them the artistic freedom. I paid in advance and waited hoping for a unique album. The first track comes on .. I hear a potentially classic tune .. then it goes on too long. I listen again and again to the album trying to find something else I like in the album. I find very little. I hear hints of Oasis and other younger bands... Nothing touches my soul the way previous albums have or says to me 'listen to me again this is MARILLION!'

H's comment is spot on... this sounds nothing like Marillion have sounded before. But neither does it sound new or left field. It comes across to me as a somewhat comtrived attempt to produce popular music closer to the mainstream not what I hoped to hear. It isn't totally successful even in that as the prog rock tendencies to drag things out and over-indulge when simplicity at times would have brought a better result.

Don't get me wrong. I like Marillion. I respect their right to do what they do. I respect the right of others to like it when I don't. My personal view is merely that. I await future albums with the hope I can emotionally connect better with them than I do this one.

Marillion Rocks!
Marillion rocks with this, their most recent release, Anorachnophobia. Eight songs proudly display their talent as a whole unit, and as individuals as well. Drummer Ian Mosely shows off his efficiency in the straight forward rocker, Between You And Me (throw in a little Beatlesque slow-down in the middle). Pete Trewavas, bassist, keeps the pace with a kicking line in Quartz. Steve Hogarth, vocalist, is quite intense in When I Meet God and If My Heart Were A Ball, Keyboardist Mark Kelly is awesome in This Is The 21st Century, and Steve Rothery is his usual exceptional self with a mad guitar jam in Fruit Of The Wild Rose. This is a wonderful Marillion album, although I wouldn't lead first time listeners to this, as it is missing the grandiose piece that has showed up on most of their albums. Also missing are the intense mellower numbers--not your typical Marillion album, this is a rocker!!

Don't feel afraid of being different!!
This is Marillion's 12th studio album, but you probably wouldn't notice it. It's a fresh *new* start, and shows the lads once again trying something different -- the only thing that remains the same about Marillion is their will to keep changing!

This album was a sort of experiment made by the band, in which they asked us fans (I was part of it!) to help them by "pre-ordering" the album, even before it was finished. This makes it a truly fan financed project and proves the faith and loyalty that we have for the band.

Getting into the tracks:
'Between you and me': great use of keyboards and of h's voice, very, very h...sounds more like one of his solo tracks
'Quartz': a smooth track, about two people that shouldn't be together. This one should be listened to with the lights off and the volume set at 11!
'Map of the world': the 'problem child' as h puts it, a great, sweet tune, co-written with Nick Van Eede of Cutting Crew fame
'When I meet God': if the band ever wrote a pompous, grand song, this is it (love the guitar and organ!)
'The fruit of the wild rose': am I allowed to not like one track? Yes? Well, this is it...can't put my finger on it, just don't get it
'Separated out': the standard *weird* track, it includes audio form the film 'Freaks' ("we accept her, one of us!")...it centers the *feel* of the album, there's nothing wrong in being different!
'This is the 21st century': an 11 minute beauty. If you listen to this song with headphones, you'll be transported someplace else...makes you fly, I'm telling you!
'If my heart were a ball...': I feel this song as the experiment within the album, can't really label it...slow, hard, guitars, keyboards...it has everything. Takes a while to digest, but when you do...wow! ("do you ever dream of falling?")

Notice that half of the tracks last longer than 9 minutes...!

FYI, the title, 'Anoraknophobia' sorta means that you shouldn't be afraid to be different (have no phobia of being an anorak!!) ... Read more

Reviews (83)

Absolutely Breathtaking
There is a reason Spiritualized "Ladies and Gentleman We Are Floating In Space" beat out Radiohead's "OK Computer", the Verve's "Urban Hymns, and Primal Scream's "Vanishing Point" for NME's Album of the Year. It is a phenomenal journey of music, and like most outstanding works, it isn't completely accessible at the outset. I too thought it was overrated during my first ten listens, and put it away for six months. Then I pulled it out again, and it just lodged itself in my head for a good month straight. The sheer sonic brilliance of this album is what one should pay attention to. There are no real hooks or catchy melodies, but rather hypnotic guitar lines, bursts of carefully constructed white noise, and Jason Pierce's voice is simply one of the most emotional, soulful sounds in music this decade. This album really is like floating around in space.

My favorite bands are Oasis, Blur, REM, Wilco, that kind of stuff. The fact that I appreciate this music should tell you that it is not completely inaccessable to pop music fans. This is not pop music. It is is more demanding, and often more fulfilling. Only serious listeners and people in touch with the sadness and adventure in your soul need apply.

A true love it or hate it CD...
The reviews here are harsh, particularly from Spiritualized fans. The truth is, this album is a bit pretentious, but all Spiritualized/Spacemen 3 albums have been. They basically define self-indulgent music. That's not necessarily bad, though. I think this album is far more interesting and experimental than anything Jason has ever done before, really reaching into many different types of music and production styles. Does it work 100% of the time? Nah, some of the tracks are overlong and a couple are a little grating at times. But that doesn't stop this CD from being a completely wonderful experience. From the title track to the impeccable Come Together to the aching Broken Heart, the songs are interesting, different, emotional, beautiful. It's very different from the first two albums, which is possibly where the hatred from the Spiritualized tried-and-true masses is coming from, and it's very worth listening to. My pick for CD of last year.

An anguished masterpiece
Well this one's certainly one of the best breakup albums ever. Among other things - it's certainly one of the best albums ever (at least in the top ten or so). This album is a fairly large zig to the trancy pseudo electronic zag of Pure Phase. And it's nothing short of amazing.

What's the sound? Orchestral, at times (though nothing quite so extreme as the follow-up). Certainly a touch of gospel (coming in at just the right time, with 'Cool Waves'). A healthy dollop of free jazz which you'll either like or not (me, I'm a fan of Sun Ra and Coltrane's wacky period, so I like it just fine) but which, in my opinion is absolutely essential to the album.

Because this here is a capital A Album about Jason Pierce's usual topics: heartbreak and heroin, and he never does it better than he does here. The production is meticulous and offers endless discoveries to the beheadphoned listener. The songs are ever slow explosions of beautiful sound into wrenching noise with Pierce's anguished whispering atop it all. The whole 12 song sequence is draining, immensely moving, and brilliant.

Yes, it's hard going at times (the free-jazz bits for many). And yes, it doesn't immediately grab you - took me about a year to really appreciate everything. And yes, if the self-pity of an (ex)junky is the sort of thing that wears on you, this might not be your ticket.

Those caveats aside, this is a simply brilliant piece of work. Check it out.

So much music, so little time
Well I snagged an original UK promo (50 copies pressed) of this before they had to re-mix it (licensing/sampling problems) and played it from beginning to end almost every night before going to bed. The production & flow of the orginial mix worked quite well, stretches of flowing tones, then melancholy chords & finally sonic mayhem. I then picked up a copy of the Japanese version (w/ the Broken Heart Instrumental as a bonus track), which felt a little more stifled....but oh that broken heart works wonders...even without words.

I then saw them tour for this album & was it a show.....one of my all time favorite concerts. The light show really was quite an assault on the senses & the cacophony of Cop shoot Cop worked even better live than on disc.

Snagging a copy of the original "Ladies & Gentleman..." track would be worth it....but I ain't going to part with my copy to see what the going price is, so don't ask.

another great British-rock record
as Spiritualized being one of my favourite bands, i can easily say this is a great record. you have the slow and melodic beginnings... then turns into a total thrash fest. (especially on Cop shoot Cop... which is a lot like sonic youth's Diamond Sea).

you get 70 minutes of galore. you have the beautiful title-track "Ladies and gentle we are now floating in space", rock-fests like "come together", and also (my favourite) "cop shoot cop...". 12 tracks, and you have a bit of everything. you're just cool having this in your collection. will be a classic in a decade. quote me!

but this is definitely not the best Spiritualized album. Lazer-Guided Melodies and Pure Phase are much better. "Ladies and gentlemen..." actually sounds very weak when already having listened to those two. but thats simply the only problem with this and its only my opinion! so either way, this may be your favourite album of all-time that i'm giving four stars!

"Ladies and gentlemen we are now floating in space" makes you feel like you're floating in space. it makes you feel the singer is singing about YOU. if you happen to like 'good' music, and haven't experiance a 'experiance' before listening to a cd... this is the album to get! a great album. ... Read more

Album Description

The band's first "best of" since their formation in 1984. It includes an average of two songs from each C.O.X. album, and the final track list was in part chosen by fans via online voting. Five songs from the 4AD era were re-recorded to improve them, but without altering the initial atmosphere and sounds. Says band member Ronny Moorings, "Whilst listening to the final running order...I just got swept from period to period, remembering all kinds of people and situations. I am sure you too will have memories with certain tracks, so all I want to say to you now is: cherish your moments in life!" ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The best compilation of the best band
Just in case you had missed all the singles and b-sides that didn't appear on the Stone Roses' debut album, this album compiles those songs on this neat CD.

You get Fools Gold, One Love, Elephant Stone, Mersey Paradise, What the world is waiting for, Standing here etc etc etc etc.

Buy this album, along with the debut album (The Stone Roses) and appreciate what a truly great and inspirational band the Stone Roses were.

PLEASE listen to Pete's Review
Thanks to Pete (below, from Canada) for his dead-on comparison of Turns to Stone and Complete Stone Roses. The very fact that 4 of the best Stone Roses songs are cut in half on the Complete Stone Roses, renders that CD almost worthless. The most awesome parts of the songs (arguably) are the parts they cut on The Complete Stone Roses. Yes, Sally Cinnamon is on there, but it's still not worth the cut in Fool's Gold, One Love, I Am The Resurrection, and Something's Burning.

I apologize to the reviewer who recommends The Complete Stone Roses over this CD, but he's doing a disservice recommending that CD. Of course, us fans shouldn't quibble amongst each other, it's the stupid record companies that have hacked their music into so many incomplete versions and compilations.

Contrary, however, to Pete, I think the mix of Elephant Stone on this CD is pretty darn good! It doesn't quite have the pounding rhythm effect of the "The Stone Roses" version, it is an interesting and enjoyable mix to my ears.

I echo most other's recommendations in saying to buy "The Stone Roses", then Turns to Stone, then, if you love them like the rest of us, get "Second Coming" which is an above average and really enjoyable CD, but can't quite reach the heights of "The Stone Roses".

Long live the Stone Roses.

The first compilation, and it remains the most worthy
If one good thing has come out of the several Silvertone cash-in releases over the past 10 years, it is the following: My appreciation and affection for Turns Into Stone has only increased during this time.

The songs are brilliant from top to bottom, just like the debut album. Where Angels Play is the best Roses song of all time, and incredibly the version on Turns Into Stone was a rejected take, the plan was to record it later for a 2nd LP (well, no need to go into the sordid details). Simone is a magnificent backwards take, as beautiful as Where Angels Play. The full length Fools Gold and One Love make the brilliance of the Roses most apparent - icy cool vocalist backed by a genius of a drummer, basslines straight from heaven and a guitarist with more licks than a lesbian porn flick. Mersey Paradise and Standing Here, b-sides that put 99.9% of a-sides to shame.

This is the LP that makes me most wonder what could have been. Combine the songs on Turns Into Stone with the debut and you have a clutch of gems that rival the best ofs of everyone, the Beatles, the Stones, the Smiths, Suede, you name 'em. A must have this one is.

complete reason to buy this cd
Another reviewer mentions buy "the complete stone roses" cd collection instead of buying this cd "turns into stone" WHY? Turns to Stones is a better choice for fans of Stone Roses, or for ANYONE considering buying or to experience REAL Stones Roses. To me this should have been an official cd release, because it has my favorite songs.

The other cd "the complete SRoses" does contain 21 tracks, but and I say but doesn't compare. (I have both)

NOTE see "the complete Stone Roses" cd for below references

Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,(skip6)and 7 are the only rare songs on the Complete Stones Roses cd. Songs made early in their career. They are demo like and only for DIE HARD fans who have to have them, or those who love the PEEL SESSIONS ...bland and hard to listen to personaly!!. Except 7, Full Fathom Five which is a song in reverse.

TRACKS 6,9,11,14,15,16 (and maybe 18 deepending on version) can be found on the bands standout release from 1989(track 6 can be found on Turns to Stones, the 1989 versions are fare better) Also Track 16 "I am the resurection" is longer and sounds WAY better on the 1989 version(trk 11) at 8 min. IN FACT all these song sound higher pitched,tremble.

Tracks 6,8,10,12,13,17,18,19,20,21 on (the complete..) can be found on "Turns into Stone" too. BUT... BUT that doesn't mean all things are equal! In fact the best songs are shorter and do not capture the essence of original S.Roses songs as they should be heard.

Fools Gold is longer on "Turns to Stone" at 9.53 (compared at 4.15)One love is 7.45(3.40) and Something Burning is 7.50 (3.37).
The shorter songs leave me unsatified, cheated, and longer for more and not capturing the entire experience. (it would be like cutting the Doors song "the end" in half, you can use any example)

"Turns into Stones" has an extra track 7 called "SIMONE" not found on the Complete Roses. An etheral track that fits with the album.

In the end BUY the 1989 cd, and then buy TURNs into Stones, the only downfall would be having "Elephant stone" and "Fools gold" on both cds. In fact the only downfall on the cd is hearing Elephant stone on Truns to Stone, a bad early version.

Not The One To Buy
Ignore the 5 star reviews that everyone is giving this CD. Yes, the songs are great, in true Stone Roses fashion. But all these songs are now available on the 1995 Silvertone release The Complete Stone Roses, which also contains all 7 singles from their debut album plus a few other tracks that are not on Turns Into Stone. "Complete" has 21 tracks in all, versus only 11 here and the price is the same. Need I say more? Silvertone should have retired this one a long time ago. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Doing what Kate does best.
As this was my first Kate Bush album, this album is very special to me.

"Never For Ever" continues in the whimsical vein of "Lionheart" (most evident in the cover and "Egypt"), but mark a musical departure from "Lionheart" and "The Kick Inside" with the increased use of samplers and synthesisers, enhancing the 'whimsical' aspects of Kate's music, and adding variety to her musical vocabulary.

"Never For Ever" is her strongest album since "The Kick Inside": Kate has shown more maturity and confidence in this album, exploring new concepts, experimenting with different sounds, and refining her vocals.

"Babooshka" is one of my favourite pieces by Kate, "Blow Away" is an exquisitely delicate elegy, and the dark strains of "Egypt" will haunt you for many nights to come.

I have no intention of being objective when it comes to Kate. She's a brilliant artist, capable of both light-hearted songs, and dark, soul-searching symphonies.

The cover for this album makes me nostalgic for a childhood long since lost - and possibly never existed. I think this is intentional: this is Kate's swansong - the last, desperate gasp before moving towards the infinitely more mature "The Dreaming".

Delightful
Kate Bush is a genius.

This is a dangerous statement to make. A lot of people view her as a moderately talented kook - if they can remember her at all. However, I believe the statement is a valid one to make. When one listens to the actual music the woman produced, one realizes that only a imaginative, left-of-center genius could have dreampt up the sonic landscapes on an album such as 'Never for Ever.'

Lyrics have always been one of Kate Bush's strongest points. On Never for Ever, she is in fine lyrical form. The subjects of the songs vary from nuclear holocaust (the breathtaking 'Breathing'), bed-ridden classical composers ('Delius,') and wedding-night homocide (the compelling 'Wedding List.') On 'Babooshka,' one of Kate's catchiest songs, a jealous wife writes her husband anonymous love notes as a test of loyalty. He only responds so positively to the notes, however, because his wife is so suspicious and withdrawn from him! This is the sort of engaging story that Kate Bush wraps into each song, and the listening is all the more rewarding for it.

However, 'Never for Ever' is not all genius (save that for 'The Dreaming' and 'Hounds of Love.') There are spots that shine lyrically, yet fall flat musically. The pretty but musically pointless 'Delius' and the flat 'Blow Away' are examples of both. Their lyrics are typical Kate Bush genius, but the music is lacklustre. On the other extreme, there is 'Violin.' 'Violin' rocks out most satisfyingly, but lyrically it just seems to be Kate proclaiming her love for the violin - she does a good job of it, but it's not exactly subject matter for a deep or spiritually moving musical experience.

However, all flaws are forgiven once the squall of 'Violin' (the ending can be basically described as a cat having an orgasm) fades. The final four songs are haunting, epic, glorious in their beauty and stunning in their meaning. The album's crown jewel is 'Breathing,' a song detailing the after-effects of a nuclear blast. The song has made me weep and sent a chill down my spine all of its own power. If the entire tracklisting was "Breathing," it would still be worth every cent.

To sum up, 'Never for Ever' is the product of a genius coming into her own. It shows glints and promises of the glory that would be 'The Dreaming' and 'Hounds of Love,' but it is not without its flaws. If you are new to Kate, go pick up 'Hounds of Love.' However, if you have heard this album and would like to delve further into the world of Kate Bush, this is an excellent piece of work.

An Early Foreshadow Of Genius: 3 1/2 Stars
An early indication of the genius that Kate Bush would become. The Lyrics speak with wit, ecocation, and provocation: repressed paedophilia and death from radioactive fallout are examples of the weird and varied sources Kate can seamlessly draw from. The music itself is sometimes a drawback: although it is obviously more layered and textured the experimental whims are sometimes caught in the stylistic trappings that defined her earliest work. This means that some tracks don't work as well as they should and others are just lightweight and boring. Still, there are mammoth songs here that provide far more than just cold comfort consolation.
Best Tracks: Beathing, Babooshka, The Infant Kiss.

Wonderfully weird and melodic sounds from Kate's 3rd album
Never For Ever followed the sweet and mellow Lionheart. This time around, Kate Bush's entry into weird sounds and vocals is in the making. And this album came out in 1980. Pretty progressive and avant-garde-ish. This tops Lionheart and The Kick Inside in its sheer innovation of strange sounds, vocals that reach a manic frenzy, and some sobering songs on social issues.

"Babooshka" tells the story of a woman who tests her husband's fidelity by writing him anonymous letters, disguising herself as a younger her, and seeing if he'll go through with an adulterous affair with his own wife. The piano is struck forcefully during the verses, before the electric guitar riffs kick in the prechorus and chorus. And what's with the glass-shattering special effect towards the end?

"Blow AwayEis a showcase for Kate's voice, which has her singing about a man too obsessed with music. She wonders where the music he plays goes. "Surely not with his soul?"she surmises.

The slow but brisk piano number, "All We Ever Look For," sporting an accompanying whistle, is another highlight here. Weird stuff: in the second verse, there's a cookie monster sounding growl that comes in every fourth beat. Another open door is what "all we ever look for," where one might find "the truth," "a little hug," "our own tomb," and other things. There are some sound effects that come in when someone walks down the hall and opens doors in search of that something.

"Egypt" is of someone falling in love with the ambience of Egypt, be it the shifting sands, the pyramids, and the Nile. The rhythmic melody is like a ship that keeps time with the beater, and towards the end, a weird cacophony of multiple voices comes in.

"The Wedding ListEis a bit of a shocker, as it tells of a pair of newlyweds, where a "mystery man"shoots the groom in a passion crime. Kate's lyrics are a bit on the bloody and violent side, speaking of swooning in warm maroon, and "I'm gonna fill your head with lead." In the final lines, we find out why the groom was killed.

The frenzied guitar rocker "Violin" is the closest to punk rock Kate will ever come to. Her voice swoops up to a lunatic pitch when she sings "Filling me up WITH shivers." And her voice soars to a weird pitch and manic madness. Even today, I can still think of people going, "What is this? It's so weird!"

"The Infant Kiss" is a bit of a controversy, as it details a Lolita-like obsession, only the genders are switched and the younger party is a little boy, the older party being an adult woman.

The soft melodic guitar "Army Dreamers" featuring a group of male backing singers in the chorus, including an accompanying male voice. The repeated refrain "B.F.P.O."is a reference to the British Forces Post Office. This tells the lack of opportunity and assets of a now-dead and mourned for army recruit. "What could he do-should've been a rock star/but he didn't have the money for a guitar/what could he do-should've been a politician/but he never had a proper education/what should he do-should've been a father/but he never made it till his twenties/what a waste of army dreamers."

The brooding and haunting piano number "Breathing", a chilling anti-nuclear single, is sung from the POV of a baby still in the womb, affected by the radiation her mother is inhaling following an atomic bomb explosion. The baby knows it's dangerous to take in the fallout, but her instincts tell her to keep "breathing my mother in/breathing my beloved in/breathing her nicotine/breathing the fallout in out in out in..." After a casual and authoritative report of a nuclear test, the music rises to a crescendo, climaxing with a heavy guitar and poignant refrain: "What are we going to do?/We are all going to die." One of Kate's best ever songs. Overall, a sign of better things to come.

The Dreaming prequel
The first Kate Bush album I bought was The Dreaming. I fell in love. And I fell in love with this woman who created this brilliant album, The Dreaming! I then bought Hounds of Love. To my disappointment, Hounds of Love didn't have that oomph of The Dreaming. I head heard that the next best album of Kate's, if not the best, was Hounds of Love. I thought, maybe, like Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville, The Dreaming was the one and only brilliant album from her. Then I decided, I should try to explore more of her albums... I got The Kick Inside and absolutely loved it, it's definitely a fascinating debut. But it lacked that lower range in Kate's voice that I learned to love. It also lacked some complexity as well. THEN, I thought I'd give Never for Ever a chance. To my surprise, I fell in love! This album is perfect! Every song has something very special and different to it. Songs that make you giggle, yet awe in their total beauty. I do prefer The Dreaming, but this album has something that The Dreaming lacked... intense emotion in Kate's voice. Considering my favorite album of all time is Radiohead's Kid A, I really enjoy my music to be very "overproduced", if you will, and have lots of time and effort put into the music. This album has some very brilliant sounds and textures to it that pull you in and never make you want to escape. To sum up what this album sounds like to someone who hasn't heard it, or Kate Bush even: Very beautiful crazy wide-eyed mad woman screaming with a good melody while doing the shimmy in a very theatrical manner... good visual... now think of what that would sound like.

PS. I've heard more of Hounds of Love and do think it's a very good album, indeed. It's just over rated in my opinion. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

A masterpiece
I have owned this album for ten years and never get tired of it. It's a bit of a departure from other Lush albums, mostly due to the fact that it was produced by the Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie. Sensuous and shimmering, it is an album to listen to late at night with your eyes closed and only the Christmas lights on. Guthrie's sense of beauty and Lush's intensity blend seamlessly here. At times dreamy, at times passionate, at times haunting, and in all cases beautiful, this album takes the "otherwordly layered wall of sound" that the Cocteau Twins pioneered and moves it in a unique direction.

100% Lush
I strongly disagree with reviewer Christopher Culver. This IS NOT a badly produced album! If I wasn't such a big Lush fan, (because of his review) I would have probably never have picked this one up. But I am so glad I did!
I am surprised that Mr. Culver even liked Split! Because if you listen to this album you will see Lush headed in the direction of making Split. Now granted this album does not have many stand out songs like Split, but it is a great album to put on and listen all the way through.

I had never really listened to Lush's last album Lovelife, so I was a little shocked at how it sounded. By that album the band had departed from that dreamy floaty sound you here on Split and Spooky. It is a nice change, but I find myself still going back to these older albums. There is just something about there trademark dreamy pop sound that is addictive.

BOTTOM LINE
If you are a Lush fan it is a must have. And if you liked the dreamy Split sound, you will love this album. And while Mr. Culver does make some valid points in his review, shame on him for only giving it a 2! My advice is to pick this album up.

Plush Life...
I got caught up in the Shoegazer movement quite early on, and I have to admit that this album was a cog in the works. While I liked the band's debut "Gala", this was an abhorration, to say the least.

Some of the songs are superb; "Stray", which wouldn't sound out of place on a Curve album, "Nothing Natural" with its syncopated rhythm, "For Love", with tight harmonies and a nice jazzy intro, and "Superblast!" which but for the production, might have actually taken off for the band.

And that's it, I'm afraid. Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie did such a lousy job at producing this, there's just no separation between the tracks. All the guitar is layered through electronics, hence they don't sound warm, fuzzy, or any of that. They just sound muffled. Instead of grabbing you, the album hints at greatness, but then fizzles out.

Melancholy
This is the first Lush album I have heard and it really caught my attention. I have listened to it the last year and somehow I can't get tired of it.
It gets me in a mood where beautiful feelings of sadness and happiness are combined.

like a cold glass of milk with mom's homemade cookies
i first saw lush in 1992 on the 2nd lollapalooza tour. they struck me enough for me to check them out and this is what i bought. i loved it. dreamy vocals with great vocal harmony between emma anderson & miki berenyi. the music floats and takes you with it on such a wonderful beautiful ride. they truly are one of the most underappreciated bands and one of the greats of alternative rock. if your looking for something different and like dreaminess in your music then this album is for you. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Leeds, England’s much-touted the Music signal their intentions with the opening track of their debut. "The Dance"’s swirling psych-rock intro, Beatle-esque "yeah yeah yeah," crashing guitars, and dub effects, topped by Robert Harvey’s vocals, tell one and all that this bunch is not about subtlety. The Music gives a sideways nod to the Stone Roses' Second Coming, but it is mainly a wild mix of Led Zeppelin blues metal and the stadium end of 1980s alt-rock. The lyrics are little more than excuses for Harvey to howl and wail, but the constant twin-guitar work of Harvey and Adam Nutter keep you enthralled by its sheer recklessness. It's a breath of fresh air to hear a British indie band that’s unafraid to rock. --Garry Mulholland ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Music to mine ears
Imagine Led Zeppelin, minus the fantastical lyrics, with a dash of the Stone Roses in their prime. Then turn up the volume. The Music's self-titled album is far from brilliant, but it's an entertaining rock debut. It makes up in energy what it lacks in other areas.

It careens from the heavy electronic raverock ("Take the Long Road And Walk It") to slow flittering buildups ("Human"), the vaguely gothic ("Getaway"), roaring dance music ("Disco"), the Zeppelin homage of "Turn Out the Light" ("Baby-baby-bay-bay-bee..."), to the desperately catchy ("The Truth Is No Words").

"The Music" is lacking in some areas; on first listen, the songs sound rather alike. It takes more than one listen to fully separate and appreciate the various songs. Good luck deciphering the lyrics. Often Robert Harvey launches into earsplitting yowls, reminiscent of Robert Plant -- and even when he's not, the singing seems to be swamped over by the music, like the drums and guitar.

The big bonus? It's really, really catchy. Bass, guitar, percussion, the occasional waver and electronic blip, and Harvey's high vocals all weave together into a huge, dark, roaring mass that feels both familiar and fresh. They haven't broken free enough to be entirely their own animal, but they're guaranteed to make people get up and dance, not caring what the influences are.

"The Music" is far more entertaining than their lackluster name would imply. Though there are wrinkles to be ironed out, this album has more than enough energy and verve to be considered a win.

The Music (2003, Capitol)
The Music was formed in the United Kingdom and their debut is cheap, ear-opening, heavy and remarkable. Although it's even unfair to compare them to Led Zeppelin (like Maxim Blender did at one point), the band does not gain as much attention as other flash-in-the-pan rock groups such as Good Charlotte, The White Stripes, Hot Action Cop and Linkin Park. However, The Music may be the next biggest thing next to Coldplay. Unfortunately, what attracted me to the album was the cheap price (just as American Hi-Fi's CDs). That is what caused me to listen to the disc at a nearby listening station and I bought it a half hour later! Just like Radiohead, The Music uses technical skills, computerizes and uses real instruments to create a lively noise and it works.

ESSENTIAL TRACKS: "Take the Long Road And Walk It", "Float", "Turn Out the Light", "The People", "Getaway" (perhaps the best song on the disc, this reminds you of something that should be on a 'Grand Theft Auto' videogame, a new show on the FX channel... or better yet, to cruise to in a sports car in a local downtown area) & "Disco"

Solid throughout
May I just say that I have been a fan of this sound for years? I love the riff-heavy, atmospheric, near-chaotic sound that bands like Oasis and The Verve offered up.
I first heard of the Music on an edition of "You Hear It First" on MTV. They played a few seconds of the video of "Take The Long Road And Walk It", and I was immediately hooked.
Next, I looked up the Music's album on Amazon, and listened to the first five track samples. That sealed it. I wanted the album.
It hasn't left strayed far from my CD player since I bought it. I can't say that I dislike any song, though at times, I must admit that the sheer loudness of some parts can get to me.
The only thing that might stop this band from doing huge things is that their sound is slightly limited. They seemingly are unable to keep the tempo slow for very long. A few songs have started as slower ballads, but at some point, have sped up. Perhaps the band feels out of place doing slower songs.
Also, the lyrics are less than Shakespearean (I won't go so far as the Editor and say that they were little more than an excuse for the lead singer to wail, but they aren't exactly poetry!) However, the singer, Robert Harvey is such a talented frontman, that his exploitation of his vocal chords make the words seem like nothing less than profound. Drummer Phil Jordan, Bassist Stuart Coleman, and guitarist Adam Nutter (an unfortunate name if you use it like the Brits do) couldn't play any less efficiently and consistently than if they were computer music software. And Jim Abbiss does flawlessly on the production.
I definitely recommend the album. It's really good rock music, and these guys have the potential to be a legendary, and
long-lasting band. If they could add some variety into the mix, I believe that nothing could stop them.

Finally a Great Band!
I bought this cd after hearing "Take the long road and walk it" it took me a while to get into it, but when i finally did i loved it! i saw The Music at lollapalooza this year and they are even better live. They are a breath of fresh air, it is great to see something different. I definitely reccomend this cd.

It will blow you away!!
Having heard this album over and over, the highlight of this debut CD is no doubt Robert Harvey's vocals, it's like a young Robert plant (Led Zeppelin's frontman) discovering his voice as a teenager. it's a boyish voice, yet very strong and assured. Harvey can basically reach frequencies only women can, and that's a compliment..

The members of this band are actually pretty young, the average being 18 or 19 years old. their debut CD is solid, it has its own unique sound, it's unlike anything ive ever heard.

This cd lacks some maturity with some mild inconsistencies though.
The dance (#1), Take The Long Road And Walk It (#2), The Truth Is No Words (#4), Getaway (#8) and Too High (10) are AWESOME songs, the other songs are somehow weaker but still listenable.

This is a very solid debut, and is sure worth picking up. The future looks bright for these guys, if they can at their age come up with album, i cant imagine how their follow up will be.

make yourself a favor and go grab this cd ... Read more

Amazon.com

Cousteau is not the first or last bunch of young men to havelit upon Scott Walker's epically lachrymose solo albums as a design forliving. However, very few other bands have trudged in Walker's wearyfootsteps with quite this much poise. Cousteau is possessed of aconfidence rare in debut albums, and the really good news is thatCousteau is often nearly as great as Cousteau clearly think itis. Their stock-in-trade is the grand pop ballad, a form that has beensadly neglected as too many new groups have drifted towards irony tojustify a fondness for strings, sweeping tunes, and heartfelt lyricalsentiment (The Divine Comedy, for example). The songs on this albumare, without exception, lovely--"The Last Good Day of the Year,"indeed, is worthy of being sung by Glen Campbell--and Cousteau plays itresolutely straight, falling in behind the alternately soaring andswooping vocals of Liam McKahey with a versatility that would do eitherthe Bad Seeds or Tindersticks proud. --Andrew Mueller ... Read more

Reviews (29)

A seductive, rhythmic album laced with 1st class melodies
Nick Cave immediately came to mind when I first heard Liam McKahey sing the first notes to "Your Day Will Come". Although the songs were nowhere near as morbid or melancholy as any Nick Cave song, the vocal comparisons to him is quite evident throughout the cd.

I thoroughly enjoyed Cousteau's self-titled album. When I first listened to this album, my impressions were that this would be the perfect cd to listen to during the after hours, when all the bars and clubs have shut down for the night during the weekend. I could almost see this band playing ina smokey basement to a small crowd who are not ready to go home yet.

Every song on this album is a winner. Liam McKahey's voice is deep and warm. He also reminds me a bit of Leonard Cohen at times. It shows in the songs that a lot of care went into the writing of the lyrics as well as song structure. I just don't hear that on the first listen with a lot of albums coming out today. I certainly recommend buying this album for anyone curious about Cousteau.

Above Average. A Classic Debut
I purchased this album when it was first released. I heard the song "Last Good Day Of The Year" on a late night video program. I was immediately taken by this mysterious song. I liked the fact that it had a mellow pop sense to it with a feel of modern rock. Every song on this album is spectacular enriched with an array of top notch musicianship including flugelhorn, violin, guitar, drums, etc. Although this album is extremely well produced Liam McKahey's vocals make this effort outstanding. He ranks with the all-time great male vocalists. His vocals are the finest on the scene, he's smooth and soulful. He sings his songs with ease, control and dynamics. He belongs with the luminaries such as; Marvin Gaye, Roy Orbison, Freddie Mercury and Stevie Wonder.
All the songs on this classy album were written and produced by band member Davey Ray Moor. The overall feel of this album is mesmerizing with a soulful easy jazz pop sound.

Fine stuff
Just about everything on this album is worth a listen. This is a refined effort, for sure, which suggests these guys have been working together for a while. As some of the other reviewers say, the album has a jazzy, bluesy, smoke-filled room quality. Highly recommended.

Smooth, sexy, bluesy, loungey...
I bought this CD 2 months ago, and it has spent very little time outside my CD player. It's like Burt Bacharach, Barry White and Chris Isaak got together and jammed. It's bluesy, jazzy, dark and sweet with a glorious lounge-singer, lava-lamp, velvet-and-dark-chocolate feel with brilliant, romantic and sometimes sarcastic lyrics. It's like nothing else out there right now. Everyone can relate to the sentiments expressed; they're universal and yet original (take "Wish You Were Her," for instance). The music is superb, the lyrics are sheer genius, and yes, my God, that voice...

Welcome Cousteau
How refreshing to hear melody that you really want to listen to over and over and lyrics that have their own special meaning, a life of their own even without the music. Bundle this with sensitive arrangements and a wonderfull baritone who sings as if he really feels it. This is truly modern day musical expression. Congratulations to all involved -to Davey Ray Moor whose wonderful creative genius gave birth to it all, to Liam who makes you want to listen ever so closely and to the band for creating the great wholesome sound that will span the changing tastes of many generations of music lovers. ... Read more

Album Description

Limited edition reissue on 180 gram vinyl for their top50 1985 album featuring the international hit 'Kayleigh'. 10tracks total. Black wax. Comes packaged in the originalgatefold sleeve. 1997 EMI release. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Masterpiece
The first Marillion-song I ever heard was a live version of Slainte Mhath from The Thieving Mapie-album. I was hooked... That was 10 years ago. Marillion is still one of my favourite bands, and the album that's still most special to me is this one. I listen to it on my walkman a lot, walking across town, on the train, or wherever... it doesn't really matter where, because the music never fails to take me away to some different world. And the lyrics... WOW... this is a man who isn't afraid to show what he's feeling... Did this album change my life? Most definitely. Buy it!

Marillion's Best. A Must-Have!
I was first introduced to Marillion years ago with this album. I was hooked at the first listen. The lyrics are inspired, inspiring, and sometimes inspired lunacy. Marillionites around the world seem to agree, despite their personal preferences, that Misplaced Childhood was their best, Fish-ful or Fish-less. This album has messages and commentaries on today's society but at the same time entertains to the hilt. Beware first-time listeners....it is highly addictive.

I dont really have a top-10 list of favourites, but I can say unequivocably that Misplaced Childhood is my favourite album of all time. 10 years after being given a second-hand home-recorded tape, I still can't get enough.

"How can we justify? They call us civilised."

One of the best albums ever!
The power of the lyrics and the voice of Fish got me hooked from the begining. I still remember this album when it just came out to the market. It doesn't matter what kind of music you like- JUST GO BUY IT NOW!(if you can still get it...) It's a celebration of music. One of the best albums of all times. Enjoy!

One of the best albums ever!
I'm glad there are other people who know what I know. Sadly, few Americans know of the band.

This album is best listened to in one sitting.

It's the musical equivalent of Catcher in the Rye. I give no higher compliment.

WANNA TRAVEL INTO ANOTHER WORLD??
THIS IS THE BEST MARILLION ALBUM... JUST TRY IT...IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT YOU ARE NOT FROM THIS WORLD!!! ... Read more

Album Description

Aussie 'best of' for the infamous Manchester altenative dance act. Includes the hits 'Step On', 'Kinky Afro' 'Loose Fit' and mixes of 'Step On', 'Stayin' Alive' and 'WFL'. 15 tracks. SDtandard jewel case. 1999 release. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The epitomy of britpop
If it weren't for people like the happy mondays and the stone roses at the end of the 1980's and start of the 1990's then we would never have people like oasis, supergrass and all the other 'britpop'/ indie bands now. Music lovers never seem to realise where it all started, they believe that bands like oasis are original and took no inspiration from anywhere else. This band helped oasis get to where they are now so all i can say to music fans is to buy this CD and learn where it all started, also buy the stone roses and then you will truely know what 'Madchester' is. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The first Black Box Recorder album, 1998's England Made Me, was originally conceived by Auteurs and Baader Meinhof frontman Luke Haines as a typically baleful response to the cultural and political hysteria--respectively, Britpop and Tony Blair--then gripping Britain. Recorded with the help of former Jesus & Mary Chain drummer John Moore and singer Sarah Nixey, it did for Britpop roughly what the film Carrie did for the senior prom. The Facts of Life, the follow-up, maintains the withering glare but fixes it this time on the personal. The songs here obsess with unnerving clarity and mordant wit on the banal, cruel details of human relationships and are narrated perfectly by Nixey. Where her perfectly English-accented whisper infused England Made Me with the air of a bored aristocrat finding contemptuous amusement in the misery of others, on The Facts of Life she has located an edge of taunting viciousness all the more diabolical for being so understated. The tunes, as ever, are sweet and insidious, perhaps best thought of as Saint Etienne turned feral. Highlights on an album full of them are "English Motorway" and "The Art of Driving"--BBR triumphantly reclaiming the American rock & roll prerogative of the road song for their damp, claustrophobic homeland. The Facts of Life is a masterpiece. --Andrew Mueller ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Ethereal
[....] Black Box Recorder's "The Facts Of Life" is one of the best CD's I've picked up in years. Hearing only the title track on an alternative radio station, I took a chance and bought the CD. Every tune is a winner. And sure, BBR's obviously been influenced by or directly [used] other artists' styles, but what artist hasn't taken from another? BBR develops their music to something completely original, and Sarah Nixey's vocals provide a beautiful contrast to some of the striking lyrics.

The music overall is tightly composed, smooth, and ethereal. Sarah Nixey is a perfect chanteuse. Great music for a mellow listening mood by firelight or during a night drive in the country with your sweetheart.

Heroic acts in Teenage Sex
"The Facts of Life", Black Box Recorder's second album, follows suite in their amazing debut of twisted nursery rhymns, "England Made Me". This is certainly an album to be cherished in one's cd collection - the lyrics are clever and provocative, the music is soothing and intelligent and the mixture can leave the listener awe struck.

In this album, the band has matured a bit. Their storytelling can deliver a much appreciated sense of nostalgia for one's own teenage years - after all, who doesn't remember their boyfriend/girlfriend pushing the relationship one step further than you were ready to go, that almost too-cozy encounter with your highschool best friend or the introspective of a child trying to live as an adult.

Lead singer, Nixey's voice sounds almost like a submissive siren, as she faintly sings anthemns about teenage sexuality and desire. Haines and Moore push their music writing even further, keeping the low tones of instruments and mixing in small beats and rythmns that add a certain liveliness to their melodies. Some of the radio-worthy songs, "Art of Driving" and "Facts of Life", have a good combonation of indie rock/folk with a touch of pop, at the same time expelling the requirements of any particular genre. For those who appreciate rock/pop and alternative music, this will fit in easy to your music collection, though there is enough to interest electronica and folk fans alike.

Out of all the one hit wonders I'm subjected to each morning of my commute - its really nice to have a cd that one can appreciate all the way through.

Definitely not disposable
...I describe it as the album Clinic would release once they have Cia Soro as their leadsinger. @ any rate, it is truly a magical album that improves on the sombre debut England Made Me to create a sound & mood that is both indulgent (But nowhere near selfindulgent) & sardonic. Luke Haines & John Moore's lyrics work either as subdued Jarvis Cockeresque narratives ("May Queen", "The Deverell Twins") or as simple, axiomatic observations ("The Art Of Driving", "Weekend", "The English Motorway System", "The Facts Of Life", "Straight Life"):-Combining this with Sarah Nixey's glossy, breathy voice & a minimalist yet chilling electroacoustic backdrop & you have a winner. Make sure you also check out the sleeve where excerpted lyrics from all of the songs (But the titletrack) are displayed as seriocomic balloons in awkward situations:- Very much in the style of Pulp.

Oh, & my personal favourite is "Sex Life", thanks for asking.

US version.
Cover is diff. from the usual UK release but the songs are same.A must have for anyone.

lovely
Excellent, excellent music.... As lots of folks have said already, this indeed sounds like a slightly sinister St. Etienne, with perhaps a bit of Trembling Blue Stars thrown in...but with a pretty distinctive personality of its own, too. Has anyone else noticed how much Sarah Nixey can sound like Olivia Newton John, by the way (particularly on "The Art of Driving")? A-OK with me. On the mildly negative side, there's the occasional embarrassing lyric here and there, but on the whole they're lovely and a big leap forward from the still awfully good first album. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A revealing set of B-sides and rarities that uncovers the more contemplative, Talk Talk-like side of Catherine Wheel. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Catherine Wheel's B-Sides are A-Sides
Any time a band releases a collection or some remixes in between albums it usually signals a lack of new material or a need for some more record sales. However, in the case of The Catherine Wheel it signals the rare chance to experience the strange and wonderful places inside your mind where truly beautiful music can take you. Their incredible covers of Pink Floyd and Rush are both stand-outs but how could you over-look "Mouthful of Air" and "Harder than I Am"? If you are blessed with the ability to hear and enjoy good music, this album should be at the top of your list of things to do.

I solid delivery from a lonely B-side boy.
Buy this album if only for the epic, "Heal 2". Catherine Wheel is a strange band to like. The mood of this album is grim, hopeful, sad and insanely happy all in the span of 50 some odd minutes. It is a triumph (especially for a B-side album). It is not four star level, but songs like "Car", "High Heels" and "Tongue Twisted" just get better after repeated listening. Also worth mentioning here is "Mouthful Of Air". Otherwise, the songs drag and just muddy your mind and you are happy to escape the Catherine Wheel world once it's over. Best taken in doses, not all at once. The Pink Floyd and Rush covers are o.k., what bar band doesn't know a couple of classic rockers. All in all a good buy, not excellent. The art work is pretty sharp too.

MUCH MORE THAN A B-SIDES ALBUM
Bands generally release 'B-sides' or 'rarities' non-albums as albums, when they don't have enough material to release a full-length proper studio album. Such albums are strictly meant for fans, as they contain desultory songs, without being paid much attention to. As a matter of fact, everything suffers in such albums, right from the packaging and artwork, to the songs themselves. Probably that is why such albums have names like "B-SIDES AND ODDITIES", or "DEAD LETTER OFFICE", etc., to make their contents obvious.

"LIKE CATS AND DOGS", is a very different album. It is different in the manner that it has been treated by CATHERINE WHEEL (CW) like a normal studio LP. It is actually supposed to be a B-sides album, though it is unlike one. This particular album is as good as any other CW album. Generally B-sides albums sound a bit like every preceding album by the artist, since such albums contain residues of the previous albums. As with "LIKE CATS AND DOGS", however, it has a totally fresh sound, something CW never sounded like before. Moreover, the sound in this album seems to have evolved from its immediate predecessor, "HAPPY DAYS". The sound of "HAPPY DAYS" seems like an obvious evolutionary result of its immediate predecessor, "CHROME". So, in a way, this album is actually a proper studio album!

This album has a much milder feel to it than "HAPPY DAYS". After the guitar-wrenching "Heal-2": the shorter version of "Heal" from "HAPPY DAYS", the album enshrouds itself within poignancy. What follows is a string of moody tracks, made beautiful by Rob Dickinson's voice and the minimal use of any other musical instrument except for the ambient-producing ones. It is in this lull, where one of the best-done cover-versions can be found: the simplistic version of PINK FLOYD's "Wish You Were here", sung passionately by Rob pays an apt tribute to the great band, which probably has a great influence over CW. As if conceptually done, the second half of the album is much less moody and much more grungy; the sound, CW is best known for. In spite of every track being a standout, noteworthy are tracks, "Mouthful Of Air"(from the lull side of the album) and "Tongue Twisted" (from the noisy side of the album.)

Right from the songs themselves, their arrangement, down to the really smart cover and the artwork, "LIKE CATS AND DOGS" is indeed an album of 'album' songs, rather than an album of 'non album' songs. The small note in the lyrics booklet, by the band and the band manager, starts with the lines, "It's always been important to us that the extra tracks we record for singles be as good as anything we do" - a description, which best fits "LIKE CATS AND DOGS".

the band afraid to show their better mellow side
Before the epic Adam & Eve, CW threw us this bone to let us know that the Talk Talkish breakdown in "black metallic" was influential. It is clear that they thought mellow songs on their 1st 3 cds would scare folks off. I remember getting the highly abrasive Happy Days and being bummed that the scorching edge never really backed off. They can write great barn burners and I love that, but his b-sides comp showed us that the boys can really shiver our spines with less rocking ditties. Of course the next album, Adam & Eve, brought the house down and mixed all their ways into one.

Check out "Car" for a great summing of Rob's inner voice. The Floyd cover is 2nd only to the original. Don't even mention the Telethon version. The hidden Rush cover works well too. The rocking songs near the end are over the top balls to the wall, dropping my review to 3 stars. Heal 2 is just Heal without the mellow parts.

Grade A B's
Discounting Mr Geneva's dementia, it's noteworthy when a band can release "B" sides that are superior to 98% of the "A" sides by other 90's ensembles. Although a tad uneven, Like Cats and Dogs showcase the amazing sonic depths and heights this Brit foursome attained at the peak of their creative career. Buy this after you've digested their great studio albums (minus Wishville.) I also agree with other reviewers: give it a few spins, for CW is an aquired taste well worth time and effort. CW makes music that convey emotions and ideas; LC&D contains the grade "A" remnants of their hard-to-classify, yet diversely amazing studio efforts from 1992 to 1997. An interesting cover of Rush's "Spirit of Radio" is a nice unlisted plus, with Rob Dickenson wisely not attempting to emulate the screechy Geddy L of yore. Baileyboy ... Read more

Album Description

Dutch edition of the UK alternative act's 1997 album for Mercury (now deleted in the U.S.). For this their fourth album, the band focused more on atmospherics which drew them comparisons to Pink Floyd & Talk Talk. 12 tracks (#12 is untitled and hidden) including, 'Future Boy', 'Ma Solituda' & 'Thunderbird'. Features exclusive artwork & picture disc. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

one of the great rock cd's of the 90's
If there were any justice in the world, The Catherine Wheel would be huge. Good old fashioned rock and roll has never sounded so good. "Adam and Eve" is easily the most accesible album they've released, (much more listenable than the earlier "shoegazer" brand of pop). From start to finish there isn't a weak track on the album. Even the "hidden track" is better than most bands singles. From "Future Boy" all the way to "For Dreaming" The Catherine Wheel show off just how mature they've become as songwriters. It seems every song kind of sails along before exploding into a frenzied chorus that even the most reserved of people would have a hard time not standing up and jumping around. Each song is nearly perfectly crafted, and highly sing-a-long-able. "Phantom of the American Mother" is simply one of the best songs of the last half of the 90's. No question. "Future Boy," "Ma Solituda" and "Satellite" are other stand out tracks. Why is the Catherine Wheel not a montstrous rock band? Who knows. But do yourself a favor and get a hold of this album somehow. Buy it used, new, whatever. Just buy it, turn up the volume and enjoy.

JUST BUY IT!!!
This album sweeps you away with its grand crescendos and Rob Dickinson's powerful, emotive vocals; one listen and you'll be hooked. My favorites are the yearning "Future Boy," beautifully sullen "Ma Solituda," and stately "Thunderbird." The greatest thing about Catherine Wheel is that they haven't really broken through so you can catch them at a club to truly experience the power of their music. Adam and Eve posesses considerable musical diversity. The mellower stuff reminds me of James (on Seven and Laid) while the aggressive stuff sounds something like Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream with far more ear-pleasing vocals. If you wish Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, and the '85-'88 version of U2 could fuse into one band, you may have found it.

"And the sweetness only improves"
I am a big fan of Catherine Wheel's first three albums, but was disappointed when I first listened to Adam & Eve. Usually, song after song by Catherine Wheel hooks me, but I only came away with the catchy "Phantom of the American Mother," the intense rocker "Delicious" and the celestial "Future Boy" after my first few listens to this CD. Because I'm a CW fan, I did not give up on Adam & Eve, and now I have found more to like about this album. It is really pretty solid through the 8th track "Thunderbird." It is a more melodious album than the heavy-sounding Happy Days so, those who were turned off by CW's third album may want to give Adam & Eve a chance. The last tracks on the CD are rather flat. There is a bonus 12th track that is a rather stale slow number. As much as I like "Phantom...," it is not the grand slam track I've come to expect from CW albums like "Black Metallic" off Ferment or "Heal" off Happy Days. Adam & Eve is not a bad album, it just takes more spins in the CD player to get into than their first three brilliant studio albums. CW really raised the bar.

Disappointing
I still like Catherine Wheel a heck of a lot.

I wonder if the new direction of "Adam" caused the bands' riff. Seems like they're trying to replicate "Cats and Dogs". They would be better off trying to write "A" sides again.

Here's less melody on melody, more forward vocals (thus more noticable lyrics, cry-boy, slightly sappy), and that formerly trendy "unplugged" feel (well sort of).

I've listened to this quite a few times waiting for the dawn of understanding some others mention. To no avail. DAMN!

Concept album or no, this is not a must buy. I kept waiting for a home-run like "Idle Life" or "The Nude". Nothing. Not even close.

I'm glad "Wishville" showed up. There's still hope.

BUY THIS ALBUM, it'll change your life!
Let's not mince words here. Adam & Eve IS the best record of the 90's. It doesn't matter if you count 1990-1999, or 1991-2000, it is simply that damn good. And The Catherine Wheel is the best BAND of the 90's. They have more feeling in a pinky toenail than Kurt Cobain had in his entire mediocre career! They are, without a doubt, the MOST UNDERRATED BAND EVER!!! This is a band that made records better than Zeppelin, and this is their best work. It is a perfect record. If you haven't heard it and aren't familiar with the band, imagine if Coldplay had balls. Imagine if they could actually, what's the word I'm looking for here, ROCK! This band could do it all. Rock as hard as anyone (especially live), be as melodic as anyone, be as emotional as anyone, and be as photogenic (if that even matters) as anyone. You want hard tunes, they got em. You want soft tunes, they got em. You want tunes that you can't get out of your head... I can go on, but you get the picture.
Now, this album in particular. You get 2 untitled, unlisted tracks, one which starts the album, & one that ends the album, giving it a nice, well rounded feel. And let's emphasise that this is an ALBUM, not just a collection of the songs the band wrote since their last record. This is in the relm of The Joshua Tree, Wish You Were Here, Nothing's Shocking, The White Album, any release by Hendrix while he was alive, etc. Each song has it's place & the best ones are all non-singles. Particulary breathtaking are the hatrick in the second half of the album of Thunderbird, Here Comes The Fat Controller & Goodbye. But every song on this record is great. The fact that it's out of print in the US is proof that the major label recording industry doesn't give a crap about releasing good music, just making money. Why this band never took off will apparantly forever be life's greatest mystery to me. Some people may forever wonder how man can be so cruel to fellow man, but me, I'll forever wonder why you people won't listen to this band! If I could give this album ten or a hundred and ten stars I would, but here I'm limited to only 5, but let me put it this way: I became a fan of CW the week their first album "Ferment" was released in the US. It quickly became a favorite of mine and although I loved the following albums "Crome" and "Happy Days" and also the finest b-sides album ever released "Like Cats And Dogs", I never thought they would ever make a record that meant more to me than "Ferment". Much like I doubt U2 will ever make a record that means more to me than The Joshua Tree, but after one listen to "Adam & Eve" I THOUGHT it MIGHT be a better record. After two listens, I KNEW it WAS.
So please, if you want beautiful, introspective music about life, relationships & the human condition, that actually sounds NEW & has a heart and a soul & sounds like the band actually spent time trying to make the record sound GOOD, buy this record. It is simply the best album of the 90's and one of the best albums EVER, and if you don't think so, you are just wrong, and what's more you will always be wrong, in everything you think, do or say. ... Read more

Album Description

The second single from 'Be Here Now'. It's backed with threenew non-album tracks: '(I Got) The Fever', 'My Sister Lover'and 'Going Nowhere'. Digipak. 1997 Creation release. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Awesome
This is just a brilliant, fantastic, great, awsome and marvellous song. I've run out of superlatives to throw at this Oasis tune, my second best from them behind Champagne Supernova (and that is a amazing song). I just love this band. If you've never heard this song before than you are missing a gem.

A hard rock single..... exciting¡¡¡
The song "Stand by me" is just very good and has romantic, heart touching lyrics. This songs talks about someone you should care about, and the message just gets to your heart. A single that rocks¡¡¡. The songs are just great, the last one is a noel acoustic song that inspires people to make true the dreams they have, it has positive lyrics that makes you fight for a dream.... a must have for any "hard" fan of OASIS ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

Continuing the emphasis on Rob Dickinson's ascendant presence as the Catherine Wheel's lead singer, Wishville is the sound of musicians accepting their band's essential nature: there is no longer any doubt, especially after the dazzling, pounding opener "Sparks Are Gonna Fly" rips through your speakers, that the Catherine Wheel are simply one hell of a pop band. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Never Enough
With Wishville The Catherine Wheel have released a collection of more accessible tunes that still manage to showcase their broad range of talents. Every song here stands strongly on its own, while together they easily lead you to the end of the CD and wishing for more.

Their single, "Sparks Are Gonna Fly" starts off with a definitive wah-wah-wah that drives through to the end. "Gasoline" is grittier with a catchy refrain that in hindsight might have better served the album as its initial single. "What We Want To Believe In" and "Mad Dog" are completely fun, completely pop. After listening awhile, "Lifeline" and "Ballad of a Running Man" have become my favorites for their personal lyrics and signature Catherine Wheel guitar assaults. "All of That" and "Idle Life" are slower, introspective songs that successfully stretch the band in new directions.

While the sound on Wishville is simpler and does not have quite the layered depth of their past albums, it doesn't take as many listens to get hooked on as some of those albums either. Hearing these songs live in concert with the rest of my favorite CW tunes demonstrates that this band has grown better than ever.

Most hardcore Catherine Wheel fans recommend delving into the guitar-laden depths of Chrome and Ferment before purchasing other CW albums. However, if you are a new Catherine Wheel fan, I think you should start with this most recent and easiest to listen to album first and work backwards.

regression, bigtime
Catherine wheel are/ were a pretty solid rock band. Started out shoegazey, got a little more aggressive along with the nirvana thing, and then hit an apparent peak with "Adam and Eve". I have no idea if they were forced to release this garbage, or if they really thought it was good or it was a contract-finishing record or what. There are 9 songs, and 9 songs only. Maybe 2 or 3 are worth hearing again. The album is made up of pretty straight forward and pretty awful rock songs. They last about 4 minutes each, they basically mesh into one another and sound really tired and uninspired. I'm probably digging too deep, but maybe the band just wanted to get this out so they could break up (haven't seen nor heard from them since)? If you are looking for quality "alternative" rock, look elsewhere. There are dozens of great bands making similar, sylistically speaking, music that do it a lot better than this. Actually go buy "Adam and Eve", "Chrome" or "Ferment" by this very band. They made those albums when they cared about making music. Clearly their passion is gone!

Sh__tville
You know you're in for a long listen when a band's own die-hard fans can't muster up enough to say about your album than, "well, at least it's better than 90% of what's out there!!" Well, that remaining 10% includes this band's prior output, because they USED to be incredible, and this album is about as near an embarassing, career-ending travesty as you can get. The songs are just awful; I would say that there might be some basis for this garbage, such as a song here and there prior to this that gave a HINT they might be headed in this sad direction, but their isn't. I might have even said that prior to this album, basically all of their songs were in their own way must-haves. The cover, coming from a band that does its covers up nicely, is pretentious, arrogant, and offensively poor. There really isn't anything positive to say about this gargantuan mistake of career suicide other than maybe, just MAYBE, something is going on behind the scenes to make something like this see the light of day. Maybe some Capitol exec held a gun to their heads and said, "ALRIGHT, MAKE ME THE WORST-SOUNDING PIECE OF BAD PORK YOU HAVE EVER HEARD!! I MEAN INSIPID LYRICS, WOEFUL SONGWRITING, AND LIFELESS DRUMMING THAT GOES NOWHERE!! NOW MOVE IT AND MAKE IT FAST!!"

Catherine Wheel, where have you gone?

Collapsing stars
Wow, this one just hurts.

Amazing band, simply stunning in concert, and now this.

I hope they'll rebound. Stranger things have happened. For the moment, though, this stands among the most disappointing releases ever by a band that has had so much to offer in the past.

"Sparks are Gonna Fly" and "What We Want to Believe In" are the only songs which led me to give this album even two stars, and even those decent tracks are but an echo of their predecessors.

When your B-side compilation is more inspiring than your new release, you know you're in trouble. So it is with Catherine Wheel.

Arrrgggghhhhh..... What happened to these guys?
For so long did Catherine Wheel carry the torch oh so well for underground guitar music (OK, OK ... alternative rock). Not just with every new CD but with every new song came something different, something unexpected and most importantly; Catherine Wheel always had a sound of their own. Now it appears that CW are trying as hard as they possibly can to appeal to the mainstream masses by releasing an album containing one uninspiring guitar song after the next.

To think that this was the band that use to bring us classics so perfect and so beautiful as "Heal", "Delicious", "The Nude", "Texture", etc., etc...... Only the anthemic "Gasoline" comes anywhere close. Don't get me wrong, Catherine Wheel are one of the most overlooked bands of the 90's but if you really want to hear the true Catherine Wheel, toss this and check out Ferment, Chrome or Happy Days. ... Read more