Amazon.com

Now that Beck has effectively exorcised his personal demons with 2002's hyper-confessional Sea Change, he can get back to the business of being a total fruit loop. We all know what that involves: video game sound effects, random shouting in Spanish, and rhymes about popsicles and vegetable vans. And that's just the second track. Guero is like every Beck album condensed into one, a no-holds-barred collision of two-turntables and a microphone with the added bonus of guitars, bossa nova beats, Jack White, lyrics about spaceships and dump truck full of ideas all fighting to get heard about the ruckus. It's an exhausting and exhilarating listen with lots of peaks, such as the digitized power ballad "Broken Drum" and handclap drench folk freak-out "Farewell Ride," and more than enough to restore anyone's faith in Beck as one of the most chaotically inspired songwriters of our time. -- Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (155)

Phenomenal
Beck is truly one of a kind, and that is what makes his music always enjoyable.You never know what Beck is going to do and that unpredictability factor always makes a Beck album engaging. Too many musicians today are too cliche and you can always predict what direction they are going to take.With Beck, you're in for a surprise ride everytime.

What is unique about GUERO is that it doesn't just appeal to one audience.While Beck may be rocking out with hard guitars on his first single (and notable track) "E-Pro",he doesn't just use a standard drum set.With the Dust Brothers (Beastie Boys) producing he uses drum programming that hints at a very catchy hip-hop edge. Beck goes full fledge alternative hip-hop on "Que Onda Guero" while he chooses a conservative beach rock sound with synth and all on "Girl".

After an engaging three hit track start, Beck disappoints somewhat on "Missing".His follow-up track "Black Tambourine" again uses a Dust Brothers hip-hop beat.While it is a good and fun track, it isn't the caliber of "E-Pro", "Que Onda Guero", or "Girl".

Beck comes back strong with the hip-hop synth arrangement on "Earthquake Weather" where Beck sings with his typical folk/indie-rock style over a genius arrangement."Hell Yes" is another stellar track.Who couldn't say hell yes to that?

While all the tracks on the album are enjoyable listens, the first few and the above mentioned are the best.Beck should definitely be recognized by the Grammys for this. It is an artistic masterpiece.It is a breath of fresh air when an artist doesn't conform to the commercial aspects of music and goes for the independent approach in producing whatever they want to.You keep on doing your thing Beck and hell yes your album is cool!

The Resurrection of Beck
Beck returns in full force and great musical shape with a Cd that runs the gamut from psychedelic Jimi Hendrixlike rock to Jobimish bossa nova travelling through Pinkfloydesque ventures.
True talent exudes from this offering from the first funky single E-Pro,the ethnic QUE ONDA GUERO,the definite next single GIRL and the dark yet inspiring BROKEN DRUM.The presence of BECK in the music world is an inspiring element and reassuring thought that talent lives on,be it hailing from East L.A. or from Topeka

Pretty Good 4 a Guero
EASolinas has the perfect description : Distortion Rock a la Latin Hip-Hop . I made my fantastic edit of Odelay , Midnite Voltures and Guero called : Mixd Emotions ... Six of each ... This Guero is pretty inventive and keeps life a fresh ... Sea of Change I like all of It as it Is ... I guess I am a real at heart 70's child ... Keep it comming ...

BECK RETURNS (AND SAVES THE WORLD)
Alright, alright. We can all get over ourselves now. After months of pointing the Salem-witch-hunt-like finger at Beck and enceremoniously saying that his career has come to a dead stop, I think we need to listen to this album. Because the fact is that if any other upstart band or artist came out of nowhere and produced Guero, we would be hailing them as surefire Messiahs. They would be plastered all over every magazine, poster, t-shirt and record store and would win the Mercury and/or Shortlist prizes before the award ceremony could be put on.

This isn't Beck's best album. But does that really matter? That's like criticizing Abbey Road for not being as good as Sergeant Pepper's. The fact of the matter is we have a truly genious artist (Beck) producing a really great, fun, listenable-yet-challenging and completely original album (Guero) that can only be classified in one genre: "Beck music".

But, "Gasp!" you say. "He isn't creating a wildly new aesthetic and changing the music scene singlehandedly!". "Oh no!" you cry, "Some songs teeter on, dare I proclaim, Minimalism! THE SKY IS FALLING!"

Get off it. This record is just one of the myriad of exciting, buzz-worthy, and unique albums to be released so far this year, so for god sakes, stop debating and BUY THIS ALBUM! And then do me a favour. Sing along to the "na na na" chorus. All three of them. Bask in their carefree glory, and hear them almost speak to you. Do you know what they're saying?

"Forget expectations. Put on some Beck. Be happy."

Best album since Odelay
Beck's mishmash of sound and genre is a wonder to behold, and at times hard to listen to.It requires a patient, open mind and an ability to appreciate artists who are the musical equivalent of Picasso.Guero is not quite as all over the place as Mutations, but it still varies widely from Latin hip-hop to a quasi Country/R&B.Add in some video game sampling and distortion mic and you have Beck.

My favorite tracks on the album are Epro, Que Onda Guero, and Earthquake Weather, but all of them are great.This is one of those rare albums I can listen to from start to finish, and as such, it earns all five of its stars. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For its first new set of music since 2000's Warning, Green Day tears up the blueprint and comes up with something unexpected: A punk rock concept album built around elaborate melodies, odd tempo changes, and a collection of songs that freely reference classic rock warhorses like the Beatles and Pink Floyd. "She's A Rebel" and "St. Jimmy" might sound like vintage Green Day but the rest of the disc finds the Northern California trio trying on a variety of different guises: "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" is a cliché-strewn Foo Fighters-style power ballad; "Extraordinary Girl" floats on Indian strings; and the hushed "Wake Me Up When September Ends" wouldn't sound entirely out of place on a Jessica Simpson record. It doesn't always work. "Dearly Beloved" eerily resembles the Alarm's "68 Guns" while the title track eerily resembles something Green Day has already done far too many times. But, overall, American Idiot is represents a promising step forward. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great cd
Ok well I just have to say that the first time I heard this cd I knew that it would be my favorite greed day cd. I have listened to this cd at least 50 times since I've gotten it! In fact I'm listening to it while im typing this reveiw. My favorite song on the whole cd is holiday and I know that this cd will be my fav. cd for a long time.

I freakin' LOVE this CD
Go get this CD! It is awesome! It has both their traditional punk rock which is always awesome and some more slow music which is also awesome. It's not like any of their other albums before. It's also very opinionated, but you can decide whether that's a good or bad thing. I really don't care! All I know is that this is one heck of a rock opera and a must-have for any Green Day fan!

best cd since kerplunk
this is probally greendays best ccd since kelrplunk almost 10 years ago and its a great cd, get it

green day rox!!!
green day is sik! 1.american idiot 8/10 i loved this song on madden too bad i over played it 2.jesus of suburbia 8/10 catchy a bit long tho still kewl 3.holiday 9/10 'on holiday' 4.blvd of broken dreams 11/10 best song on the cd by far slow rock song but great awsome lyrics catchy tune just awsome 5.are we the waiting 7/10 probably my least favorite song on the cd 6.st jimmy 10/10 awsome i can see this song in the THUG 2 fast and a nawce tune 7.give me novacaine 6/10 i change my mind this is my least favorite slow and annoying i got nothing against slow but... 8.shes a rebel 10/10 catchy lyrics just all around good 9.extraordinary girls 8/10 i hat the begining like tribal drums or something waste of 30 seconds songs ok 10.letterbomb 8/10 ok 11.wake me up when september ends 7/10 catchy lyrics slow and doesnt really go any where remember slow is not bad (take for instence adam?s song by blink) 12.homecoming 8/10 kewl song long though 13.watsername 9/10 slow (see) kewl lyrics i averaged the scores and got 8.38461538461538461538461538... im a math idiot i giv the cd a easy 9/10 buy it!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Trent Reznor has always been a one-trick-pony, but it's a damn good trick: sunny melodies filtered through ferocious electronics. Unfortunately, the trick's impact was often watered down by a tendency toward petulance and self-absorption. Still, almost six years after NIN's last release, The Fragile, the trick itself has lost none of its Teen-Beat-from-hell appeal. With Teeth blisters from the start with "All the Love in the World," and tracks like "The Collector" take full advantage of Dave Grohl's sledgehammer drumming. Reznor stretches occasionally, trying out different tactics, from crunchy, overtly commercial rave-ups ("The Hand That Feeds") to borderline New Wave ("Only"). But Teeth isn't about stretching. It's about doing the same trick, only better, with less clutter and more bite. By neatly distilling the sparseness of Pretty Hate Machine with Downward Sprial-style density, it ends up being the most focused record in the NIN catalog. –Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (312)

Best Nine Inch Nails album since "Pretty Hate Machine"
First, I have been a fan of NIN since its debut album back in 1991 when I was in high school. And I have followed this band all through college and grad school and I have to say that this is by and large their best effort since "Pretty Hate Machine"

I listened to entire album twice before writing this review and I have to say, I LOVE IT!

This is the album that should have followed "Pretty Hate Machine". PHM is by far NIN's best, but this comes a second close. Whereas "The Fragile" and the "Downward Spiral" and even the EP "Broken" were an exhausting orgy of noise and aural chaos, this album is well crafted and tight; it's hardcore yet melodic.

All the tracks are good, but the best are (in my opinion):

1) All the world in the world
3) The collector
4) The hand that feeds
5) Love is not enough
6) Every day is exactly the same
9) Getting smaller
13) Right where it belongs

Enjoy!

This guy is 40 and he has a number one album
When you mention NIN to anyone, the past music could be summed up with one word: angst. Even though much of Trent Reznor's last album was unfocused and weird, besides being very non-commercial, you can only be angry and full of angst for so long, to a point where that becomes clichÎ. Reznor wisely took a long break. He reformed the band, which includes Jeordie White. This album is also 13 tracks just over fifty minutes. Reznor has learned that less is more. The songs are brilliant. "All The Love In The World" and "You Know What You Are?" show immediately the soft and the hard side of the same coin. Then we get to the weird world of "The Collector" where all music collides. Three tracks in you realize that Reznor has decided to get more interesting on the percussion. The drum sounds are almost a fusion of drum and bass and rock drumming. "The Hand That Feeds" is a political song that recalls early NIN. Reznor proves that he hasn't lost his edge. Most of his current emotions are dealt with on "Love Is Not Enough." He makes a lot of noise and takes us to new NIN vistas. He even plays around with retro 1980s synth sounds on "Only." Punk rock and metal pop are words to describe "Getting Smaller." Reznor has made an interesting album that looks to the past and looks to the future. Not many records sound like this right now, so good for him.

Bad Pop, Even Worse Rock, and Terrible Industrial
I thought Trent was better than this. Almost every track is boring emo garbage with little to no electronic work. I've never really liked his vocal work, but here it just deflates because he has few to no catchy melodies. The good tracks are "The Hand That Feeds," "Only," "Beside You In Time" (which is nice and experimental) and "Right Where It Belongs."

The Fragile was good for its length and fairly catchy melodies. The Downward Spiral was good for its lyrics, repeating melody, and storyline. Pretty Hate Machine was good for its vast sparseness and minimalism. Get those if you haven't.

Don't be fooled; With Teeth has none of NIN's redeeming qualities or songs which will stick. Trent seems to have sold out just about completely now.

With Teeth is good!
I enjoyed With Teeth very much. I have been a fan for many years. And I think this CD is just as good as all the other Nine Inch Nails records.All of the 13 songs are different in a way.All of the NIN music has changed over the years and that is a reason that I like their work.
Trent is still a bright Artist. Some of the amazing songs in this album are All The Love In The World, Only, Sunspots, The Line Begins To Blur, Beside You In Time, and Right Where It Belongs.

If you buy this album you should try and get the 5.1 DUALDISC, it sound really amazing!
I think this album is a step forward in Nine Inch Nails music making.
The drumming is really well done for the records as well.
This new NIN won't disappoint at all.

Hate Pretty Machines
Trent's thunderously technological turbulence reaches a new zenith with the new album.I was a skeptic; initially, I thought Reznor wouldn't be able to outdo the Downward Spiral.In the end, I was right . . . because Reznor smartly doesn't try to.

Instead, the new album feels more organic.Reznor has hired out more guns to play (instead of playing an insane Beethoven and recording all his own tracks) and that has seemed to help.The first single, "The Hand That Feeds", has true punch but lacks the resonance of, say, the Greatful Dead releasing "Casey Jones."Further, Trent is good but Jerr Bear is better.Set the new NIN release aside and don't worry - your local alt station will play it over and over to drill it all into your cranium anyhow.

I do appreciate Trent offering up tracks to Apple users to remix and bushwhack at will.That struck me as open and cool; in fact, reverse my previous non-recommendation.Run out and by two copies of the new album for you and your mother,Check Amazon now; my used one is for sale right now.

And Trent just wants to play on em-tee-vee in front of a simplistic Bush backdrop and they won't let him?What's a rage-ridden rocker to do?Can rock and roll ban even the hint of rebellion?Yes, Trent has aged, and, yes, many of the beats feel (or are overtly) retro, but isn't everything? Everything is built on what came before it.Deal with it, buy the album, and enjoy it.Then, as the lights draw low, go groove to the Dead.

Trent makes forty seem fabulous !! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sent reeling by the one-two punch Conor Oberst's Bright Eyes delivered with I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and Digital Ash In A Digital Urn, Ryan Adams vowed to strike back in 2005 with three of his own releases. The first--a double album, no less--sees the attention-seeking former Whiskeytown singer casting off both the raucous guitars of 2003's Rock N Roll and the rainy-day ballads of the same year's Love Is Hell in favor of the more introspective moments and rustic textures of 2000's Heartbreaker. He's snuck in at least one epic with "Meadowlake Street" and one potential radio hit with the twangy "Let It Ride," while the rest of the set is mostly packed with bleary-eyed laments that feel all too mannered after spending the last few years revealing his naked pop ambition in full. No doubt Adams will make up for it with the next one. --Aidin Vaziri

Recommended Ryan Adams Discography

Heartbreaker	Gold	Love Is Hell
Whiskeytown, Pneumonia	Whiskeytown, Stranger's Almanac	Whiskeytown, Faithless Street

... Read more

Reviews (60)

When will you come back home?

The first disc isn't very good but the second disc has its moments, some of it sounds like the songs I don't like on Pneumonia or worse while some of it is quite good. I would say on Cold Roses Ryan is in the same town of Jacksonville Skyline and Heartbreaker but still can't seem to find his way home.

I remember the rose but honey down at Midway Park the cold roses will soon be forgotten.

Simply remarkable !!!
This is a remarkable album by Ryan Adams with beautiful and also passionate back-up by the Cardinals and vocal assist by Rachel Yamagata. These are 18 distinct tracks bound together by the emotional, melancholy lyrics and melodies of Ryan Adams.If you're even close to a fan of Ryan Adams...this is a must have. Treat yourself, NOW!!!

Only because it takes so much to give an album 5 stars.
I think that this is arguably Adams' most solid and consistent record yet. I've loved all of his records, but let's admit it, even the best of them are uneven. "Heartbreaker", for all of its greatness, gets bogged down in places with its meandering acoustic numbers. Although a more solid record, "Gold" sags here and there. "Demolition", strangely enough, is a pretty solid collection, but still has the feel of a demo collection. And I could go on.

Another thing that people seem to complain about is Adams' style changing, but this has never bothered me. For some reason, it didn't seem strange to me that he would make a rock n roll record. Where he succeeds with the style changes is in the fact that ("Demolition" aside) he is consistent within each record. All of "Gold" had the same feel, all of "Love is Hell" had the same feel. And now, here is a rock-solid country-ish collection from him.

I'm not saying this is his best, I'm just saying that it feels like more of a complete work than any of the rest of his albums have. It feels like he had one creative vision and followed it through front to back.

The packaging alone is worth the four stars.

Buy this record.

excellent, but i'm not sure yet if it's a keeper
This is the type of album that would have been touted as a 'major statement' back in the 70's.But obviously the ground has shifted since then, and this album for better or worse has a calculated, 'retro' feel to it.

The worst that the cynics can say is that Ryan Adams is pandering to an aging boomer mentality (which many others besides aging boomers are afficted with), but even the curmudgeonly can't begrudge Adams his talent.Someone like this doesn't come along that often.

"Let it Ride" is a little gold nugget of a song with a gorgeous middle-eight (hey, I'm not a musician, but it's the part that goes, "I want to see you tonight, dancing in the endless moonlight...").
Not everything else on the album rises to that level, but some other songs, like "Sweet Illusion" and "Dance All Night" come pretty close.

I would rate this album higher than Stephen Stills' "Manassas" double elpee, or Wilco's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot".I have to dock it one star for being derivative.On some of the tunes, the guitar and bass do weave around in figures very reminiscent of Jerry Garcia and Phil Lesh.There seems to be little point in denying that.If that sound is your cup of tea, wouldn't itmake more sense to pull out your copy of "American Beauty" instead?

Ryan Adams Rocks
Ryan Adams is hands down my favorite artist. This is one of 3 (!!) new albums he is releasing this year. Some will say that's too much, but for me it's heaven. No one can compare to him, in my eyes. COLD ROSES has Ryan and his new group the Cardinals making a great alt-country album very reminiscent of his last group Whiskeytown. "Let It Ride" is the new single and it's awesome. The album has 18 tracks, 9 on each disc. Shaping up to be one of the best cds of 2005. Check it out! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Despite making it through a difficult four-year stretch in which the band temporarily broke up, singer Shirley Manson left her husband, and new technologies made the sleek electro-rock sound of its first three albums feel passé, Garbage resurfaces in rude health on Bleed Like Me. Manson is still kickboxing the air and stomping the glitter under her heels, as she channels Debbie Harry and Chrissie Hynde on edgy glam-rock anthems like "Run Baby Run" and "Metal Heart." All the while three bookish producers in the background--including Butch Vig, who famously helmed Nirvana's Nevermind--turn up the sleazy machine-like rhythms. Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl sits in on the drums for the menacing "Bad Boyfriend," but it's the confessional title track Bleed Like Me"--part "Walk on the Wild Side," part therapy session for former cutter Manson--that shatters Garbage's image as the ultimate non-stick studio band. "You should see my scars," goes the chorus. And, for once, Manson is actually willing to reveal them. -- Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (122)

This Garbage doesn't Smell
If you were like me, you loved the first two Garbage albums but felt a little let down on the third release, Beautiful Garbage. It wasn't bad but it wasn't as good as the first two.

Well after waiting four years for a new album I'm happy to report that Garbage is back. Bleed Like Me is another standout performance by a standout band.

It took them a long time to put out their fourth album but it was worth the wait. Please listen to the album closely and for at least two listens, as it gets better the more you hear. I'm equally impressed with the song writing, arrangements and presentation. You'd think by the fourth album they'd be slowing down a little but both crucial elements seem to be as strong as ever.

I like all the songs but here are my favorite five.

"Why Do You Love Me" I believe this is or will be released as a single. It is a medium fast bouncy tune with a catchy
chorus:
"Why do you love me, why do you love me,
why do you love me, You're driving me crazy"
If "Why Do You Love Me" is not the best song on the album it is certainly the most noticable.

The title song "Bleed Like Me" is another dandy. It has the tempo and presence of Garbage's biggest hit "Stupid Girl" but it different enough to really be appreciated. The suject seems to be homosexual in nature as this chorus depicts:
"All dressed up and acting coy,
Painted like a brand new Christmas toy.
He's trying to figure out if he's a girl or he's a boy

Three Killer songs in a row with "Metal Heart" a variable paced Gem. As with the previous two it's quite catchy and has some just killer guitar riffs in it. There's also a bit of electronica in this one too. Lyrics are sweet as well:
"I wish I had a Metal Heart, I could cross the line
I wish that I was half as good as you think I am"

The hits keep coming with "Sex is not the Enemy", maybe my second favorite song. I don't know it's hard to tell. As a lot of Garbages music "Sex is not the Enemy" has a deliciously, querulous delivery and melody. I like the lyrics as well:
"No evolution, Sometimes it depresses me
The ame old same, Oh we keep repeating History"

Shirley uses the megaphone for part of this rolicking rock tune, "The Boys want to fight", Which is a variable tempo but is mostly fast. Cute lyric's too:
"The Boys want to fight,
But the girls are happy to dance all night"

Not their best, but wait a minute...
I ordered this album blindly, because I'll listen to anything that Shirley Manson appears on, even the rather mediocre stuff from Angelfish. I turned it on, and I heard "Bad Boyfriend," and I was BLOWN AWAY.
Unfortunately, I was bored by "Run Baby Run" (it's one of those songs you have to develop a taste for), "Right Between The Eyes" (not nearly enough venom), and "Why Do You Love Me" (it is good, but far from magnetic; I think it was a poor choice for a single). Despite what Rolling Stone says, I think that the best part of the album is the second half (except, of course, for "Bad Boyfriend"). "Bleed Like Me" was eerily brilliant. "Metal Heart" grabbed me with its chorus: "Now that we know for sure that they're telling lies when they say no one gets hurt and therefore nobody dies..." "Sex Is Not The Enemy" is formulaic but the instrumentals are good. "It's All Over But The Crying" is the best breakup song I've ever heard: a happy medium between "YOU BROKE UP WITH ME!!! I HATE YOU!!!" and "I think I'm going to curl up and die." "Boys Wanna Fight" is perfect for an era where every side wants you to believe their propaganda. "Why Don't You Come Over" is loud, biting, and the perfect song for not caring. "Happy Home" is an intense finale in the tradition of "Milk" and "You Look So Fine" (although nothing tops "Milk.")
If you're picky, just download "Bad Boyfriend."
If you have never listened to Garbage before, what the heck, get this: my first Garbage album was Beautifulgarbage. I later realized it kind of sucked, but I enjoyed it a lot then.
If you are a Garbage fan, you need this album, if only to compare and contrast and enjoy Shirley Manson.

another band another album ho hum
Garbage has always been a quality band. Their first album is still amazing. They have put out four albums now and are among one of the great international bands. Their songs are truly massive and have widespread appeal. They are music for festival and rather large venues. "Bad Boyfriend" has a feeling much like Foreigner's "Hot Blooded." Dave Grohl plays drums on this track. Other songs like "Run Baby Run" combine rock and techno music. This is their song that is most like The Cure. "Why Do You Love" is their best single in many tries. "Bleed Like Me" is based on a story by JT Leroy. Shirley Manson has befriended the strange author. He is so reclusive that Shirley had to take his place at a book reading. Most of the album deals with Shirley Manson's personal emotions. This album overall seems a little bit more up. I ran into Duke Erickson at The Roxy earlier this year and he acted like a jerk. He was pissed that I even spoke to him. What a snob! I like their music though. I think that fans of Garbage will like this album.

Review from the Synthesis
After a three-year hiatus and another year in the recording studio, Garbage has returned with their fourth album, Bleed Like Me. After trading in their electro/alternative rock sound for the lavishly produced pop vibe on their last album, Garbage is back to what they do best. Stylistically, Bleed Like Me is close to their first two releases, with the addition of a darker, more aggressive edge. This new facet to their sound is evident from the start of the CD as it opens with the driving, guitar-laden "Bad Boyfriend," and returns throughout the album. Even with this edgier sound, one can't dismiss the catchy pop elements on Bleed Like Me. Songs like "Run Baby Run" and "Right Between The Eyes" are reminiscent of "Special" from Version 2.0. And Shirley Manson's Chrissie Hynde-esque vocal stylings have always brought a pop flavor to the band. Despite being one of the more defining elements of their sound in the `90s, the electronic influence is now more subdued. But those who love Garbage's electro sound need not worry, as songs like "Metal Heart," "Boys Wanna Fight," and "Why Don't You Come Over" contain enough electro elements to keep them happy. Solid from beginning to end, superbly produced and full of sonic ear candy, Bleed Like Me is a much-needed relief from the neo-new wave sounds permeating the air waves.

- Jason Catanzarite
Synthesis.net

A Triumph!All Killer- No Filler.
This is my first listen to Garbage, and now I see what I was missing.Manson's singing is great and the songs have unusual arrangements that are very appealing.And, Garbage rocks!I have been listening to this for a week and I am not tired of it yet.Buy it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Trent Reznor has always been a one-trick-pony, but it's a damn good trick: sunny melodies filtered through ferocious electronics. Unfortunately, the trick's impact was often watered down by a tendency toward petulance and self-absorption. Still, almost six years after NIN's last release, The Fragile, the trick itself has lost none of its Teen-Beat-from-hell appeal. With Teeth blisters from the start with "All the Love in the World," and tracks like "The Collector" take full advantage of Dave Grohl's sledgehammer drumming. Reznor stretches occasionally, trying out different tactics, from crunchy, overtly commercial rave-ups ("The Hand That Feeds") to borderline New Wave ("Only"). But Teeth isn't about stretching. It's about doing the same trick, only better, with less clutter and more bite. By neatly distilling the sparseness of Pretty Hate Machine with Downward Sprial-style density, it ends up being the most focused record in the NIN catalog. –Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (112)

With Teeth is good!
I enjoyed With Teeth very much. I have been a fan for many years. And I think this CD is just as good as all the other Nine Inch Nails records.All of the 13 songs are different in a way.All of the NIN music has changed over the years and that is a reason that I like their work.
Trent is still a bright Artist. Some of the amazing songs in this album are All The Love In The World, Only, Sunspots, The Line Begins To Blur, Beside You In Time, and Right Where It Belongs.

If you buy this album you should try and get the 5.1 DUALDISC, it sound really amazing!
I think this album is a step forward in Nine Inch Nails music making.
The drumming is really well done for the records as well.
This new NIN won't disappoint at all.

Good, very solid, but not Great.
This album is perfectly produced, every note is hit right, every thing is in its place.It's superbly done and well crafted, both musically and in the recording.However, there is nothing new here.It seems bland and too thought out.Nothing grabs you.There is no "Terrible Lie" or "Closer" here.All the songs are good and because of that all of them get lost.There are some jazz-esque type moments on the first track and repeated in another song or two but it does not make them stand out.This album is boring in every way.

With Teeth, angst all grown up... sort of.
Trent Reznor is back with another trip through his psyche in With Teeth, and this time, it's a rock and roll trip. Six years after the release of his last studio album, The Fragile Trent brings us an album that at face value has a alt-rock sound, yet has all the underpinnings of a true Nine Inch Nails release. The album is subtly complex full of the layering fans would expect from a follow up to Downward Spiral and The Fragile, but may not be immediately aware of them as they blend in so naturally with the composition. With Teeth separates itself from its predecessors with high energy tracks throughout the album, with a notable exception of the quiet Right Where It Belongs. Driving this energy is the rock record finish on this album of trashy guitars and driving percussion, a majority of the live percussion done by Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters. The emotion of the album shows in Trents signature vocals and a matured version of angst and anger in the lyrics and music. Longtime fans may miss the abundance of harsh synthesizers and wildly distorted guitar found in previous albums.

With Teeth is rife with the sound of rock clichés spun through the industrial machine that is Nine Inch Nails. The first single from the album "The Hand That Feeds" is commercial rock so riddled with clichéd questions and just as if not more compelling then Closer was when it was released. Edges of punk rock come out in Getting Smaller, and Only has a opening and a synth line that could have come straight out of an 80's new wave hit. Sunspots stands out sounding like something that R.E.M. might have done coming out of a week-long drug bender. Something that surprised me so much to find on a Nine Inch Nails album that I had to replay the track several times, Right Where It Belongs has a definite country western bend to it and could have been this albums Hurt given a different treatment. With multiple plays I am positive any listener will be able to draw lines connecting the sounds of With Teeth to all corners of the rock genre.

I applaud Trent and the marketing at Nothing Records for providing everything this or any album needs for the art that is the entire package to survive in the digital age. Neither physical format of the album comes with much more liner notes than a track listing and a web link to find all the information at a page for the album on nin.com including downloadable PDF versions to print and save.

NIN FUTURE
It's so good to have NIN back.
I;ve listened the entire album for 3 times and it's still amazing me.
There are so many bands that have been influenced by NIN like TOOL,Linkin Park, etc... that we allways expect something new and different from Trent Reznor.
With TEETH is a complete different album from the others NIN's works but it still have the NIN essence.
For me The best song in the album is "Beside you in time".
I'ts a masterpiece and i see the Future of NIN there.
NINE INCH NAILS NO TE ME MUERAS NUNCA

Open Letter to Mr. Trent Reznor
For the last 6 years, while you were busy doing heroin and whacking off to Shakira videos, you forced the rest of us to endure the likes of Nickelback and frickin' Rob Thomas.
But we forgive you.
It is so good to have you back.
... Read more

Amazon.com

Taking three-years between albums has made Weezer grow slower and more sober. But on its fifth disc the Los Angeles quartet is no more secure about its place in the world than it was a decade ago in longing tunes like "The World Has Turned And Left Me Here." Singer Rivers Cuomo, still struggling with adolescence at 34, is all apologies. "All I have to do is swing and I'm the hero/ But I'm a zero," he sings on "Perfect Situation," and "I am terrified of all things/ Frightened of the dark," on the lighters-aloft power ballad "Hold Me." The band, meanwhile, keeps things from getting too heavy by punctuating the songs with a familiar rush of bouncy new-wave melodies and fizzing power-pop riffs resulting in the hair-flinging metal of the future D.A.R.E. theme song and album high-point, "We Are All On Drugs." --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (173)

The Return of the Weez(er)?
3.75 stars.
There is something that I realized just recently. I am one of those fans of the first two Weezer records, the brilliant "Blue" album and "Pinkerton", and am also one of those people who felt truly dissapointed by the last two records, "Maladroit" and "Green". But my revealtion was this: this isn't the same Weezer that made "Blue" and "Pinkerton". Five years passed between "Pinkerton" and "Green", and in thattime something left(namely the dope fresh funkiness and silliness of one Matt Sharp). I dunno what exactly. But this is not the same Weezer. This is Weezer Mach Two. So to think that an album like the first two will come out again is silly and stupid, at least to me. And once I realized this, a certain kind of contentness washed over me.
So, Weezer's fifth record "Make Believe", how it is? Well I am happy to report that is the groups strongest and most consistant group of songs since "Pinkerton", even if there is a tad too much filler to classify it as an undiputed classic(at least to me).
"Perfect Situation", "Pardon Me" and "The Damage in Your Heart" are what Weezer have always done best, arena heavy pop songs with infectious choruses, and are two of the songs Weezer have done thus far. A trio of power ballads, "Hold Me"(which brings back the loud/ soft dynamic like "Say It Ai'nt So"), "Peace" and the records best track(and best Weezer song in nearly a decade) "Haunt You Every Day" all features choruses that bring back the goosebumps, along with lyrics anthemic enough that you're singing along at the top of your lungs before the second choruses even kicks in. "This Is Such A Pity" is a straight up Cars homage, and an excellent one at that, a nice slice of pop that Ric Oseack and crew would have been damn proud of to have written(it's odd that they go full Cars when the man who wrote the Cars music isn't producing, isn't it?). And "Freak Me Out" adds extra dimension to the record and showcases a different side of Weezer that will hopefully be explored further on the next Weezer record.
On the oppiosite side of things, lead off single "Beverly Hills" is just to simple to leave much of an impression(though the Steve Miller inspired solo rocks), and "We Are All On Drugs" is too preachy to be taken seriously, and questioningly borrows its melody line from the grade school recess school yard anthem "Diarehha". "My Best Friend" rocks a melody that is not very memorable and lyrics that are just a tad to touchy feely for my personal taste.
The production, courtsey of Rick Rubin, or as he is known affectionatly "The Beard", is as clean as a Weezer record has ever been, with all the rough spots cleaned over for a crystal clear product. This is neither heere nor there to me since it should be about the quality of the songs, not the production that matters(you hear me Steve Albini!), and lyrically, Rivers walks a fine line between more introspective material and bland pop lyric writting, but this time it at least sounds like he's trying.
Now don't take any of this as me telling you not to buy the record. I'm saying buy the record. It's a GOOD album. I don't think it's great, but it's defintley not awful either. There are six or seven songs here that are the best stuff that they've written and played in nearly a decade, and it really is cool to hear Weezer sound slightly impassioned about playing music again. And this time I'm glad to see that this isn't a begruddging liking of the record, like some parts of "Green" and "Maladroit" that are okay but you say they're better because you need to convince yourself that it's better than it is. This time the songs really are good that are good. And that makes me excited to hear the next Weezer record for the first time in a long time. Weezer Mach Two is finally finding their footing. "Make Believe" made me pretty happy.
And isn't that what a good record is supposed to do anyway?

Highlights few, not what it used to be
After recording and rerecording over 70 songs for album 5, Weezer scrapped almost all of them and put in new songs for the new album "Make Beleive".Billed as "the most important album of their career" by Rolling Stone (can be seen on the sticker that is on the shrink wrap), but in a completely different vein.The album starts off with the hit single "Beverly Hills".A simple catchy song and in this reviewer's opinion, one of the 3 best on the album.There's some 80's influence on tracks like "This is Such a Pity" (synths), but not to the point of the somewhat overdone new wave revival that has recently become popular.One track, "My Best Friend", is easily my favorite song on the album.Maybe its just because it reminds me of the brightness of the green album and I like the organ sound.The other highlight of the album is "We Are All On Drugs" (on the initial pressings of Make Beleive there is an incorrect version of this song).All in all, if there was a comparison to another Weezer album on this one it would be closest to Maladroit, but there is still very little similarity.This is a decent album but it isn't the best to be someone's first Weezer album.

Make Believe: 4.999 out of 5
Although Weezer has changed their views and music style since the long-past 1994 era, the new album, titled Make Believe, proves that the boys can still deliver.The new album is chalk full of pinkerton-reminescent songs (Perfect Situation, Hold me, Peace) along with the occasional super pop-song (We are all on Drugs, Beverly Hills).I would have the say that the only song on the entire album that gets the 'skip' button is "My Best Friend."Many older weezer fans love this song, however, because of its raw and unadultered innocence.The new album has interesting musical appear as well.The guitars range from clean, to distorted... from power chords to harmonics.There are also pianos, keyboards, and harmonicas present in more songs than not.So there you have it,the long anticipated fifth album from Weezer;trust me, this one is definately a keeper.=w= J.O.N.A.S. =w=

Great Listen
I get tired of Weezer fans comparing everything to Pinkerton or TBA.Is this album as good as those?No, it's not.Is this a great Weezer album to add to the collection?Yes, it is.

MB sounds nothing like the previous albums, but at the same time, it sounds entirely like the old albums.There are new instruments and effects that really enhance the listening experience and the eclecticness of the band.

I have been a fan of Weezer since the beginning, and I feel that songs on the album rank up there with the best of them all.My personal favorites are "Perfect Situation", "This is Such a Pity", and "Hold Me"."Freak Me Out" is one of the most interesting Weezer Tracks I have heard, as practically the whole melody is harmonics.

Anyways, this is a perfect summer album and completly worth the price and the shelf space.

Enjoy!!!

Weezer is Back!
The long awaited return of Weezer will not disappoint! After listening to Make Believe in its entirety, I have come to the conclusion that it is one of Weezer's best cds, much better than Maladroit or The Green Album...as far as the songs go:

"Beverly Hills" - seems to be made just to be the radio hit single, it's sound and lyrics don't really flow with the rest of the album, it is definitely the most poppy song on the album

"Perfect Situation" - Starts out with a riff very similar to "Simple Pages" from the Green Album, but then goes it's own direction and is pretty solid

"This Is Such A Pity" - Rumored to be the second single off of the album, definitely brings a different sound than "Beverly Hills" as it has a synth type vibe to it, the lyrics seem to be a little more emotional, maybe reminicent of some Pinkerton stuff

"Hold Me" - My personal favorite! The lyrics are so simple, but yet so deep...there is clear emotion on this track, and the guitar is mellowed out, and it definitely brings back the Pinkerton feel, an excellent song! I'm not sure if it gets any better than Rivers singing "hold meeee" at the top of his lungs

"Peace" - Another excellent song, bringing the emotional side again, guitar is a little poppy, but still nowhere near as poppy as the Green Album

"We Are All On Drugs" - Almost sounds like it is rapped, similar to the way "Beverly Hills" sounds...it brings the poppy side to the album again, and could possibly be the second single, the chorus however is a little heavier than "Beverly Hills"

"The Damage In Your Heart" - Another emotional piece...not my favorite song by any means, but I still like it a lot, as I do with the rest of the album

"Pardon Me" - An excellent song, written very well...the lyrics seem to be about Rivers asking for an appology for all that he has done wrong...Starts out a little slow, but builds up to a strong chorus...I read that this was Rick Rubin (The producer)'s favorite song

"My Best Friend" - Very catchy track, similar to the poppy beat of "Beverly Hills", so if you enjoy that song, you will like this song as well, definitely my least favorite song on the album, very simple beat, very simple lyrics...nothing special about this one

"The Other Way" - Another great song on this album...Pretty mellowed out, decent chorus, lyrically is well written and caries some emotion, pretty good song

"Freak Me Out" - One of my favorite songs on the cd, it's pretty mellow, maybe the softest of songs on the cd, but it carries a good beat, and I really enjoy it

"Haunt You Every Day" - Very good ending track, it's no "Only In Dreams" but then again, nothing ever will be, but it carries the emotion that I love from Rivers in the lyrics, has a great beat, with some nice guitar, one of my favorite tracks

Overall, this album is comparable to Pinkerton, but it definitely shows progression and maturity from that album as well, some songs bring the poppy sound of the Green Album too, so it's kind of like a PinkGreen Album, if that makes sense...

As far as the extras on the cd go, I found them to be rather disappointing, but I'm not judging a cd by that...I definitely recommend this album to any Weezer fan! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The album that carries U2 into its 25th year--and likely the mixed blessings of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame--is one of its most frank and focused since the days ofOctober and War. But its gestation was anything but simple, in part salvaged from '03 sessions the band deemed subpar. Enter Steve Lillywhite, the band's original producer and sometime collaborator in the decades since, who helped retool the track "Native Son" (originally an anti-gun screed) into the aggressive i-Pod anthem "Vertigo" and leaves his distinctive stamp on the muscular "All Because of You" and others. Perhaps weary of ceaseless, fashion-driven reinvention in the wake of monumental success, U2 seem only too happy here to re-embrace their original sonic trademarks in service of more daring, pop-melodic hooks than they've collected in one place in decades. The Eno/Lanois produced "Love and Peace or Else" may shimmer with the duo's electro-production conceits, but it's Edge's lugubrious, post-modern John Lee Hooker guitar swagger that drives it. Elsewhere, Bono's trademark dramaturgy is spotlighted on "City of Blinding Lights," the unabashed romance of "A Man and a Woman" and the confessional "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own." It may come wrapped in a conundrum--is it nostalgic retrenchment or sum of the band's endless musical catharsis?--but it's also the album where,Fly and MacPhistobe damned, U2 boldly claims its arena titan mantle with apologies to no one.--Jerry McCulley

Recommended U2 Discography

War	The Joshua Tree	Achtung Baby
All That You Can't Leave Behind	The Best of 1990-2000	The Best of 1980-1990

... Read more

Amazon.com

Gimme Fiction is Spoon's loosest, most eclectic effort yet. While still sounding like themselves, the Austin-based band manages to evoke a number of other artists on their fifth full-length. (It's a neat trick.) On proto-glam opener "The Beast and Dragon, Adored," Britt Daniels channels the David Bowie of The Man Who Sold the World. Then there's slinky jam "I Turn My Camera On," where he conjures up Prince or Mick Jagger, circa "Miss You," by singing in a higher register. As indicated by the title, "Sister Jack" sounds like early Who (i.e. "Happy Jack"), while "They Never Got You" sounds like Plastic Ono Band-era John Lennon. Do all these different styles hang together? For the most part: yes. After the triumph of Kill the Moonlight, Spoon could have easily rested on their laurels and issued another album just like it, but Gimme Fiction proves they would rather evolve than stagnate. --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

Reviews (21)

gimme truth
Somebody doesn't like this cd because it clocks in at around 43 minutes?Jesus give me break...thank god this band...any band makes music for themselves first and foremost and not for some whiny fans--that decide after one listen that they give up on one of their "favorite groups"....is this worth it?umm Yea it is.

This is the latest incarnation of Spoon, and I'm pleased to go along for the ride.There's a warmth to this recording that I really like and Britt's voice come shining thru...and the songs are catch as hell to boot.

To me,this just extends "Kill The Moonlight" and "Girls Can Tell".I know how it is, when you deeply like/care about a band and think that you've been betrayed by them...because oh oh...other people now like them and know about them...and there not your "personal" band anymore....well thats progress folks..and if this means that Spoon gets known, well better them than all the Franz Ferdinand wannabees coming down the pike.

If you give this time, this will join the last 2 excellant efforts and you'll be rewarded.

Spoon, adored
Less angular, but more -- what? insular? -- than "Kill the Moonlight", but no less compelling.Certainly no misguided bid for new converts.Brilliant.

The Best Since The Beatles
Spoon is a great band and all the songs show how much Spoon has improved over the years. The Beast And Dragon Adored shows Pink Floyd and Sonic Youth Influences,this is clearly the best song on the album. Two Sides of Monsieur valentine makes an ode to punk legend Elvis Costello, Britt Daniels voice is so good on this one. I turn my camera on is a post-punk sound that is similar to the Medium and Gang of Four. In Sister Jack, Daniels does his best Pete Townshend impression and there is a really great guitar attack on this song. Spoon reminds of how much the British Invasion really matters.

A shocking twist for the worse
I love Spoon. They have written several of my favorite songs and their last three albums before this one have all been favorites of mine as well. This album does not come close.

Spoon was exciting because they were able to pack catchy offbeat melodies with minimalistic instrumentation. No one overplayed, but they were still able to generate some of the most interesting songs in the last 10 years. Britt Daniel's voice is incomprable just in sound. Indeed, their earlier work just had such a sleekness to it.

There was a time when Spoon valued brevity. "A Series of Sneaks" was filled with 14 tracks, only 2 of which were longer than 3 minutes. A standout song on that cd, "Car Radio", was a mere minute and a half. This disc is filled with long tedious uninteresting songs. Somehow Spoon has managed to rob themselves of one of their greatest assets.

The album clearly isn't quite beyond redemption, but I see it as a clear lowpoint in Spoon's carreer and can only hope that their follow-up will be better.

The best get better (and deeper, and more mature, and...)
The strong, sustained flashes of brilliance that were shown on "Kill the Moonlight" and "Girls Can Tell" becomes a near given on "Gimme Fiction."While those albums tended to sound similar from track to track, "Gimme Fiction" roves expertly over a much wider range of sounds, and in doing so gives us an album that we can listen to over and over and over without ever growing tired.In fact, this is one of those rare albums that seems to draw greater appreciation every time you hear it, thanks to the nuanced track choices and diverse sounds, not to mention the smart, if some times esoteric, lyrics.

But Spoon fanatics, take heart, because the best of what we've grown to know and love remains, mainly a driving, funky sound and still enough vocal and sonic experimentation to keep you guessing.

This is easily one of the top albums of 2005 so far, and could very well grow into a classic with time.For now, it deserves top billing in your iPod or CD player.Just don't forget to put it on repeat... ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Killers. Interpol. Franz Ferdinand. Without New Order's influence they could have all ended up making albums of country & western ballads. Since the demise of Joy Division in 1980, the British synth-pop quartet has been diligently changing the course of popular music, lobbing unlikely but inventive hits like "Blue Monday" and "True Faith" into the charts. Twenty-five years on, New Order remains shockingly vital. Its eighth proper album overflows with shimmering melodies, anchored by Peter Hook's spine-tingling bass lines and Bernard Sumner's thin but emotive voice in thrilling new songs like "Krafty" and "Dracula's Castle." -- Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Will someone please steal this album from me?
Why the odd title?I drive a little over a half hour (each way) to and from work, and since I bought this album I have listened to it over and over.(I know, dumb eh?)

At first listen I thought "Get Ready" was a far superior album, but I found that the more I listened the more I heard.By far a much more progressive album for New Order, but still classic sounding that fits the fact that "yes, New Order was an 80's band", but this is their new album that is so 21st century.A worthy addition to any collection, whether rock, pop, 80's, or synth.

Refreshing....!!!!!
In am an old Joy Division fan and have followed New Order ever since.When Technique came out in 1989 I could not stop playing it when I was in Brunei of all places.Since then I have had kids, etc. etc. but still love to listen to music.My favorite station is http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/.So when they started playing the new NO some months ago I could not believe my ears and straight away pre-ordered it on www.amazon.com. It took some getting used to but now it is the CD I play most in the car and it brings tons of smiles to my face.The kids may not like it too much but for me it brings back good memories and it is so refreshing to see that old 'rockers' can still bring out a record that surely must be one of the top ten of this year.If you like their record and have not discovered BBC1 go to their website and listen to the live show or the various shows from the previous week which are all accessible on their 'player'.If you pay $12/month here for satellite radio then think again...

Alt-rock icons make us feel like its 1992 all over again.
New Order's history is filled with mournful iciness, sublime electro-disco, seminal Britpop and episodes of portly overblown grandeur. And, depending on what moves them, the band's fans always seem to gravitate toward one of these elements more than the others. To that end, Waiting For The Sirens' Call offers something for everyone: "Turn" has that 1986 college-rockin' jangle that'll make elderly R.E.M. fans tingle. For the synth- and sequencer-damaged among us, there's the electrolytic "Krafty" and the disco workout "Guilt Is A Useless Emotion." Going off on another tangent, "Workin' Overtime" is the band's simultaneous nod to '60s garage rock, the Beatles' "I Feel Fine" and that last Elvis Costello album.

The axis of mystery and implied arrogance that made New Order compelling may be gone, but that's okay; none of us is the same person we were decades ago. As far as right now goes, Waiting For The Siren's Call is a fine distillation of everything New Order have been. And when you've got a passport that's as thick as theirs, it's admirable that they refuse just to walk away from this thing entirely.spin j.p

Definitely not an "instant hit" album!
Waiting for the sirens' call will NOT hook you immediately. It's not that kind of album. There isn't any obvious hits, except Who's Joe, Krafty or Jetstream.
When I played it the first time I was kind of bored. Too many songs didn't hook me, sounded just "ok" and after Get Ready, I was disappointed.
However, days passed and I didn't play the album - didn't want to! And then, when I played it again after a week or so, out of nowhere, I started to like the songs! One by one, they PERFECTLY matched each other - carrying specific mood.

Now I think it's one of their better releases - much better than, for example, Republic and on par with Get Ready (I like that album very much).
It's incredible how this album works! If you like New Order, you'll certainly love this album. Do NOT expect to like it on the first listen! You probably won't - maybe just 3-4 songs!

This album has some ultimate NO gems and classics: Who's Joe?, Waiting for the siren's call, Dracula's Castle, Turn. They are magnificent!

There are no fillers here, excet that I don't like "I told you so" that much - interesting, but not my cup of tea, and "Guilt is a useless emotion" has some kind of generic chorus. That's a shame, considering that the song starts extremely well! Just the chorus isn't that memorable. But great for a summer fun! :)

All in all, a very very solid effort. As the time goes by, I expect that I'll like this album even more. It's THAT kind of a record. So refreshing these days - I'm fed up of instant hits that I get bored with after few weeks/months.

Just another perfect album!
At first listen I did not like Waiting For the Siren's Call as much as New Order's last album Get Ready. This album is just as good as Get Ready. If you want a perfect album from a great band. Pick up Waiting for the Siren's Call and Get Ready, Get Ready was the best album of 2001 in my eyes. WFTSC is going to be in the running this year.

Dear, New Order

Why havn't you toured the US other than a couple of dates. Please come to Pittsburgh.

Yours Truly, Substance ... Read more

Album Description

Montreal's Arcade Fire brings a theatricality, an intensity, an insanity, and a penchant for amazing hooks to their debut full-length. You've never heard such energy, beauty, and emotion from such a young band. Fans of Neutral Milk Hotel, Broken Social Scene, and Roxy Music's first two albums will have a new favorite band. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Pink Martini should be known as the little orchestra that walks a fine line in its music. The Portland, Oregon, outfit is deeply influenced by Latin music, jazz, cabaret, cinema scores and a smattering of other styles. But rather than simply aping legendary artists in their prime – and fooling only a few dim bulbs in the process – band shakes things up by writing its own material, or at least creating tasteful new arrangements that fit within the band’s unique post-lounge framework. The band keeps the playful musical vibe on Hang On Little Tomato, but jettisons what kitsch factor it had, choosing to focus wholly on original material or stuff that isn’t recognizable to the average music fan. It’s been a seven year wait for fans since the band’s fun debut, Sympathique, and while the blush is now off the rose, the band’s creative ambitions and talent are never better displayed than here on its second effort. – Tad Hendrickson ... Read more

Amazon.com

Blinking Lights and Other Revelations is a big, important record that's also devastatingly somber. Which, depending on how serious an Eels fan you are and the sturdiness of your psyche, can be taken as an endorsement or a warning. Shades of the band's superb sophomore effort, Electro-Shock Blues, recorded after the suicide of Everett's sister and the death of his father, show up here on such wounded tracks as "Checkout Blues," "If You See Natalie," and "I'm Going to Stop Pretending I Didn't Break Your Heart." Permeating those are instrumental snippets, some sad and ponderous ("Theme from Blinking Lights"), others bordering on bright ("Theme for a Pretty Girl that Makes You Believe God Exists"), and a handful of ironic exercises in straight-up pop (the winking "Going Fetal" and the cynical but upbeat "Hey Man [Now You're Really Living]"). Spread over two discs, the mood of Blinking Lights burns in fast and builds in its ferocity, so that when lighter moments like the funny "Whatever Happened to Soy Bomb" surface, they seem like ominous breaks in the storm. Though these songs make it easy to forget that Everett's gruff, fuzzed-over vocals have also graced fare breezy enough to be included on the Shrek soundtrack, their beauty delivers a thoughtful listener from caring. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Excellent!
I saw the Eels perform on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno the day the album was released.I had to have the album after hearing "Railroad Man".Once you put the CD's in, you can just sit back and listen to it again and again.This album should win album of the year.

perpetual motion machine
E is Velocity Boy and he's invented the perpetual motion machine. Well he hasn't really invented the perpetual motion machine. He's just made sure that his poorly crafted wagon is on an endless downward slope. And it's gaining reckless speed. In perpetuity.

Eels peaked at Daisies of the Galaxy, started to junk out on Souljacker--which at least had a few great songs. Then Shootenanny? Are you kidding me? (Okay, Fashion Awards was funny.) And now Blinking Lights...?

Bland, forgettable songs. Tired, entirely guessable rhyming couplets and the same old four riffs he's been dry humping since Electro-Shock Blues--which, incidently, was a great album. Buy it. But don't buy Blinking Lights.

(...)

A glorious return to form ****1/2
I'm one of these nutters that truly believes in the healing power of music, and if I'm right in my theory then Eels frontman E must surely be one of the artforms foremost practitioners. Electro-Shock Blues broke my heart then put itback together all within the 40 or so minutes of the album, which is why I can barely articulate the crushing disappointment I felt when listening to the Eels last couple of albums - the uneven Souljacker and the downright dismal Shootenanny.

While those albums must have been some kind of retreat from fame, if not out and out career suicide, E's new album Blinking Lights And Other Revelations is a reawakening of the inner genius inside of himself. Blinking Lights is... quite simply a masterpiece, long - yes, but not a moment is wasted and everything just seems to fit perfectly to my ear, oh yeah... it's also his most personal, honest and beautiful record since Electro-Shock Blues.

E bares his soul to striking effect on songs such as 'Son Of A Bitch', 'The Other Shoe' and 'Dust Of Ages', in his hands a simple lyric or a string of notes can be devastatingly poignant, and this album is full of those sort of moments - an embarassment of riches really.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and this album mightn't be for everyone, but frankly it beggars belief that anyone with a working pair of ears could possibly give it one star (as the odd reviewer has done). Blinking Lights is nothing short of a triumph from this reclusive, insightful and above all talented man.

The Eels are back
I've bene through this album about 10 times since purchasing it, and it has emerged as one of my favorites of the Eels albums. The album does have its share of slower songs utilizing spare arrangements that have more in common with Levity than prior Eels albums. However, give these songs a chance - the majority of them, including the variations on the Blinking Lights themes, are terrific.

And that is not to say that there aren't a collection of upbeat songs such as Magic World, Trouble with Dreams, The Other Shoe, Railroad Man, Old Sh**, Hey Man, Losing Streak . . .You can get 33 songs for the price of a single album, and there are enough good rock songs to fill one full album, with another album of slower material that grows on you quickly. This album is a deal, and I can't stop listening to it.

I personally was disappointed with Souljacker and Shootenany, and my personal favorites are Electro-Shock Blues and Daisies. This album is a return to form, and is one of the best albums of the year. Buy it, enjoy it, and don't get hung up on the fact that its a double album. That fact seems to have derailed a lot of other rational reviewers. You're getting more than twice the music for free, people! Relax! Enjoy!

Major Disappointment
I don't know what some of you people are listening to, but this was awful.There are about 4 songs that I could actually listen to.Let's face facts, Souljacker is FAR and AWAY the best EEL'S album.The best part about this one is that they only forced us to pay once instead of splitting this garbage into 2 releases.
They put WAY too much garbage on this. I HIGHLY recommend against it unless you like to torture yourself. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Picaresque is yet more proof that the Decemberists' Colin Meloy is the songwriter who loves love—especially when it ends in death, ("We Both Go Down Together," "Of Angels and Angles"), disease ("The Mariner's Revenge Song") or in some other tragic way. This CD spends some time in the band's familiar old Europe setting, although Meloy also touches on politics, espionage, and even soccer. (Proving he knows his fan base, Meloy's "The Sporting Life," is the perfect shout-out to the kids who preferred the library to the gym.) Long-time fans will know what to expect from this album, which compares favorably to the other LPs on their catalog, and withDeath Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla on board as producer, the band seems poised to reach the greater audience they deserve. If you're not already a listener, don't wait another second to become one. With their remarkable vocabulary and bawdy-yet-literary imagery, the Decemberists are guaranteed to make you smarter even as they make you weep. Pop this in your CD player, grab a dictionary, rock and learn.--Leah Weathersby ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A Flair for the Dramatic
The cover of the Decemberists' new release is the first hint of what to expect: a literate yet melodramatic set of songs, done with an unusual musical blend of British folk-rock and old-style musical theater.Colin Meloy hasn't shaken his penchant for writing songs about doomed and tortured souls."We Both Go Down Together," for instance, is a rather upbeat tune about two lovers' suicide.And then there's "The Mariner's Revenge Song", a sea-shanty epic that reminds us in a colorful way how revenge is a dish best served cold.No one has really done music like this since Steeleye Span, and The Decemberists have definitely created a unique sound in carrying on this kind of musical tradition.They're obviously not for everyone, but anyone who enjoys rich, dramatic storytelling in the style of the old English ballads, will enjoy this CD.

Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before...
Hmmm...the kids sure love this.Third time's a charm, huh?Pretty simialr to the first two.

Really, this sounds like Jethro Tull's, "Songs From the Wood," which is to say, like "Aqualung" without the rockin', heavy bits.That's no good!

After recently cranking the ass-ripping, scrumtrulescent wonder-phantasy that is "Bittersweet" from Roxy Music's, "Country Life," it's an absolute wonder to me that Bertolt Brecht-esque vaudvillian showtunes and sea shantys are such the rage and so "new-fangled" with all the younguns...

Good but just extremely overrated...

rapturous pop music
I bought Picaresque after downloading The Engine Driver from this website and was hooked.This CD is one of the finer acoutic-folk records ever recorded.The vocals are nearly pitch-perfect and the lyrics are immaculately conceived.From We Both Go Down Together to On the Bus Mall and on through Of Angels & Angles, this CD had me hooked with Colin Meloy gryocentrically spinning lyrical hurricanes between my ears all culminating in a record that is instantly one of the best I've heard all year.I haven't heard any of their other stuff, I must confess, but the Decemberists are easily one of the best bands out there right now and this is a must-have.Having been a fan of Bright Eyes and the Arcade Fire, to hear the two merged almost seamlessly into one became a listening experience unlike any other.This CD has led me to begin to explore music like Neutral Milk Hotel and Sufjan Stevens, both of which I hope to purchase soon (maybe even from this website).Above all, this CD is marvelous pop music, with influences from R.E.M. to the New Pornographers (see 16 Military Wives).If you own the new Weezer CD, when you're not crying, try listening to this, it'll make you happy.If you are looking forward to the new Audioslave CD, try this out and maybe you won't be disappointed as much when you buy the new Audioslave CD because you've got this to fall back on.Any fan of pop music should love this CD.Flaming Lips, Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes, and Decemberists all belong in the same company of modern musicians expanding upon pop music and creating sublime pop masterpieces that will one day be viewed as landmarks in an era that will one day, I am convinced, be viewed as one of the most, if not the most, musically vital period in the history of pop music.Again, just buy this CD, it awakens ambition.

Picaresque
If I was rating this in comparrison to the other cd's in my collection, I would give this a three, but here on Amazon, it deserves at least a 4. I have known of the Decemberists for about a year and a half or so, and was looking forward to this release. For the most part, they come through, but they record is just a little to dreary. Great production and all, but this is my least favorite just because the record is consistanly two dark. These songs are great, but even when you "vibe" with the spooky/rainy feelings, out of knowhere comes "17 militrary Wives" which is awesome, but just so out of place at this point in the cd. Worthy of purchase,

Picaresque by The Decemberists paints stories
If there was ever such a thing as 'theatrical folk pop', Picaresque would certainly fall into that category. There are the comparisons to Neutral Milk Hotel, but I would also place The Decemberists somewhere in between that and psych-folk artists like Mull Historical Society and Badly Drawn Boy. The main storyteller/vocalist/songwriter is Colin Melloy, a balladeer who weaves his tales amidst a backdrop of strings, acoustic guitars, and organs. Melloy's nasal-type vocals straddle Lee Mavers and Colin McIntyre, but that's almost secondary to the story he wants to tell, the picture he wants to paint. 'Picaresque' is catchy, safe, middle of the road pop/rock, and although it doesn't exactly push the envelope of music experimentation, music is also about telling stories, which is what 'Picaresque' and The Decemberists are, inheriting the tradition of story tellers, a folk-rock escapade guaranteed to brighten up your day. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Something extraordinary is afoot in Albuquerque. The Shins' first big-timerecord, Oh, Inverted World combines mysterious narratives with golden songstructures, resulting in lavish and opulent indie pop. Touches of Neutral Milk Hotel's lyricalmajesty and the nostalgic swirl of Echo and the Bunnymen abound.But the Shins' music--rich with acoustic guitars, flickering rhythms, and Casio-tonekeyboards--is distinct and peculiar. Worry mixes with abstraction throughout, and whileJames Mercer sings, "You led no celibate life / No skirt while chemicals danced on yourhead / You stole the keys to this ride / And your fables are falling tonight," you maywonder if he's been routing through your fondest, most troubling memories. This vitalalbum is easily among 2001's most distinguished recordings and one of the best Sub Popreleases to date. --Thom Arno ... Read more

Reviews (174)

Amazing, but too short!
Well, let me begin this otherwise stellar review with my largest gripe: at 33 minutes, this album is just too short! Of course, that's more a compliment than anything else, but seriously, it takes somewhat of an investment of time to get into the "world" of this album, and the ride seems to be over a little abruptly. On the other hand, the short playing time may encourage listeners to do the two things they must to fully enjoy this dense and complex work: listen carefuly to the whole thing in one sitting AND listen repaetedly.

You see, this is thinking-feller's pop-music. The vocals are, at first listen, difficult to hear--- and once you can hear them, you'll need to make some personal sense out of the lyrics, which can lean toward the solopsistic and opaque. In fact, what might grab your attention first is the brilliant arrangements of fairly standard instruments--- in "One by One all Day" the interplay between nyoln-strung accoustic and burbling keyboard sounds fresh and compelling--- the dreamy intro to the single "new slang", equally ear-opening--- check out the gloomy french horn behind "the past and pending". This record inhabits sonic territory somewhere between "Smiley Smile" and "Belle and Sebastian", yet manages to sound utterly original. The lyrics and fractured narratives have more to do with Pavement or Will Oldham, yet are equally unique. No one sounds or writes songs quite like The Shins.

That said, I would have appreciated the vocals a little more front-and-center and clear in the mix. It's a trick Stipe managed with REM without compromising his hipster-cred. What's the point of writing great lyrics if no one can hear them? These songs deserve better--- the "lost in the mix" vocals smack of a gimmick and there is nothing, I repeat NOTHING gimmicky about this music.

It is indeed and album that pulls you into a world of sound an images, but you'll need to bring your imagination and (at times) patience along for the ride.

Great, cerebral music for intrepid aural travelers...

The ghost of Brian Wilson
One of the suprising alternative releases of the summer thus far. How do you describe their sound? The echo-heavy vocals from James Mercer sound errily like Brian Wilson and almost as inhuman and difficult to decifer as Michael Stipe. "Oh Inverted World" is like the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" sessions meets Syd Barrett.

The psychedelic acoustic guitars and cascading harmony of overlapping vocalization is reminiscent of a scratchy Simon & Garfunkel album that you might remember listening just before you passed out after a long night smoking too many J's.

The highlight of the album is "New Slang", a resigned ballad where Mercer sounds as if he were the voice of Brian Wilsons ghost while the band overlaps in a melody that will remind some of the Cocteau Twins.

However, the Shins missed a big opportunity to include the hypnotic and adictive song "Sphagnum Esplanade" from their 7" limited record release. In doing so, "Oh Inverted World" falls just short of one of the best releases of the summer and we lose out on enjoying the best song they've cut in their brief career. Its hard to figure what they were thinking?

Great Pop Album!
This is one of the best albums I've heard in a very very long time. I heard of the Shins from all the hype they had created due to this album and its follow up Chutes too Narrow. Well, I had some money to blow and I went on down to my local record store to hear the next best thing to sliced bread and I found this one lone copy of Oh Inverted World and paid my money and left, not really expecting much. Boy, was I wrong, this album is like Syd Barrett(my most favorite artist ever), The Byrds and The Beach Boys all blended together into one blissful psychedelic mix. These songs are happy, friendly, subdued and of course a little drug induced. The lyrics are cryptic but lush on imagery and have a frank honest tone to them and their delivery by Mercer even futhers the impact. But the best thing about this album is the actual music in my opinion. Its like a warm cascading waterfall or a lazy summer day spent in the shade. It is definitley an odd ball on Sub Pop's catalog along side the grungy likes of Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney but I give Sub Pop a thumbs up for change and for finding one of the best modern rock-pop acts ever. If you enjoyed this album I reccomend Chutes too Narrow and Syd Barrett's The Madcap Laughs.

good but...
this cd is better than Chutes too Narrow. Creative, and the lead singer has a cool voice. But it only gets three stars. All the songs sound a bit too much the same. Not enough variety. No amazing songs.

Where am I? a acid-induced dream?
No, I'm listening to The Shins stunning debut "Oh, Inverted World"

Each song is a masterpiece of its own right, but I prefer the seemingly different 'Past and The Pending' because of its interesting horn work and downtrodden feel. This band took the indie world by storm when this album came out. It was entirely out of left-field: A psychedilic (sp) rock band out of New Mexico? How does that happen? and what's that? They sound good? sign me up.

Its interesting to note that the track 'Celibate Life' not about abstinence in its traditional sense, but rather keeping away from drugs, which can be seen as satrical given the era they are borrowing from.

The imagery is what really sells this album. Nowhere else will you find emotional imagery as vivid as The Shins (ex. Her lips when she speaks are the valleys and peaks of a mountain range on fire) Its incredible to visualize and to just ponder.

Definitely one of the best albums of 2001 even with all the other great debuts of the year. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A side project doesn¹t usually hit gold, especially when said project is a quirky virtual collective fronted by cartoon characters. But the first, self-titled album by Gorillaz--the brainchild of illustrator Jamie Hewlett and Blur frontman Damon Albarn--actually hit platinum and turned into a surprise worldwide hit. Naturally expectations were a lot higher for Gorillaz's sophomore effort, but Demon Days actually is even better than its predecessor. With producer Dan "the Automator" Nakamura gone, Albarn, a.k.a. 2D, has paired up with DJ Danger Mouse (responsible for the infamous Grey Album that illegally mixed the Beatles and Jay-Z) to steer the musical ship, while a whole new slew of guests enlivens the proceedings. Albarn has described Demon Days as being darker, but there's a real kooky dance-party vibe coursing through the CD. Despite its somber tone, "Kids with Guns" is lifted by a killer bass line, for instance, while the catchy first single, "Feel Good Inc," is augmented by an appealing contribution from De La Soul. Other noteworthy guests include Roots Manuva and Tricky collaborator Martina Topley-Bird on the dubby "All Alone" and Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder on the bouncy "DARE." And yet it's a 69-year-old actor who gets to deliver the most baffling contribution--just listen to Dennis Hopper's spoken-word narrative on "Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head." Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Best Album So Far This Year
This is definitely the best album I have heard this year, although my exposure to today's music isn't exactly all encompassing.As other people have said, this second album is different than the Gorillaz' first one. The absence of Del really hurts the rap segments in this second album.This is not to say the hip hop is bad, it's just that in the first album, Del WAS Russell and it's now hard to separate the two.As a long time Blur fan though, I like Damon's voice which is (as usual) found throughout the album.The beginning tracks and the end ones are the strongest.The middle ones are not bad, just weaker than the other parts.However, the album is really cohesive and looking at the pictures and the lyrics (found online) you can really see a message.

As for the people trying to rip the tracks off the CD, I had no problem using abcde on my NetBSD box to convert the tracks to .ogg files (in fact there are already two CDDB entries for the CD, meaning people have been ripping the CD).It could just be a Windows thing, which sucks for you guys, because I can listen to the songs on my iRiver.Also there is a pretty cool remix of Feel Good Inc and Cake's Never There online.Just google "gorillaz cake feel good" and you'll find it.

An amazing album, despite its little quirks.
Note, before you read on, just know that I myself do not like the Rap genre. It doesn't appeal to me and I just never really liked it.

Even with that though, I completely LOVE this Album. One of its quirks being that there was an over usage of rap in "Demon Days" as opposed to their first CD, but even with that, this Album executes everything greatly.

Unlike the first CD, alot of the songs go right into the other. It gives the CD a great flow and it's very enjoyable when listening to it on your car or CD player.

The only thing that really stopped me from giving this CD 5 stars is the poorly executed rap, mainly in the song "Dirty Harry". I don't have any problem with the rap in the songs (Feel Good Inc., November has Come, All Alone) but in Dirty Harry, it was just so unnecessary.The song length is 3:43, for the first two minutes, you hear this great beat, a great song. Then the rapping starts and it just sounds so out of place. It kind of ruined the flow since if it's skipped, Feel Good Inc. starts up, and "Dirty Harry" plays into "Feel Good Inc."

That and the loss of Miho Hatori (Vocally, at least), at times you kind of lost the feeling of listening to the Gorillaz and it felt more like a CD with Damon Albarn and special guests.

Overall, it's a great CD, a real accomplishment for the Gorillaz, but just little things that prevent it from being a truly great Album.

Copy protection prevents enjoyment on iPods and Windows XP
If you enjoy listening to music on your iPod or Windows XP based computer then this is not the album for you. Virgin Records America appears to have decided to copy protect the release of Gorillaz 'Demon Days'. The disc will not play when inserted into a Windows XP based computer (i.e. when browsing to the disc from your My Computer icon the disc appears to be blank).

This album is ideal for your car, home audio cd player, or portable cd player if your playback device is compatible with the copy protection contained within this release.

One should also note that there is no notice of copy protection nor compatibility requirements anywhere on the packaging of the Gorillaz 'Demon Days' album.

If you have purchased this CD and wish to contact Virgin Records then do not bother attempting to e-mail their web master from the Virgin Records web site: all e-mails bounce back as being undeliverable. A more appropriate title for this album would have been "Paying Customers are Thieves".

all-in-one-album
First I have to say I was spinning holes in my floor waiting for the new album from Gorillaz.Ever since he left Blur, everything Damon Albarn has touched has turned into gold from my point of view!

When I got the disc I was very excited and awfully afraid that the follow-up was going to be mediocre.But no Sir!From "last Living souls" with it's oldschool and childish discorhythms via Roots Manuvas punching word-spitting performance on "all alone" to the finalizing three-track tale with Dennis Hopper's trustgiving voice and Heavenly London Community Gospel Choir shouting me right into the center of Gorillaz' weird and wonderful world of playful artistic anarchy!

The melodies on this disc are pure popmusic-art.And the wrapping is ever-changing with all kinds of styles thrown together and with twists and brakes and surprising bridges around every corner.

My most pleasent surprise was the amount of oldskool sounds.Some of the tracks give me associations to the swedish underground synthpopband The Knife.

Buy it!

Great Band ..... Poor Label
Everything that needs to be said about the sheer greatness of Gorillaz has been said.Demon Days is surely one of the albums of the year.
However , one little (it's actually huge).... Has anyone been able to rip Demon Days onto their computer? I'm having enormous problems doing so. If anyone has had problems yet was able to rip, can you please advise on this website or....email me at 'cortez-the-raven@hotmail.com'.
Cheers

P.S. The album is bananas!!!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

No stranger to the realm of children's records, They Might Be Giants have seen success with their CD No! and the book and CD combo Bed, Bed, Bed. Their latest CD, Here Come The ABCs, offers up twenty-five alphabetically themed songs. However, as is their charming way, the two Johns (Flansburgh and Linnell), use the letters as merely the connective tissue, allowing them to pursuit intriguing flights of fancy that consider everything from the relative power of letters and sounds to animal hijinks. Just as they've always done, there are wistful ballads and high octane rockers. TMBG have always been a family-friendly band, and this disc works just fine for adult fans, who can rightfully consider this simply their newest release. -- David Greenberger

Exclusive Video from They Might Be Giants

Exclusive Video (high bandwith)

Exclusive Video (low bandwith)

Three Cool Kids Cds

Puffy Amiyumi ~ Hi Hi [SOUNDTRACK]

NRBQ ~ You're Nice People You Are

Dan Zanes ~ Parades and Panoramas

... Read more

Reviews (18)

Great entertainment and education in one!
My three and four year old love TMBG music.My husband introduced them to the music with some of their older albums, so when this album came out especially for kids, we had to have it.The talent and creativity that TMBG possess is highly impressive.I am thrilled they've ventured into an arena of music for kids.A fun way of learning and really gives children the opportunity to use their imaginations.I highly recommend!

Toddlers will love this!
I was never really fond of TMBG's music but after catching glimpses of the "QU" video on a kid's cable channel I had to get this DVD for my two year old twins.It didn't matter what they were doing as soon as the beat of "QU" came on they would come drop everything and sing and dance along.

This is one of the few DVD's for kids that I think is actually "adult friendly".Meaning the songs are all catchy and smart and you can't help but find yourself singing along.And the animation is really stylish and clever for a kid's DVD.I have yet to get burnt out on this DVD.My two year olds love this DVD and practically know all the words.Thisis my emergency DVD that I keep in the car for those very long car trips, that stands up to whiny, tired kids when even Disney and Baby Einstien can't.Even my ten year old son will watch it with the twins without complaint.Love it!

I DON'T KNOW
I haven't heard any more than one song from them, Here Comes The ABCs. But that sucked, so i'm not expecting much from this, and you shouldn't either! WHAT THE HELL HAS MUSIC COME TO WHEN A BAND WILL WRITE A SONG ON THE ALPHABET NAMING COUNTRIES!?!

CD DVD combo essential
Our family really enjoys They Might Be Giant's Here Come the ABCs!The songs are hip and intellegent (think: Anti-Raffi). The animation is 5 star. But the best thing is when you've listened to the songs some and then you watch the DVD again! It's like a feedback loop!

Our favorite track is The Alphabet of Nations!And the winner of the most surprising country award: West Xylophone! Who knew that was a real contry? (...)

Not their best CD
This is not the best CD they have ever made. This is why I am giving it a four instead of a five. It's enjoyable and fun and full of typical 'TMBG' type songs. However, there are other TMBG cd's with better songs and better music you can buy. (Before buying this one, consider the one titled NO).

My children particularly liked the countries with the alphabet song. Each letter of the alphabet starts a country in this song and when they can't come up with a country they make something up that fits. It's very cute.

Enjoy. Worth every penny if you are a large TMBG fan.
... Read more

Reviews (218)

The Postal Service -- Give Up | Junkmedia.org Review
...

Dntel's Jimmy Tamborello and Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard knew they were on to something good as soon as they finished collaborating on the track "(This is) the Dream of Evan and Chan." That compelling combination of Tamborello's melodic knob-twiddling and Gibbard's literate vocals and forlorn delivery was the triumph of Dntel's acclaimed 2001 release Life Is Full of Possibilities. Not long after that first collaboration, The Postal Service was born. The relative strangers began recording in December 2001, swapping tracks on CD-Rs through the mail.

Listening to the act's debut brings back the same sort of giddiness inspired in me by New Order's Low Life when I first picked it up a decade-and-a-half ago. The Postal Service expertly channels that adolescent spirit with an awkward blend of dance beats and melodic songwriting. However, the duo has updated the sound for the millennial set, pleasantly mixing Depeche Mode beats and bass lines, Pet Shop Boys melodies and Warp Records-styled twinkling tones and clicks. Orchestral samples and pseudo horns add an unusual flavor to "Clark Gable." Chunky, monophonic Casio-sounding keys tie the vocals to the beat in "Nothing Better."

Two of the album's highlights appear right at the front end of the record. The first song, "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight," leads with brooding organ, before beats saunter in and steadily cruise through the first verse and chorus to a clean, ringing guitar riff. A second chorus pumps even harder and defies you to not sing along. This despite a characteristically bumming realization repeated by Gibbard: "I am finally seeing why I was the one worth leaving" (Christ, Benny, just stick a fork through my heart, why don't you?). Track two, "Such Great Heights," has already been released as a single. The catchy number apes Rod Stewart's "Young Turks," especially the beat and understated arrangement, albeit in an electro fashion.

The remainder of Give Up is solid, though Gibbard's lyrics are less potent by the middle of the record, and Tamborello burrows perhaps a little too deeply into some of the thinner sounds of the cold '80s era that inspires him. "Sleeping In" stumbles a bit with Gibbard's trite invocation of the JFK assassination, but the murmured chorus, "Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in," that drapes over a quiet acoustic guitar phrase is strong enough to carry the entire song.

Perhaps the only shortcoming of Give Up is that the adherence to pop shuts out some of the more interesting electronic elements explored on Life Is Full of Possibilities. "Natural Anthem" is probably the most adventurous Postal Service tune, utilizing a relatively heavy break-beat, a looping string sample and more aggressive production, but clearly the duo's strengths are geared more toward hit-making than trailblazing. So, while the record isn't necessarily an instant classic, the unabashed embrace of simple pop sensibilities, both old and new, make it a record that is hard to stop listening to.

Jay Breitling

Electronica redeemed...?
This album of dancy electronic pop hasn't left my MP3 player since I bought it. It's like finding a lost and prescient New Order album circa 1985, filled with compelling and instantly memorable melodies. The lyrics are quite wordy, but they are also quite good, like on the melancholic opener, a guy going to visit his ex in a new city:

"Smeared black ink...Your palms are sweaty and I'm barely listening to last demands...I'm staring at the asphalt wondering what's buried underneath: There I am. Wear my badge--a vinyl sticker with big black letters adhering to my chest. Tells your new friends I am a visitor here, I am not permanent..And the only thing keeping me dry is: You seem so out of context in this gaudy apartment complex/I'm a stranger with a doorkey explaining that I'm just visiting/I am finally seeing why I was the one worth leaving."

"Give Up" is an excellent, warm and human example of a genre in which one's connection can sometimes get lost amongst the bleeps and blips of synths and Casios. One of last year's best!

Perfect Balance
I have never been a fan of electronic music... and to be quite honest I probably won't convert anytime soon. I've always felt that the music never had an heart or substance to it; it was just too cold. So when one of my friends gave me this CD to listen to, I was worried and immediately the electronic bleeps and blurps made me tune out. But then I listened a bit more, to the lyrics and the melody and how perfectly they combined. This CD is amazing because you take the amazing emo-esque lyrics (honest, heart breaking... I love "I am finally seeing why I was the one worth leaving") and combine it with the most peppy and catchy music ever. I actually got to see them in concert (lucky me!!!) and I was worried how the album would translate but it was even better than the cd. This amazing little project is must for anyone, period; no matter what style of music you like.

lovely
i have to say, i really enjoyed listening to this album. To be honest, one may get tired of the seemingly redundant pop/synthesizer beats but my that is hard to say, because this album altogether is just heavenly. My favorites are such great heights and brand new colony. i am looking forward to purchasing a few death cab cds also...

Gorgeous in every aspect
Wow what a great album. Benjamin Gibbard is one of my favorite artists of all time, so I bought this with high hopes. I had never heard of Tamborello, but hey, my focus was Gibbard. When I first listened to it, i really did try to keep an open mind, and then I ended up hating it. About a month later, I popped it in again after listening to every single Death Cab for Cutie album, and all of a sudden i was tapping my feet and flipping through the lyric book rapidly. How could i have ever thought this bad??!!

As always Gibbard delivers with sharp, smart, and epic lyrics, turning what is obviously small events into the most important thing the world. The electronica takes some getting used to, but by the time you get past it, you see how perfect with the melancholic perfection of Gibbard.

The standout tracks are #2, Such Great Heights, all for its lyrics, "i am thinking its a sign that the freckles in our eyes are mirror images and when we kiss they're perfectly aligned; #4, which is a duet played out like a tense and pleading conversation between Gibbard and a girl who is leaving him; and #8, This Place is a Prison, which is an extremely mournful song rife with touching lyrics.

All in all a brilliant and lasting album. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A side project doesn¹t usually hit gold, especially when said project is a quirky virtual collective fronted by cartoon characters. But the first, self-titled album by Gorillaz--the brainchild of illustrator Jamie Hewlett and Blur frontman Damon Albarn--actually hit platinum and turned into a surprise worldwide hit. Naturally expectations were a lot higher for Gorillaz's sophomore effort, but Demon Days actually is even better than its predecessor. With producer Dan "the Automator" Nakamura gone, Albarn, a.k.a. 2D, has paired up with DJ Danger Mouse (responsible for the infamous Grey Album that illegally mixed the Beatles and Jay-Z) to steer the musical ship, while a whole new slew of guests enlivens the proceedings. Albarn has described Demon Days as being darker, but there's a real kooky dance-party vibe coursing through the CD. Despite its somber tone, "Kids with Guns" is lifted by a killer bass line, for instance, while the catchy first single, "Feel Good Inc," is augmented by an appealing contribution from De La Soul. Other noteworthy guests include Roots Manuva and Tricky collaborator Martina Topley-Bird on the dubby "All Alone" and Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder on the bouncy "DARE." And yet it's a 69-year-old actor who gets to deliver the most baffling contribution--just listen to Dennis Hopper's spoken-word narrative on "Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head." Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Best Album So Far This Year
This is definitely the best album I have heard this year, although my exposure to today's music isn't exactly all encompassing.As other people have said, this second album is different than the Gorillaz' first one. The absence of Del really hurts the rap segments in this second album.This is not to say the hip hop is bad, it's just that in the first album, Del WAS Russell and it's now hard to separate the two.As a long time Blur fan though, I like Damon's voice which is (as usual) found throughout the album.The beginning tracks and the end ones are the strongest.The middle ones are not bad, just weaker than the other parts.However, the album is really cohesive and looking at the pictures and the lyrics (found online) you can really see a message.

As for the people trying to rip the tracks off the CD, I had no problem using abcde on my NetBSD box to convert the tracks to .ogg files (in fact there are already two CDDB entries for the CD, meaning people have been ripping the CD).It could just be a Windows thing, which sucks for you guys, because I can listen to the songs on my iRiver.Also there is a pretty cool remix of Feel Good Inc and Cake's Never There online.Just google "gorillaz cake feel good" and you'll find it.

An amazing album, despite its little quirks.
Note, before you read on, just know that I myself do not like the Rap genre. It doesn't appeal to me and I just never really liked it.

Even with that though, I completely LOVE this Album. One of its quirks being that there was an over usage of rap in "Demon Days" as opposed to their first CD, but even with that, this Album executes everything greatly.

Unlike the first CD, alot of the songs go right into the other. It gives the CD a great flow and it's very enjoyable when listening to it on your car or CD player.

The only thing that really stopped me from giving this CD 5 stars is the poorly executed rap, mainly in the song "Dirty Harry". I don't have any problem with the rap in the songs (Feel Good Inc., November has Come, All Alone) but in Dirty Harry, it was just so unnecessary.The song length is 3:43, for the first two minutes, you hear this great beat, a great song. Then the rapping starts and it just sounds so out of place. It kind of ruined the flow since if it's skipped, Feel Good Inc. starts up, and "Dirty Harry" plays into "Feel Good Inc."

That and the loss of Miho Hatori (Vocally, at least), at times you kind of lost the feeling of listening to the Gorillaz and it felt more like a CD with Damon Albarn and special guests.

Overall, it's a great CD, a real accomplishment for the Gorillaz, but just little things that prevent it from being a truly great Album.

Copy protection prevents enjoyment on iPods and Windows XP
If you enjoy listening to music on your iPod or Windows XP based computer then this is not the album for you. Virgin Records America appears to have decided to copy protect the release of Gorillaz 'Demon Days'. The disc will not play when inserted into a Windows XP based computer (i.e. when browsing to the disc from your My Computer icon the disc appears to be blank).

This album is ideal for your car, home audio cd player, or portable cd player if your playback device is compatible with the copy protection contained within this release.

One should also note that there is no notice of copy protection nor compatibility requirements anywhere on the packaging of the Gorillaz 'Demon Days' album.

If you have purchased this CD and wish to contact Virgin Records then do not bother attempting to e-mail their web master from the Virgin Records web site: all e-mails bounce back as being undeliverable. A more appropriate title for this album would have been "Paying Customers are Thieves".

all-in-one-album
First I have to say I was spinning holes in my floor waiting for the new album from Gorillaz.Ever since he left Blur, everything Damon Albarn has touched has turned into gold from my point of view!

When I got the disc I was very excited and awfully afraid that the follow-up was going to be mediocre.But no Sir!From "last Living souls" with it's oldschool and childish discorhythms via Roots Manuvas punching word-spitting performance on "all alone" to the finalizing three-track tale with Dennis Hopper's trustgiving voice and Heavenly London Community Gospel Choir shouting me right into the center of Gorillaz' weird and wonderful world of playful artistic anarchy!

The melodies on this disc are pure popmusic-art.And the wrapping is ever-changing with all kinds of styles thrown together and with twists and brakes and surprising bridges around every corner.

My most pleasent surprise was the amount of oldskool sounds.Some of the tracks give me associations to the swedish underground synthpopband The Knife.

Buy it!

Great Band ..... Poor Label
Everything that needs to be said about the sheer greatness of Gorillaz has been said.Demon Days is surely one of the albums of the year.
However , one little (it's actually huge).... Has anyone been able to rip Demon Days onto their computer? I'm having enormous problems doing so. If anyone has had problems yet was able to rip, can you please advise on this website or....email me at 'cortez-the-raven@hotmail.com'.
Cheers

P.S. The album is bananas!!!!!! ... Read more