Amazon.com

Long a favorite of U2's original core following, October not only avoids the sophomore slump, but adds an edgy, emotional resonance to the buoyant self-confidence they showed on their debut, Boy. Though producer Steve Lillywhite deserves mention for helping effectively frame the material with production that manages to be both stark and atmospherically murky, this is the music where Bono, Edge, and company first show the potential that would make them superstars. Lacking the sometimes ham-fisted polemics that would mar War, The Joshua Tree, and later works, October has an oft-tortured sense of emotional and philosophical ambivalence that only underscores concerns that range from the crypto-spiritualist yearnings of "Gloria" and "Rejoice" to more anxious moments like "I Fall Down," "I Threw a Brick Through a Window," and "Fire." In retrospect, they may have peaked early. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (78)

Religious anthems dominate "October".
First let me say that I am an atheist. And I love this album.

Usually religious songs get on my nerves. I immediately think, "Propagandists!" or something to that extent. But not on this album. Maybe it's just because I'm a huge U2 fan and I can see past the religious themes for their sake. But I have a feeling that's not it. This CD is truly a great work.

Gloria is the opening track and one of my favourites on the CD and from U2 over all. I just love hearing The Edge on this track, as well as Larry Mullen's drums towards the end. I always sing along. Plus, there's Latin in it. :)

skipping skip skip.

Tomorrow, the 6th track, is my favourite on this CD. The melody is haunting, the lyrics are haunting (mentions of Bono's deceased mother are prominant) and the over all feel makes you want to run under the covers.

October, the title track, is an 8-line, two-minute-or-so song which is among my favourites on this CD as well. The piano adds a beautiful touch as well.

U2's Sophmore Effort is Anything but Weak
I look at October, and think and know that this is not U2's best album. In fact, if I had to rank their albums this would be towards the bottom, but this album is still an excellent contribution. Boy and War are often thought of a great messages of U2's beliefs and stance on world politics and growing up, but October makes its own contribution.

In fact, October is a bold step because there are definite religious overtones throughout the album, more so than on any other U2 album. While the talent is still raw, maybe even rawer than Boy, the lyrical and music content are strong.

A few songs here are definitely among U2's best. Tomorrow is the jewel of this album I think, and it is a shame this is not considered one of their best. It also does the best to represent their Irish culture. October is another fantastic song, allbeit simple. It is just beautiful, and probably best foreshadows what was to come in the way of later albums. Gloria and Fire are a great rock songs reminiscent of Boy and the rest of the album is strong, though not quite up to War and Boy.

Overall this a great album, especially for those who like early U2 or like U2 in general. However, I would not prioritize this album over Boy or War.

My first u2
A couple of years ago i knew u2 existed. I hadnt really gotten into their albums because most of the songs i had heard on the radio when i used to listen to it were a little overplayed. One day i was looking through someones cds and i found october. I dont know what came over me but i decided to play it. what i heard shocked me: the edge's amazingly super-reverbed guitar and bono's cathedral-echo sustaining voice and it sounded so full and original. from then on i was hooked. i couldnt get it out of my cdplayer. during this time in my life i didnt realize that i was developing a depression, and for some reason whenever i get really pissed off or sad i play this album really really loud and sing to it until my voice is gone. it is just so emotional and track 7 sounds so sad with the minor piano chords. it all works so flawlessly together. This is a great album and if i HAD to pick a favorite this would be it but all the u2 albums (minus zooropa and pop) were 5 star recordings and classics, but for me this was a great starter. so if you are sick of hearing 'War' over and over again listen to 'October' there are no overplayed songs here.

This was U2
"Gloria" was the first U2 song I heard.

"October" was U2 and is still their best recording!

And, "Gloria" is still their finest song!

Is That All?
Is that all? This wasn't just the last track on U2's sophomore album, but also the question surrounding the band during the time of this album's commercial release. You see, frontman Bono, guitarist The Edge, and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. are devout Christians, and it was around this time that the three became aware of it. Bassist Adam Clayton never shared their religous views. This difference of opinion nearly broke up the band, because the three didn't know if their Christian faith could co-exist with their chosen profession of rock music. By sticking together, however, they soon realized that their fears and uncertainties were all based on what other people would think of it. With this realization, it became clear that there was no problem, it was just other peoples' problems. U2 followed their hearts and plowed forward. This was only one of several difficult personal issues in the early days of U2 that are responsible for the strong friendship within the band that exists to this day.

And this wasn't the only challenge they faced with this record. There was also the fact that Bono's lyrics were stolen, and he had to re-write them all, which is impressive when you do read the lyrics that made it to the album. Highlights include the opener, 'Gloria', 'I Fall Down', 'Fire', 'Rejoice', the title track 'October', 'Tomorrow', and 'Scarlet'. This album did not find the commercial success of 'Boy', and as a result is one of the most underrated records U2 has ever put out, but I think musically it was better then its predecessor, and, like its predecessor, was indicitive of the potential this band had. It acted as a kind of segue between 'Boy' and 'War', the album in which U2 truly arrived, and that potential became reality. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Fell on Black Days," indeed. Seattle sludge slingers Soundgarden made a living out of cathartic, woe-is-me wailing (we're talking the banshee vocals of Chris Cornell and the crypt-creaking guitar of Kim Thayil), but this wallowing in grim depression ironically proved to be the band's most uplifting career effort. When the reclusive Cornell ventures out of his shy-guy shell, it's typically via a primal scream of cathartic emotion--he might camp it up with a sophomoric "Spoon Man," but most of this vicious disc leaps straight for your jugular. Generations in the post-millennial future will one day refer to this record to discover exactly how 1990s rock & roll was done. --Tom Lanham ... Read more

Reviews (202)

I Like Surprises
In my eyes, Nirvana were never the true stars of the early nineties grunge scene. I always preferred Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and this band; Soundgarden.

Their 1995 album Superunknown is a massive, sprawling, epic piece of work, clocking in at 71 minutes and 24 seconds... with... wait for it.... no fillers whatsoever.

Opener Let Me Drown explodes out of its' cage as if it were the last song on earth. It screams towards the finish line in flurry of fury and rage. A fantastic, adrenaline-fuelled ride.

There are a few other tracks as vicious as Let Me Drown on Superunknown, such as the thundering Kickstand, and Spoonman (complete with spoons by Artis the spoonman). Most of the album is far more complex than most grunge/metal however, such as Head Down, the now famous Black Hole Sun, and 4th of July (which happens to have the lowest tuned guitar I've ever heard, and a monolithic riff that sounds like the world is falling apart around your ears).

The Day I Tried To Live is superb. Imagine Led Zeppelin transported to the nineties and really depressed, (minus the annoying, dragging blues parts).

My Wave is pop metal with a twist. Fell on Black Days and Mailman are great, slow stoner style songs with a hint of bluesy metal.

Th album finishes up with a great little extra number, She Likes Surprises. One of my favourites, and a superb tale of sexual gratification with enough power and control to close an album of this quality in perfect style.

Don't miss out on this journey into the very heart of nineties metal. This album is a classic.

Mindblowing
From the minute the first dischordant strains of 'Let me drown' kick in, you know something has changed. The sound may be gloomier, heavier in places, and the vocals may essentially discard the frantic histrionics of previous years, yet this is a motre mature, polished and wonderfully varied release than anything previous. Clearly, Soundgarden have evolved since they recorded 'Badmotorfinger', which we must note was a near flawless album in its own right. Superunknown signals Soundgarden's ascent into a new musical dimension.
In short, this album is phenomenal. There is simply not a single sub-standard track included (with the possible exception of the mellow, Ben Shepherd penned 'Half'). The hit singles ('Black hole sun', 'The day I tried to live', 'Fell on black days' ) are unbelivably strong material, although every song is worthy in its own right. Every band member contributes to the song-writing process, resulting in some severe variation in style. And did I mention the album is dark, cathartic and powerfully emotive to boot, along with exhibiting some of the most technically accomplished musicianship, vocals and lyrics this side of, well, anyone? 'Let me drown', with its 'Drown me in you' refrain, along with tracks like 'Fell on black days' or 'Like suicide' all reek of emotions like pain and loss in Chris Cornell's life, yet the songs are not harsh aurally. Instead, the sensations evoked by the combination of head spinning playing and lyrics which make little sense on the written page yet come into their own on the record are infinitely pleasurable.
Personally I favour the crushingly heavy, doom laden 'Fourth of July', but it must be reiterated that each song shines, and for a fifteen track album that is no mean feat.
Superunknown is a testament to the talent of soundgarden, a jaw dropping masterpiece hailing from a Seattle scene that delivered consistently and in such varied, prolific and profoundly astonishing fashion. Supreme value for money (whatever you pay), one of the few truly great albums of the 90's.
Utterly indispensable.

One of Best Grunge Album and Band in the 90's
I dont know how to explain on how this album was one of the best albums in the 90's fellowed by Badmotorfinger. It's obvious that Superunknown was consciously styled as a masterwork, and it fulfills every ambition.

a grunge masterpiece
rhis cd along with ten,facelift and core from stp were the defining alternative albums of the eighties.songs like spoonman,the day i tried to live and black hole sun are what made this cd great.very highly recommended.

One of the best albums of 94 and the rest of the 90s.
I know I must be offending people by saying this but Soundgarden isnt my favorite grunge band.I think they were a great band no doubt about that but Chris Cornells voice can be a little too unsettling at times such as on Limo Wreck but I think this was a great album.From the opening Let Me Drown to the closing track Like Suicide every song on here is done with style,grace and talent.My favorite song on here is Black Hole Sun but Fresh Tendrils comes in a close second with Fell On Black Days coming in a mean third.I think the riffs on here are great and Chris Cornell has a very talented singing voice no doubt about that. ... Read more

Album Description

(not actual Deluxe Version Artwork)

TWO-DISC DELUXE COLLECTOR'S EDITION OF "GUERO" INCLUDES:

- Full album plus seven exclusive bonus tracks- An exquisite 52 page booklet of art chosen by Beck- Technologically groundbreaking DVD featuring a 5.1 surround sound mix of the album coupled with interactive video remixes of each track (designed by acclaimed video artists D-Fuse).Over 100 unique visual possibilities -- as directed using the remote control's "angle" button

Three years after the critically acclaimed and heartwrenching opus "Sea Change," THREE-TIME GRAMMY WINNER and FIVE-TIME MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARD WINNER BECK returns with his most diverse, accomplished and compelling work to date: "GUERO."

With the raucous first single "E-Pro" triumphantly "na-na-na"-ing Beck's return with a must-be-seen-to-be believed video by Shynola (Queens of the Stone Age, Radiohead), "GUERO" both reunites Beck with classic co-conspirators the Dust Brothers and explores territories uncharted by even this most innovative artist of his generation. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Worth the extra tracks - DVD worked fine
The DVD worked fine on our end, but regardless of that, I'm happy I got the "deluxe" version just for the extra tracks that comes with the CD. This is the best album I've purchased this year (possibly 20 so far - some tough competition!) There are some good remixes available on iTunes as well.

amazing
The negative reviews are all directed towards the limited edition.Luckily I haven't had as much frustration as them.I still think this album deserves 5 stars.If you take the extra stuff that you get that doesn't have any documented problems(extra tracks, liner notes) it still makes it worth the couple extra bucks you have to throw to get this.

More importantly, this is easily the best album I have heard this year and one of the top albums so far this decade.

Brilliant Beck
First, about the DVD.Only one track has a problem in my player, track 4.I figure there is something like an easter egg there that is causing problems.My player automatically skips to track 5 when it comes to track 4.It only takes about 5 seconds to rewind to the beginning of track 4 just after this odd glitch and you can play "Missing" in surround sound.It's annoying, but not the worst thing in the world.

Now, the DVD is simply AWESOME in 5.1 surround sound.Tambourines whirl around you everywhere in "Black Tambourine" and simply put, I am more than happy to be able to listen to this album mixed in surround.It is really nice that the extra effort was put into putting this package together, no other Beck album was done this way.The videos are very cool as well.The six extra tracks are also well worth the money, I am a huge fan of all Beck material that has been released nowhere but as B-sides and rare tracks, and these are no different (try "Stray Blues: A Collection of B-Sides" to see what I'm talking about.)And the new album delivers in a HUGE way.After becoming overly familiar with the 4 track EP of remixed tunes in arcade sound released on iTMS, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the original versions from the album.Harmonica, slide guitar, and fresh beats as only Beck can do it.And this album contains a lyrical and singing breakthrough in my mind as Beck has never sounded vocally as good as he does on "Earthquake Weather."Simply brilliant, it will be a favorite for a LONG time.

Beck-tionary!
I am an ardent Beck fan, give me your odelay, your mutations, your midnite vultures. I could go on for days about how good he is so let me settle on reviewing this. My friend made me a copy of Guero and i played it, i played it several times, i played it enough that i couldn't stand owning a copy (as i own an official release of every album) so i went out and low and behold, the limited edition is in my line of sight. As poor as i am i shelled out the money for it and i couldn't be happier. The extra songs are just as crazy, the DVD sound is amazing, the visuals are spectacular and the music videos are excellent. As far as artists that are in my collection, he is one of a select few that takes up more than 4 spaces in my binder. This isn't for everyone, i know i am a crazy fan, but definately check out the regular version of this album, but if you are a hardcore fan, get this and you too can say, "I own the beck-tionary!"
P.S. Watch Futurama

DVD not compatible with many players
I picked up a new model Sony DVD, SACD, Progressive Scan higher end model last year and it still won't play the disc.Seems like many other people are having issues if you search around the web.Maybe they should be a bit more honest about how incompatible this disc is considering that the Beck site only specifies that only a "small percentage" are not compatible.Seems more like only a small percentage are actually compatible.CD is pretty good, but paying extra for a defective DVD shadows the good music with anger... ... Read more

Amazon.com

The debate over whether he is punk or new wave is long over; today Elvis Costello is less likely to be found on a list with Strummer and Scabies than he is with Bacharach and David and Jimmy Webb. Lauded initially for his energetic and literate attacks on the social ills of Thatcher's England, he has become a peerless master of the popular song. The evolution of Costello's craft as a songwriter and performer, from the early high-octane polemics, through his stylistic experiments with country and soul, and on to standards written for others, is splendidly documented on this elegant two-disc set. Chronology is ignored in favor of a thoughtful program that catalogs the jewels from his prolific output and a sprinkling of covers that demonstrate the maturing of his singing voice. The 42 tracks here lean generously to the first 10 years with the Attractions, but also collects the best of his subsequent collaborations with the cream of America's session musicians and on through to "She," his contribution to the soundtrack of 1999's Notting Hill. --Rob Stewart ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Only a fraction of "The Very Best...", but a good start.
As an introduction for the Elvis Costello novice, this is definitely the best "Best of" to date, but I think this "Very Best of" labelling of Costello's work is frankly ludicrous. Although I realize the point of this release is to sell a reasonably priced and affordable overview, I would have preferred Rhino issue the 2-CD set as "The Very Best, Volume One" (with Two, Three, Four & Five to follow), as any singular "Very Best" compilation (even two CD's worth) of the most prolific genius in modern music is bound to be lacking, to say the least. As for this compilation, I applaud Rhino for including some of Costello's lesser known gems (although there are many, many more). However, there were several surprising omissions of better known songs. "King Horse," "Party Girl," "Love Field," and "You Little Fool" are a few that come to mind. And I felt that many of the chosen tracks simply were not the VERY best song or songs from those particular albums (among the very best, yes, but certainly not THE very best). For example, why was "I Want To Vanish" picked over the title track "All This Useless Beauty"? And why was the album "The Juliet Letters" completely ignored? I think "The Birds Will Still Be Singing" is one of the most beautiful songs Costello has ever written, and it is nowhere to be found! Were these songs bumped by "She" and "That Day Is Done"?! Okay, so am I for the most part nitpicking ? Sure! But I have a list a mile long of the "Very Best" of Elvis (probably a ten CD box set's worth)! Anyway, if you're new to Elvis definitely pick up this "Very Best of " CD. Then rush out and buy every album Costello's ever made!

Truly the Essential Elvis!
I have owned quite a number of Elvis Costello anthology albums. The first was back in the late 80's, a "Greatest Hits" LP put out by CBS/Columbia. In 91 I purchased "Girls, Girls, Girls" a triple CD collection, & recently found a budget priced cassette called "Extreme Honey: the Best of the Warner Bros. Years". Each of these had songs I liked, but often contained more that I didn't.

Now I have purchased "The Very Best of Elvis Costello" & for once I can say this album absolutely lives up to it's title! In 2 CD's we have an overview of the extraordinary career of one of the most prolific & multi-faceted songwriters of our time. It's wonderful! Everything is here, from the chilling "Watching the Detectives" & supersonic "Lipstick Vogue" of the early albums thru the jazz & country-tinged experiments of the late 80's up to his latest collaborations with the Brodsky Quartet & Burt Bacharach. There isn't a single song that tempts me to hit the "forward" button on my CD player.

Curiously, Rhino has opted to put the material in a non-sequential order. Most greatest hits collections start with the earliest songs, working their way up to the latest. "The Very Best of..." was organized by someone who had their mind on creating an emotional mood rather than a history of the artist. Although normally I prefer the time-line approach, in this casse it works quite well. If you want to hear the developement of Costello's song-writing, Rhino has included original release dates in the credits so that you can sequence your own order. Other than song titles & lists of musicians, this is about all the information you will discover inside the jewel case. This is about the only weakness I can find to this package. Personally I would have preferred some type of liner notes included.

If you only own 1 Elvis Costello album, make it "The Very Best of..." . I guarantee you won't regret it!

could've used a chrono-scrambler
but it's amazing anyway! if you haven't given elvis costello a chance yet, you owe it to yourself. so many pop masterpieces. this guy may be one of the most widely acclaimed, yet underappreciated artists in history. what a shame...these songs--all 42 of them!--are simply fantastic. i'd heard maybe four of them before taking the plunge and dishing out the 20+ bucks for this double cd set. favorites: "oliver's army," "accidents will happen," "veronica," "lipstick vogue," "alison".

one has to admit, however, that the more ballad-centric second disc is far, far weaker than the more energetic first disc. if i'd done the compilation, i think i would have scrambled the chronology a bit to even things out.

Great if you're new to E.C.
If you are a new fan of Elvis Costello (we all were at some point...) then this is a good CD to start out with because it spans a good deal of his career and can point you in the right direction of if you like his earlier music or latest music. If you are a long-time E.C. fan and have most of his albums, then there is really nothing new here for you. As a greatest hits collection, it was an excellent selection of songs considering they had to keep it down to only two CDs--and its a better deal then a box-set would be. Give it a try.

A great representation of a great career
What DECADE was for Neil Young, THE VERY BEST OF ELVIS COSTELLO is for E.C. While it is representative of a longer span of time, T.V.B.O.E.C. leaves very few gaps in Costello's long and varied career. It covers the huge range of musical styles that influenced Elvis and that he incorporated so engagingly: reggae, punk, country/western, pop, Mersey, ska, classical, and Frank Sinatra-type music (whatever that is called). Listening to some of the older tunes, like "Watching the Detectives" (one of my favorites) and "Pump It Up" reminded me of how impressed I had been by this guy's singular sound and individuality during an era of copy-cat punk/new wave bands. And the newer tunes just seem like a logical procession of this man's songwriting ability. This cd is well-worth having in your collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As these dimpled moptops from Oklahoma grow pepper-bearded and transform into wizened elder statesmen of sonic adventuring, the heartfelt candy of their loving bubblegum stretches ever longer into echoing soundscapes. If Radiohead are halfway to becoming U2, the Flaming Lips are nine-tenths of the way to pop nirvana. Hardly a song on Yoshimi isn't resonated, echoed, and reverberated--floating the listener higher until they have the ultimate bird's-eye view of what makes a great band tick. As with any album by the band, it's hard not to imagine parades and a sky filled with helium balloons while you listen to any of it--in this case, the party is enhanced brilliantly by digital filters and silver shimmering asides. The most immediate songs, like "One More Robot (3000-21)," are digital (almost trip-hop) dance numbers that lift the band out of the cornfields and into the loopy land of Björk. Little surprise, then, that the band are already following up this majestic splash of gummy bear brilliance by recording a CD with kids' TV show host Steve from Blue's Clues. It's like Woodstock meets Snoopy! --Ian Christe ... Read more

Reviews (285)

Her name is Yoshimi; she's a black belt in karate...
And so it begins.

I had never listened to a Flaming Lips album before, but I kept seeing "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" on some of last years "best albums" lists, so I thought I'd take a chance and check it out. It took about three listens before I was hooked on this cd. I can't help smiling when I listen to it, and I listen to it at work, while I'm driving, and at home. While not usually a fan of the concept-album per-se, this one has really stuck to me. It has a hint of Pink Floyd, with almost dreamy, ethereal, qualities. It is full of some wonderful bass lines, creative percussion, and thoughtful lyrics. My favorite songs are "Flight Test", "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1", "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell", and "Are you a Hypnotist", but "Do You Realize" is my stand-out favorite, just a beautiful song, and it sickens me to now hear it on a television car commercial.

If you have eclectic tastes in music, and don't limit yourself to pop radio, I think you will enjoy "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots".

Perfect pop songs about robots, Mars, love, and death
The Flaming Lips followed their masterpiece, 'The Soft Bulletin,' with this, a concept album EP linked to a collection of beautiful, strange songs about love and death. The first four tracks refer to the title of the album. Yoshimi battles pink robots to a 'kitchen sink' soundtrack --- the band combines everything from techno-pop to acoustic dirges into a vague story.

Then the album opens up. 'In the Morning of the Magicians' and 'Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell' are the high points of the disc. They transmit you from Yoshimi to the super-bright pop songs that close the CD. The final four are simple, introspective ballads that sound a lot like Beck's 'Sea Change.' The whole thing ends with a fantastic instrumental about ballooning across Mars.

In a perfect world, this album would win every Grammy and be played over and over on the radio. But I guess I can settle for owning it and listening to it all day at home. After this CD and 'The Soft Bulletin,' the Lips are on a roll. I can't wait to hear what they'll do next.

5 STARS BABY!!
This album is off the hook. I love the flaming lips and would definitely buy this album.

I love it...
I absolutely love this cd... It's at least 4 Gold Star material...

->Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell
my fave song/title on it

My friend gave me a copy and as they say better late than never... The music is superb and the lyrics are eccentrically interesting... As well as the vocals smooth nicely over the music...

Pick it up and give it a try... You'll like it even if your name isn't Mikey - a Flaming Fan - Savannah Skye...

its gotta be my favorite cd of all time
wow. ok,i can't say this is my favorite band... but i love listening to this cd... and i lost the damn thing. but till i can scrape up some money to buy it again, i just keep listening to the 30 second samples on amazon. yeah i know pathetic. when i first heard flaming lips, i was really suprised at how unique their music was. some of there songs remind me of an addictive video game beat you can't get out of your head while others are more melodic... the weird thing about this cd is that i can put it on low and go to sleep with it on or put it on high and get all "pumped up". the only other cd i've heard from the flaming lips is soft bulletin which is good too but in no way does it compare to yoshimi battles the pink robots. my favorite song is "yoshimi battles the pink robot part 2" i think it's called (sorry, remember i haven't listened to the cd in a while)i love it when yoshimi screams at the top of her lungs... i get chills all over... get it or regret it ... Read more

Reviews (9)

4.5 rounded up
Solid disc for any Beat fan, but I would have liked to see the instrumental version of Rotating Heads (from Ferris Bueller's Day Off) thrown on this disc for good measure. In my opinion, one of EB's better songs. Plus it would have spared people from having to buy that soundtrack to get it.

Can't be Beat
In the second coming of ska (c. 1979-1983) the English Beat ruled supreme. The Beat used ska as a foundation on which they used R&B, punk, rock, dub and Afro-beat as material to build three superb albums and a handfull of singles. This collection does a marvelous job of distilling their all too short career highlghts into one disk. Dancable to the extreme, thought-provoking at several levels, and thoroughly enjoyable, this is an excellent addition to any CD collection.

Beat fans you DO need this !
Prior reviews of this collection have missed an important detail. The Stand Down Margaret (track 15) included here IS NOT the Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret from the Beat's first album "I Just Can't Stop". It is the rare dub version that I believe was only previously availble in the U.S. as a 12" 45rpm import.

I remeber hearing this on the radio (small community access station) in the early eighties and have searched for it ever since. It KICKS ! Oh and BTW, with their blending of many musical styles and Saxa, the Beat always ruled. Although a very good ska band, Madness wasn't even in the same league !

This is "Beat"
I often rummage through the racks at my favorite record stores or online looking for the 80's bands that I loved. What a suprise to come across this collection. Back in the day the Beat were probably second to Madness as far as new wave ska bands go but I have to say time has probably been kinder to the Beat as these songs sound a lot less dated then some of the Madness efforts. You're gonna love this one. Classic reggae/ska cuts like "Twist and Crawl" and "Mirror in the Bathroom", Pop gems "Save it for Later" and "Best Friend", the funky, smooth, soulful "Too Nice To Talk To" and sophisticated ska influenced soul cuts "Sole Salvation" and "I Confess" and so much more this "Beat" goes on and on and on!

Still The Best Ska Band Ever!
This has just about every track you will ever need by The English Beat.

Starting with the classic "Mirror in the Bathroom" all the way through the later years with "Save it for Later" and "I Confess". The thing I particularly liked about this "best of" was it had many ofthe tracks off of "I Just Can't Stop It", the first American realease in I think about 1982. There's "Hands Off She's Mine", "Twist and Crawl" and the ultra-skankin "Rankin' Full Stop".

You will still need to get "Special Beat Service" for some other incredible tracks, but start with this and SKANK AWAY! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The twisted cover of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" is a statement of intent, while the cool jazz riffs from the band's trumpet player are part of what makes tracks like "Daria," "It's Coming Down," and "Frank Sinatra" so original. "The Distance" is a funked-up jam with a Chili Peppers chorus.--Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (167)

Cake's Best Album to Date
Every song on this album has its merits. Obviously, "The Distance" and "Frank Sinatra" rank high on everyone's lists. However, many of the other songs are worth notice. The bizarre "Open Book" is appealing in its odd harmonies and disjointedness. "Daria" gets my vote for the strangest lyric of the album: "[I won't be] smoothed over like milk, silk, a bedspread, or a quilt, icing on a cake, or a serene transluscent lake." "It's Coming Down" is both cynical and humorous regarding a breakup, saying "She's gone and she's wearing your red sweater."

Although much credit has been given to the bassist (who definitely deserves it), the lead guitarist makes this album work. Every song, even ones without a guitar solo, the guitar plays a vital role, often adding biting riffs to otherwise innocuous songs. Listen to "Stickshifts and Safetybelts," "Italian Leather Sofa," or "Nugget."

This is really the only Cake album anyone needs to buy. Quite different from Motorcade of Generosity or Prolonging the Magic, Fashion Nugget is Cake's quintessential work that is sure to remain a classic.

One of cakes best
This cd just has some kinda raw anger energy that is just great. Cake fans should be pleased as well as for new cake commers this is a good place to start....

1. Frank Sinatra - 9.5 (classic song!!)

2. The Distance - 9 (The one on the radio that is still great)

3. Friend Is A Four Letter Word - 4 (some people like it, im not one of them)

4. Open Book - 8

5. Daria - 9

6. Race Car Ya-Yas 9 (short, sweet, funny what more can you ask)

7. I Will Survive - 10 (A awesome remake of a great song. One of my favorte cake songs of all time)

8. Stickshifts And Safetybelts - 8

9. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps - 4

10. It's Coming Down - 5

11. Nugget - 9 (Like shrapen knifes to chicken mcnuggets!)

12. She'll Come Back To Me - 7

13. Italian Leather Sofa - 8.5 (very long for a cake song but very good)

14. Sad Songs And Waltzes - 8.5(Doesnt sound like cake to me but good song)

So good
Cake's "Fashion Nugget" is a great, laid-back rock record with a unique sound, clever lyrics, and a talented singer. This is the ideal soundtrack for kicking back on the porch with a cold beer on a Saturday afternoon.

super
This is my favorite Cake album. Yes, I've tried them all. =P

Fashion Nugget never goes stale.

Buy for one song, end up loving the album
So, let's pretend you've heard some Cake. Maybe you've heard "Going the Distance", which gets radio play, or "Short Skirt, Long Jacket", which I think has been in a movie or two. You're sitting here reading the reviews, wondering if the album is worth it. Let me help you with your decision: Go for it. They have a LOT of excellent numbers on this album... several radio hits that you'll remember, and several tricky songs that are waiting to be discovered. I am NOT A CAKE FAN. I don't listen to them terribly often. But this album is almost surreal in how effective and fun it is. Solid reasons to buy the album: "The Distance," "Stick-shifts and Safety-belts," "Short Skirt Long Jacket," "Never There," "Frank Sinatra," "Friend is a Four Letter Word..." and even the catchy yet annoying number that caused me to buy the album: their cover of "I Will Survive." If you've heard some Cake, and like them a little, this is a no-brainer. ... Read more

Amazon.com

On their seventh album, the Duluth, Minnesota-based trio Low have sped their songs up considerably so that now, they’re at normal pace. The album was cleverly produced by Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev, the Flaming Lips, Wheat), and there are many fine songs here, like the upbeat anthem "California," the soundtrack-ish dirge "Pissing" and the gorgeous "Cue The Strings." Low has yet to make a bad album, but this is what you might call a "transitional" album. And speaking of transitions, there seems to be little glue to link these varied songs together. "Step" sounds like a song the Partridge Family threw away, while "Everybody’s Song" shows that when you speed up repetitive dynamics that worked well at a glacial pace it’s not always such a good thing. Tempo isn’t everything by any means, but the self-imposed limitations of their former working methods, which produced such striking songs before, has yet to be replaced by an approach of equal value. At times, they don’t even sound like Low, but rather just another indie-pop band--not a bad one by any means, but not a sublime one either. It’ll be very interesting to see where they go next. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Review from the Synthesis
As I'm sure groups like the Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev and even Phantom Planet could attest, Dave Fridmann seems to be the man to enlist for bands looking to reinvent their sound. However, unlike those just mentioned, Low has used Fridmann's technical prowess to simply bolster their established sound rather than drastically alter it. The inclusion of this sonic depth only strengthens the material on The Great Destroyer, adding solid amounts of backbone to this collection of concise indie pop nuggets propelled by beautiful Yo La Tengo-style boy/girl harmonies courtesy of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker. The group still remains equally powerful in the quieter moments, however, such as on the acoustic mid-life crisis yarn "Death of a Salesman."

- Landon Moblad
Synthesis.net

Low reviewed on ThreeImaginaryGirls.com
While The Great Destroyer certainly shifts away from the meek and lowly station that this band has long been identified with, it is not necessarily an abrupt shift. True, this record is louder. True, this record is faster. But the essential elements remain the same: the long-winded vocal harmonies, the slow rising chord progressions and the "la-la-la's" are all still intact. But, despite the slow and steady hand that has raised Low to just-under-celebrity status, there has always been three sides to this band: the pop side, the dark side, and the just plain silly side. This record explores all three, which is why it may be the most honest Low release to date. Not that I buy into all of it. Tracks like "Everybody's Song" and "Just Stand Back" have an awkwardly conventional feel to them 151; almost as if Alan is proving to us that he can "rock out." While lines such as "It's a hit/It's got soul/Steal the show/With your rock-n-roll" have been getting a lot of press...it's simply not Low. At least, it's not the Low that I fell in love with. It's more New Order than Joy Division, if you get the drift. Then again, who am I to define them?

The truth is, if they had released a record that sounded anything like their first four, we writers would likely be bitching about that just as much. But for the love of Parley P. Pratt, don't we have enough rock music out there? And wasn't Low supposed to be our refuge from it all?

One thing glaringly obvious is that being hailed the "Kings of Slo-Core" was never a crown that rested comfortably upon their collective heads.

Read the entire review: http://www.threeimaginarygirls.com/low05apr.asp

Fine, but... fine
This is an album that grows on you like cancer. But you might want to quit smoking those death sticks of yours and have a peek at Low's seventh installment. It works quite like a puzzle, a fragile, yet dense construct. Layer after layer, most of the songs which are just efficient indie/pop songs, at first glance, reveal a depth that you have to scratch to unveil. The darkness that emanates from some of their songs (Monkey, On the Edge of,...) takes you on a road paved with light. A yellow brick road going through a thick, dark forest. You know what I'm talking about. I don't.
The Great Destroyer is a great album. It grows on you like the sweetest of cancers.

lazy music for lazy people
Low is one of the great con jobs of the century (young as it is). Their low-fi "gimmick" seems to be enough for their fans, who obviously celebrate amateurish playing and junior-high poetry class lyrics. Making it louder only amplifies their weaknesses. Only in Minnesota...

"Great" Is Right
After 11 years of a slow motion rock that was the aural equivalent of decomposition, it seemed that Low would take their brand of "slowcore" to its logical end:brain death.But a strange thing happens on The Great Destroyer, Low's seventh studio release:they remove their heads from their collective ass, take a long hard look at the world and decide that they both love and hate what they see.Then they rock.Perhaps it's been the long slog of some truly lugubrious past releases, or the kind of brisk thaw after a cold harsh winter that makes you overrate the first nice day of spring, but The Great Destroyer is bracing, easily the best thing Low has done.From the suicide ride of opener "Monkey", to the compromised lure of sunny "California", to the happy death closer "Walk Into the Sea", singers Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker, along with bassist John Nichols, feel both the sting and the warmth of the sun on their faces, and react accordingly.And just so they don't alienate their depressed fans, the best song here -"Silver Rider" - does the slowcore thing to perfection, condensing all their themes into one gorgeous, slow, sad song about the passing of time, the decaying of the body, and the final triumph of "the great destroyer". ... Read more

Reviews (900)

To Hear Them Is To Love Them
Radiohead are one of the few bands alive today who have proven themselves to be true musical artists in every sense of the word, and their brilliant new album "Hail To The Thief" more than cements that fact. Here are moments of stark beauty, dark despair, all driven by the bands' masterful insturmentation and Thom Yorke's emotionally powerful voice. I am so glad to see this wonderful band evolve to where they are today, recieving the acclaim and praise they so richly deserve. Real stand out tracks for me are "Sail To The Moon", the semi-folksy "Go To Sleep", the crunchy in-your-face "Myxomatosis", "Sit down. Stand up", the dreamy "A Wolf at the Door"...the whole album is fantastic from start to finish, and you'll want to hit "repeat" once it has played through the first time in its entirety..it's THAT excellent!! Radiohead's newest masterpiece is NOT to be missed and is a definite addition to my list of best cds of 2003...with this stunning new collection of songs, Thom and the boys have nowhere left to go but up~and towards an ever brighter future.

they got their energy back
There is a point as a musician where you stop experimenting with new things and do what you know how to do as well as you can possibly do it. Radiohead is a mature band now, and I would compare this album's mood to the Bends more than anything after that because it takes what has already been done and just squeezes all the possibilities out into what may be their most finely tuned album yet. They are using thier minor failures of the past to make sure there are no missteps here; in other words, structurally, this album pretends Kid A and Amnesiac never happened. The electronic aspect has not been discarded, however, but even in the IDM tracks, Thom Yorke says more than he's said since OK Computer. I think his lyrics are better than they've ever been, and the musical aspect of the songwriting is in top form as well. The key is that, even though the thematic and political element of this album is like OK Computer, each track is in perfect balance with itself, just like the Bends, but this time there is so much more to work with.
2+2=5 is sure to become another of their classic openers, going from a melancholy 7/4 lament to a screaming frustrated rock song that keeps changing. Sit Down Stand Up is hypnotic and unusual, and the rest of the album is dynamite, never repeating itself (like Kid A and Amnesiac did), and having emotions that range from quiet ballads (I Will, Sail to the Moon) to unexpected and very loud techno bits (Myxomatosis). The atmosphere is impeccable on tracks like We Suck Young Blood and perfectly ironic on songs like A Wolf at the Door. I cannot repeat that whether you like every song or not, there is little you could do to improve on any aspect of any of them. No matter when you started listening to radiohead, or whether you never started, this may be their finest work.

Great Album
While I can't say this is my favorite Radiohead album, I give it 5 stars because it's still better than 90% of everything else.

2+2=5 - Starts slow then explodes into a defiant/paranoid rock song. Great opener for the album. (9/10)

Sit Down, Stand up - One of my favorites. It's got that distinct Radiohead haunting/gloomy feeling that you either love or hate. I love it. I also like the song drastically changes about halfway through. (10/10)

Sail to the Moon - Pretty solid song. It's a little slow, but very pretty. The lyrics are nicely done as well. (9/10)

Backdrifts - Atmospheric, but not as strong as the other opening tracks. (8/10)

Go To Sleep - I have no idea what this song is doing on this album. It completely disrupts the flow set by the first four tracks and doesn't seem like it fits anywhere else either. In addition to that, it sounds like a rock song any other band might make. Or maybe something that might have appeared on Pablo Honey or The Bends. Not what I've come to expect from Radiohead. (4/10)

Where I End And You Begin - I've only listened to this one a few times, but I can't bring myself to like it as much as some of the other tracks. The lyrics are hard to make out and the sound isn't particularly great either. (6/10)

We Suck Young Blood - Another one of my favorites. Seems slow and boring at first, but once you adjust to it you can appreciate its musical genius. It's also a little creepy, so it fits in well here. (10/10)

The Gloaming - Not quite on par with Sit Down Stand Up or We Suck Young Blood, but good nonetheless. Sounds kind of techno-ish. (9/10)

There There - It's ok. Nothing special. (7/10)

I Will - Short, but powerful. Has some touching vocal harmonies and great lyrics. (10/10)

A Punchup At A Wedding - I really can't decide if I like this one. I can't figure out how it connects to the rest of the album. (7/10)

Myxomatosis - Another favorite of mine, mostly due to the lyrics. Nice sound too. (10/10)

Scatterbrain - Eh. This is my least favorite song on the album, aside from Go To Sleep. It just sounds...ugly. (5/10)

A Wolf at the Door - I don't understand why this one is so well-liked. Maybe after a few more listens I'll like it more, but at the moment I don't see what all the fuss is about. (7/10)

My ratings might look kind of low for an album that I gave five stars. It's just because I'm hard to please, and I also hold Radiohead to a higher standard. Trust me, this album is well worth your money.

Excellent!!
I have always enjoyed any album from Radiohead, but by far this is my favorite so far. Can be "gloomy", but I love a good gloomy album. The albums flows well, excellently blended along with great lyrics. I find that I could listen to this over and over again. If I had to cut my CD collection this would be a CD that would make it high on the list.

I sat in the cupboard and wrote it down in neat...
The latest Radiohead album, Hail To The Thief, is actually a tricky one to review. While it can't be denied that it doesn't match their two classics, The Bends and OK Computer, it is still a piece of art that proves the genious of Radiohead and shows some real music in comparison to today's majority of acts who are either schematic, uninspired, silly, or absolutely devoid of any talent.

One thing I'll have to admit is that so far I have listened not to britpop or alternative rock, but to American alternative post-grunge metal or, if you will, to much-hated nu-metal. And it is noteworthy that Hail To The Thief was the album that showed me how wrong I was.

The secret of Radiohead's music lies, in my opinion, in its unexplaiable expression. It was of course present on The Bends and OK Computer, but, as the new album is considerably less melodic than both, it is one of the first things that attract the listener's attention and make him fall in love with the music. Radiohead's ability to express feelings or states of mind or to recall situations from life in their music is untopped. Tom Yorke's vocals and lyrics (on Hail To The Thief they are deliberately 'childish' - just read the song titles - but it really helps settle the mood, making the album a slight medieval gothic flavour) suit the instrumental parts ingeniously well and alltogether they paint a wonderful atmosphere.

Some listeners say Hail To The Thief hasn't got a topical unity as OK Computer did, but I have to disagree and point out that the feeling of doom, end, and inevitable danger can be seen in any of the album's 14 tracks, giving the album a universal, apocalypthic side that so far has been absent in the group's catalog. Tom Yorke explained that the main topic of the album, and the second title, is 'the Gloaming', which means that bad times have come to people who were unaware, 'not paying attention'. Just listen to the eponimous track and read the lyrics. I believe you'll get the feeling.

As to the musical side of Hail To The Thief, virtuosity and subtle, layered arrangements remain part of Radiohead's music like on previous releases and can be witnessed on every track. However, some songs include non-electronic instrumentation which is pleasant to hear and, although it is definitely not 'coming back to the roots', it makes the album more adventurous and, yes, more fun. Rocking songs are followed by more electronic ones, or by piano-driven pieces that help the record avoid the occasional dullness of its two predecessors.

The songs themselves are versatile also, and offer different dynamic and tempo changes. While, as I mentioned before, they are perhaps not so melodic and instantly memorable as on The Bends and OK Computer, the songwriting has improved even further. As on Kid A and Amnesiac, Radiohead don't usually use traditional verse-chorus song structures and this only demonstrates their immense imagination. Perhaps the most catchy tunes are 2+2=5, There There, A Punchup At A Wedding and Where I End And You Begin. However, there are songs that show the group's ralents equally well, such as Go To Sleep, Myxomatosis and I Will which all paint emotional pictures that get stuck in your mind. The only song that drags a bit to me is We Suck Young Blood, but anyway it is supposed to capture the feeling of devil's coming which anyone can hardly like.

So the bottom line would be that this album is highly recommended to people who like either Radiohead themselves, today's alternative rock or simply atmospheric, emotional, expressive, beautiful music. One of the best bands in the world. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When people talk about Jakob Dylan these days, they're less likely to refer to his famous father than to his band, the Wallflowers, and their breakthrough album, Bringing Down the Horse. Not only a staggering commercial success, the disc is also a superb example of the folk-rock Jakob's daddy helped pioneer more than 30 years ago. The Wallflowers don't need family relations to command respect.

When the Wallflowers recorded their self-titled album in 1992, most of the band's members were 22 and weren't ready for prime time yet. The songs had flashes of inspiration and promise but didn't really hang together. It took four years for the Wallflowers to release a second album, but this time they were ready. The folk-rock melodies were strong; the playing was clear and muscular, and the production by T-Bone Burnett (friend of the family) framed the lyrics' storytelling imaginatively. Jakob will never escape comparisons to his dad, but his new music can stand on its own as some of the decade's best.

In fact, Jakob's voice doesn't resemble his father's so much as Tom Petty's nasal drawl, and the way Wallflower Rami Jaffee soaks nearly every song in Benmont Tench-like B-3 organ makes the Heartbreaker connection unmistakable. Fortunately, Jakob's evocative songwriting and the Wallflowers' high-energy playing reminds one of the early Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers records rather than the desultory, later work. Heartbreaker Mike Campbell even plays on "6th Avenue Heartache," the first single and a gloriously harmonized lament for the victims of America's meanest streets. "The same white line that was drawn on you," Jakob sings, "was drawn on me." He takes a more defiant, more rocking approach later in the album when he proclaims he's "Laughing Out Loud" in the face of everyone who ever tried to push him around. --Geoffrey Himes ... Read more

Reviews (113)

One of the Best Albums of All Time
I have always been a fan of The Wallflowers music ever since the hit single "One Headlight" came out. I also saw Jakob Dylan sing "One Headlight" with Bruce Springsteen at the 1997 Video Music Awards. However, I did not start purchasing their albums until this year. I started with Bringing Down the Horse and soon after bought Breach.

Bringing Down the Horse is such a great album, you can listen to it from beginning to end and not skip tracks. It's that damn good. It is so addictive I listen to it every day.

Besides "One Headlight", other tracks like "6th Avenue Heartache", "Three Marlenas", and "The Difference" are some of the many Wallflowers great hits. I don't think anybody could ever grow tired of these songs.

Bringing Down the Horse has been out now for four years and I still listen to it as if it just came out the same time as Breach.

I would recommend this CD to any "true" Rock fan out there and can almost guarentee you will not be unsatisfied!

Also, I recommend purchasing The Wallflowers third album, Breach.

Jakob Dylan - The Tom Petty of his Generation?
The years of slugging it out on his own without brandishing his father's name everywhere eventually paid off beautifully for Jakob Dylan, a considerably talented artist in his own right. Jakob writes sensitive songs with an old-fashioned smoothness, often sung with a female point of view. "Bringing Down the Horse" contains not one throwaway, each song is as enjoyable and pleasant as the last. After his debut Wallflower's album disappeared without a trace, Dylan assembled a brand new collection of musicians to work with, including talented outside help. The collective musicianship shows throughout the entire record.

Dylan sings with perspective and a gruff lonesomeness about day-to-day situations like a simple storyteller. The mood is sometimes down-and-out and searching, yet the Wallflowers also have the jumpiness of a Budweiser commercial on some songs. "One Headlight," "6th Avenue Heartbreak," and "The Difference" were played a jillion times on radio, yet never got rusty. Adam Duritz of Counting Crowes contributes his blustery vocals with Dylan's on "6th Avenue" for an amazingly tuneful effect. On "One Headlight," Dylan pleads, "come on try a little, nothing is forever" with practically all the enthusiasm he can muster, as if growing out of a phase. The mood on "One Headlight" sounds forlorn and desperate, while the bass line chugs incessantly, practically never-ending. This guy wouldn't be caught dead screaming out lyrics, at least not yet. In fact, on songs like "Bleeders," "Three Marlenas," "Josephine," and "Invisible City," the pace is almost mellow to a fault.

The opposite is true on barnburners like "The Difference," which is probably the Wallflowers version of moshing out. "God Don't Make Lonely Girls" practically screams out "this Bud's for you!" on a Budweiser commercial, a good-time rocker that these guys should do more often. "Angel on My Bike" is outstanding, and "I Wish I Felt Nothing" is country to the core, complete with "just got dumped" lyrics. The album ends mellow and true, no different from any other of Dylan's songs.

Though modern rock radio likes to play these guys extensively, there's truly nothing too modern sounding about them. With a gifted, yet unpretentious lead singer, fluid organ work everywhere, and a down-home juicy rhythm to their songs, the Wallflowers don't strive to blow listeners away with a polished off wall-of-noise sound or cutting edge effects. It's simply hearty rock and roll that some might contend lacks any risk or is too middle-white-boy American. Still, Jakob Dylan paves his own way and covers music on his own terms. With his cool, relaxed attitude and unmatched integrity, Jakob Dylan deserves all of his success and more. Now, if he could only find connections within the music business........

out of the ordinary and awesome!
The musical combinations and talent in this album are so good, I never get tired of listening to it. The lap steel solos rock! Jakob has the greatest talk-sing vocals, if you know what I mean. And the lyrics are so interesting because they are different! They may seem strange at first, but that's just cool. ("emo" rockers: how many times can you rhyme with the word 'cry'?) My gosh it gets so tiring those whiny albums. Anyways, on top of all the bands coming out nowadays with no musical talent (practically) the Wallflowers remain on top in my book.

Bob not the only Dylan with talent
"Bringing Down the Horse" is the best Wallflowers CD, and one of the better collections of songs to come out in the last 15 to 20 years. Jakob Dylan shows he too has plenty of musical talent on mellow numbers such as "6th Avenue Heartache" and "Three Marlenas". He shows off the guitarwork on "One Headlight" and "The Difference". "Laughing Out Loud" and "God Don't Make Lonely Girls" are similiar and also very infectious, and "Josephine" really does taste like sugar and tangerine, as it is a very sweet song. Overall, one of the best albums anyone can own, and one of the best albums of the 90's. Highly recommended.

Simply great...
This was the first Wallflowers album I ever listened to and I fell in love with it. Every single song on this album is terrific. Each song is different in its own way, going from slow, sweet songs like Josephine and Invisible City to faster, catchy songs like One Headlight and The Difference. I would definitely recommend buying this cd! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Before Radiohead became the biggest critics' darling since Pavement or Dr. Dre, they were just another pre-Oasis British band with some loose indie ties, trying to gain some cred. Loopy enough to name this moody, often battering debut album for a Jerky Boys routine, they were also a lot more interesting when they hadn't yet learned the word "soundscape." "Creep," the miserably majestic single they now claim nearly ruined them, may not even be the best thing here; try "Anyone Can Play Guitar," an epitaph for River Phoenix before the fact. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (153)

A bit early for Radiohead?
Although this is one of my five favorite bands, I have to admit, this isn't a very good album. However, it shows that a band could make a more coherent direction. The Drill EP was awful, but this is like gold compared to it. However, it's no Bends, OK Computer, or Kid A. That doesn't mean that the album has nothing to offer.

For instance, "Anyone Can Play Guitar" is the album's best song. It's a punk-influenced, faster-paced tune you can get into.
"Creep" is a good song even though I feel that it started post-grunge. But if "You" were to be released, I'd say the same thing.

The lyrics on Pablo Honey aren't bad, either. It's quite encouraging in fact. Well, one may find a song about [masturbation] ("Thinking about You) offensive, but I don't mind.

The album seems to have potential but not really get its quality. However, when I said post-grunge, I wasn't talking about stuff like Creed or Godsmack, more the post-Nirvana stuff, even though they were still existant at the time. It's grunge, but for this band, their style is better when it's not grunge. However, the first two songs and "Anyone Can Play Guitar" are the standouts, but the other songs are between average and unbearable. It's just that they sound the same to me. "Ripcord" wasn't really bad, either. It's also a more anthemic song on the album.

If you're trying to collect every Radiohead album, maybe buy this, but if you aren't already a fan, don't bother.

An amazing debut full of emotion and honesty.
It's amazing to think how much Radiohead have progressed from "Pablo Honey" to "OK Computer." I can't see how people can slam this album. Just goes to show the true nature of all snobby ... intellectual music fans who praised "OK Computer." I think you could describe "Pablo Honey" as bittersweet. It's depressing but hopeful at the same time.

It starts out with the killer musically and lyrically opening track "You" followed up the famous "Creep" which was reuined by too much radio play and the world marking Radiohead as a one-hit wonder. I see how Radiohead could regret writing it but it's still an amazing song and speaks with real honesty. "How Do You?" is a fast paced post-punk rock song about a betrayal. The next two songs are my favorite on the album. "Stop Whispering" has a great catchy guitar riff with light drumming in the background that starts out slowly and rises along with Thom Yorke's vocals. It may not be fancy or really creative but it does something to me inside. "Thinking About You" is a beautiful light acoustic song. The lyrics are about questioning a relationship and weather to pursuit it or not. "Anyone Can Play Guitar" is one of Radiohead's most uplifting tunes. It has an under surface message that really you can do anything in life. It also brings up a funny image of Thom Yorke as Jim Morrison. "Ripcord" has an average silent than loud rock sound. "Vegetable" has a beautiful guitar chord going through while Thom Yorke silently sings. "Prove Yourself" has a great message and really spoke to me when I first heard it. "I Can't" is much like the other songs on the album. "Lurgee" and "Blow Out" put a nice touch to the ending of the album. My only thing I have to say is..what the heck is an edited version of Creep doing at the end as a hidden track? Oh well

I hate to sound cheesy but this is an album that has helped me through the hard times and it is as grand and sincere as "The Bends" and "OK Computer."

This sucks!
I hate this band. Everytime I hear something good about one of their albums and I go out and buy it I am let down. I bought this and it sucked! 'Creep' is the only halfway good song on the album. I am honestly getting suck of it now and I havent even heard it that much. Radiohead is a band that like the whole world likes or whatever so I am gonna eat sh** for writing this but Radiohead is just a bunch of noises put together through a computer. You people say they sound differnt well they make their music from computers so they sound just like every other crappy band out their. Radiohead says their not prog-rock, well then they are the next best thing. And who ever said that they had good guitar bands and that they are the best guitar band out right now is on crack they are not a guitar band and if they want to hear good guitar players they need to hear Joe Perry, Slash, and Zakk Wylde cause they are the best guitar players out right now!

the prelude to a long series of masterpieces
You know your album is sub-par when your strongest single is on the disc twice. But despite the fact that this cd is only so-so, I still love listening to it. This album represents what I wish I could see more bands achieve. How many times have you listened to an album and thought to yourself, "I can hear so much potential." Even though the album isn't as great as you would like it to be, you're still applauding the effort. Occasionally, as in the case with Radiohead, a band will seize that potential and go beyond all expectations. Radiohead started out as a pretty weak band but soon became my all-time favorite musicians. This album is an important precursor to the greatness they would achieve later and should not be passed up.

As a side note, the song they became famous with, 'Creep', soon became the band's least favorite song. Through the 'Bends' and 'Ok Computer' years, Radiohead would often refuse to play 'Creep' while on tour. Last year while touring for 'Hail to the Thief', the band unexpectedly performed 'Creep' for the Atlanta crowd. Thom Yorke seemed to enjoy playing the song that he despised so much and acted playful on stage even adjusting some of the lyrics, like "I wanna perfect soul" with, "so I can look good next to you," while showing off his best feminine pose. It seemed that they were comfortable enough with their post-Creep accomplishments that they felt it was OK to play that 'wretched song'.

Before Radiohead were interesting...
...they sounded like every other guitar rock band on the planet, and if there's anything Radiohead usually aren't, it's generic.

Alas, Radiohead's debut has not aged well at all in any way. Momentary flashes of the group's later brilliance pop up occasionally (most notably in the horrendously-overplayed (yet still high quality) "Creep" and the wonderful "Anyone Can Play Guitar"), but for the most part, it's a group trying to find its voice and failing miserably, as most of this album will be forgotten as soon as you're done listening to it.

Some would say that this album was ahead of its time when it came out. No it wasn't. Radiohead sounded like every other post-grunge outfit on the radio at that time. It can't really be "ahead of its time" if its sound can be classified by the time period it was released in.

Some would also say that you shouldn't come down so harshly on this album for being such an early release by the band, and this may be true. However, just going by the differences between Pablo Honey and The Bends (their second album), the jump in quality between the two is staggering. Even the difference in quality between Pablo Honey and the My Iron Lung EP (released the year after Pablo Honey) is pretty noticeable.

Overall, what we're left with are the very sketchy beginnings of one of the greatest bands in rock and roll. Some of you Radiohead fans might be tempted to buy it just to make your collection complete. Don't. You'll probably only listen to this album once and put it away on a shelf somewhere. Your money would be much better spent elsewhere. Also, those of you thinking about buying Pablo Honey as an intro to the group should think again. The Bends makes a much better introduction to the group's sound. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Emotionally over-the-top pop extravaganzas like the string-swelling "Tonight Tonight," the Metallica-influenced alternative rock of "Zero," the techno via new wave of "1979"--the 28 songs on this swell two-disc album are as eclectic as their themes are epic and ambitious. Billy Corgan's thin whine isn't much of an instrument, but he makes the most of it by writing smart songs that take emotional chances that more-typical alt rockers would deem uncool. Pessimistic and feeling trapped but still wanting to believe in love, in a future, in something--this is the sound of Gen X at the millennium, with all the self-indulgence and power that would suggest. --David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (495)

2nd best S.P. album
I'd give it 5 stars, but the production isn't as taut or as grand as Butch Vigs and there are some filler tracks here. Anyway, this is still one of my personal favorites, and it is certainly worth owning, no matter what taste of style you are into. Flood produced this record with Billy Corgan and there are certain elements of Flood's work with Erasure (on songs like "Love" and "1979") as well as some U2 like moments ("In the arms of sleep" AND "Thirty-Three). If I could spilt the disc into one solid 5 star record, the tracklisting would go as follows. Ready? Get out your pens, music lovers:
1. Tonight, Tonight
2. Zero
3. Here is no why
4. Bullet with Butterfly Wings
5. To Forgive
6. An ode to no one
7. Galopogos
8. Muzzle
9. Where Boys fear to tread
10. Bodies
11. In the arms of sleep
12. 1979
13. Thru the eys of Ruby
14. Stumbeline
15. X.Y.U.
16. Thirty-Three
I think that "Porcelina of the vast oceans" is a great epic crooner, and I like every song on here, but for sheer brilliance and compact cinergi, I'd have narrowed it down a bit. By the way, "Thru the eyes of Ruby" is one of the best S.P. songs of all time, and it is certainly one of the best rock songs, period(even though it was never released as a single). Anyway, I am still glad that Billy made this record the way he did. "Siamese Dream" is their best effort, but this is certanily their undisputed epic masterpeice...just wish it had been slimmed down a bit!

A Masterpiece Of Big Hits And Also Experimentation
This double disc has to be considered the greatest effort from the Smashing Pumpkins. It was a bold and risky move for them to release a more expensive album for consumers when they could've just released a single LP with bascially the hits at a cheaper price. Thankfully, they didn't do this. The songs here are very different from one another, but each holds immense emotion, and this makes it a success without question. The experimental, somewhat techno-vibe of "1979" became one of the band's biggest hits, while other rock epics like "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" and "Tonight, Tonight" became radio and music television staples. I find some of the best moments though come from the songs not heard on the radio or always played at concerts. "Muzzle" and "We Only Come Out At Night" should've been hits because of the honesty Corgan exerts as he reflects on childhood and thinks of the meaning his life has. Two other solid tracks are the light and beautiful "In The Arms Of Sleep" and the positive mid-tempo rocker "Here Is No Why," which has a great chorus speaking of optimism. Some of the songs also have a true, roaring hard rock vibe that continues from start to end, and the best of these are probably "Bodies," "Tales Of A Scorched Earth," and "F-ck You (An Ode To No One)." Corgan's softer and even more experimental side comes out in both discs on the many love epics like "Porcelina Of The Vast Oceans," "Lily (My One And Only)," and "Beautiful." The love songs are very mushy and remind me of soft rock, but they do show how much variety exists on MELLON COLLIE AND THE INFINITE SADNESS. No matter what happens with the cloudy future of this band, this epic double release will be one of the 90's best pieces of rock music, and it also may bring new fans who can hear the many sides of the Pumpkins just through this album.

Quite Simply the Greatest Album ever created.
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is the greatest combination of musical genius ever created. I feel that Billy Corgan achieved Musical Immortality with the earth shattering collection that is these two CDs. A huge collection of all types of rock, so no matter what your flavor, you will find it all in this stunning variety. It's the only album I have ever listened to that I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of the songs. Galapogos, Tonight, Tonight, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, Stumbleine, and Zero rank among my all time favorite songs. I completely recommend the collection of B-Sides from this album found in the "Aeroplane Flies High" box set. If you have never heard of the Smashing Pumpkins (Shame, if you haven't) or simply have never picked up this album, do now, as you will enjoy it till the end of time. It's just too bad the greatest band ever formed is no longer around, but their music will live on forever

Indescribable in every imaginable sense
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is the best release by the Pumpkins, and one of the best collection of music ever. The arrangement and layout of the music is flawless and the tempo manages to remain unpredictable yet somehow correct through the entire album. There are just too many songs to talk about, but my favorites are definitely "Tonight, Tonight", "Jellybelly", "Here Is No Why", "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" (with what is arguably Jimmy Chamberlain's greatest drum performance), "To Forgive", "Galapagos" (great lyrics "If we died right now/This fool you loved/Somehow is here with you), album epic "Porcelina of the Vast Oceans" (plays out like a Shakespearan play), "Bodies" (which reminds us "Love is suicide"), "1979" (modern rock hit, the events mirror what probably happened to the youth in 1969, 89, 99, and probably 09 as well, brilliant song, hopeful lyrics), and megaunderrated "Thru the Eyes of Ruby" (another album epic with the line "The night has come to hold us young", which gives ultimate hope to a generation that is somehow managing to lose its way).

Ten tracks listed above, these are the ones that truly stand head and shoulders above the remaining. Not to take anything away from the others as they are role players and role players are also important in every great album. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is what the 90's were all about, and it makes me proud to have been getting into good modern music (nothing beats classics) when this album, along with efforts such as (What's the Story) Morning Glory? by Oasis, The Bends by Radiohead were the great albums, and major breakthroughs not only in musicianship, but also in terms of a band having the substance, the guts, the mojo.

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is brilliant in every sense, and Billy Corgan in his prime as a frontman. Highly recommended.

I hate writing titles to reviews
"Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" by the Smashing Pumpkins was easily the biggest (in every sense of the word) album to hit in the post-grunge alternative rock heyday that was my adolescence. In fact, I would say that this was the early peak of the movement - a seemingly bloated double album by a band that had a slew of hits off their major label debut just a few years earlier. Soon enough, everyone had a "Zero" shirt and listened to this album day and night, or at least the half-dozen or so singles that were played on modern rock radio.

The best thing I can say about this release is that I have no problem sitting down and listening to the whole thing (that's two hours, kids), even 9 years after its initial release. And it's solid. The whole double-disc affair holds up well for those entire two hours. The reason that it doesn't get the coveted five-star rating is that the bulk of the songs are good, with a few occassional forays into "great." Fortunately, there are no duds on this album. "Muzzle," "Tales of a Scorched Earth," "1979," "X.Y.U.," and "An Ode to No One" are the cream of the crop, but like I said, the rest of the album deserves repeated listenings.

Anyone that grew up around this time and listened to alternative rock either owned this at one point, knew someone that did, or still does own it. It really is an essential release for its time and place, and it holds up very well into the 21st century. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jason Robert Brown burst on the musical-theater scene with a bang when his first Broadway show, Parade, won the Tony for original score in 1999. This new offering is more modest in scale than Parade, but it allows Brown to refine his skills. A two-character, one-act play, The Last 5 Years retraces a relationship through a complex structure that involves varying viewpoints and a chronology that unfurls backward and forward. Brown himself plays the piano and leads a small ensemble, while Norbert Leo Butz (Thou Shalt Not) and Sherie René Scott (Aida) sing the composer's heartbreaking melodies. Brown's lyrics need a bit of work (he can be oddly crass at unexpected moments), but he knows how to write songs that incorporate a pop sensibility and a distinctly theatrical narrative drive. That in itself is quite an achievement. --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (77)

Jason Robert Brown- need i say more?
if you have heard any of jason robert brown's work, you will understand what i mean by that title. his work captures amazing music and modern lyrics and subject matter beautifully. an example of that is the song "See I'm Smiling" where the music is so beautiful and captures you in an instant, and yet the lyrics are modern and make you feel as though this could be your friend just talking to or in front of you- they dont feel contrived for rhyme. (ex. "I think you're really gonna like this show/ I'm pretty sure it doesn's suck...") Brown beautifully delivers on humorous tracks like "Shiksa Goddess" and somber tracks like "Still Hurting". the other amazing aspect of this recording is how the music truly allows you to understand the complicated storyline of a couple's five years of marriage, with the woman, Cathy, beginning at the end, and the man, Jaimie, starting at the beginning of the relationship. this device portrays both stories without boring the listener, but still capturing the truth of relationships. i would highly suggest this to any musical theater lover, as well as all of Brown's work. if you love Songs For A New World, then youll adore The Last 5 Years.

Complex, Beautiful, and Brilliant
Whether he meant to or not, when the score to Parade knocked down every standing wall around theatrical music, composer Jason Robert Brown made a promise to the Broadway community. He promised to breathe new life into a dying art form, to shake up that which took pride in being sedentary, and to make audiences reexamine everything they thought they knew about musicals. The Last Five Years keeps every promise made by Parade, and proves that Mr. Brown is more than capable of reinventing the entire genre of musical theatre.

L5Y is, at first glance, a very simple story: actress Catherine and novelist Jamie meet, fall in love, marry, have conflicts, and divorce over the course of five years. With so uncomplicated a plot, then, the characters must be incredibly complex and real in order to keep us interested in their lives, and fortunately for us, Mr. Brown specialises in creating a three-dimensional character in just one song. From the beginning, we know and understand these people and their underlying conflicts: Catherine is painfully insecure and needs Jamie's reassurance, Jamie is an egomaniac who needs Catherine's undivided attention. This is a gross oversimplification of these wonderfully vivid characters, but I would need much more space than allotted here to accurately describe them.

What takes L5Y beyond greatness and makes it a work of genius, however, is its presentation. Catherine tells her side of the story backwards, from the divorce to the first meeting. Jamie tells his side forward, from first meeting to divorce. This allows us to see patterns in their lives that might otherwise be hidden- for example, Jamie gets an eager agent and watches his career skyrocket, as we see that Catherine cannot even get her agent on the phone. Every song (save two) are solos, letting Norbert Leo Butz and Sherrie René Scott shine as individuals in their roles.

This excellent recording contains almost the entire show (on stage, it ran 83 minutes; the album is just a little shorter), including the long instrumental interludes in the middle of some songs. It is a true gift to experience such talent, and to hear it rising to still greater hights.

A good sign for the future of musical Theatre
As a HUGE fan of Jason Robert Brown, this album didn't leave my cd player for a month. You can't help but become absorbed in the story of two people falling in and out of love. The lyrics and plot seem to mirror image the realtionship of people in america of how a relationship can start out so well, and end up broken. Great lyrics and voice talents only enhance the magnificence of Jason Roberts Brown's creative genius

Genius, Pure and Simple
With "The Last 5 Years," Jason Robert Brown is three for three as far as composing goes. Once again, he has produced a virtually flawless score that is at once beautiful, inventive, poignant, and emotionally powerful. It is one of the handful of theatre scores where I would not remove a single song, and that is one of the highest complements I can pay a composer.

"The Last 5 Years" also shows Brown's growth and willingness to take risks as a composer. Attempting a sung-through musical with only two people is incredibly ambitious, and if nothing else runs the risk of becoming boring. But Brown's score is so inventive you forget the rather predictable flip-flopping of performers (she sings, then he sings, then she sings, etc.) or the fact that with the exception of "The Next Ten Minutes" all the songs in the show are solos, some of them over seven minutes long.

Also ballsy was the decision to tell half the story backwards. The show chronicles the relationship, marriage, and divorce of Jamie and Kathy, and Jamie's song are in order from their first date to their divorce. However, Kathy's story is told starting AFTER the divorce (with the haunting, heart-wrenching "Still Hurting") and goes backwards to thier first meeting. Although this can be initially confusing, ultimately it works in the show's favor, switching the emotional gears enough to keep things fresh.

Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Renee Scott both do an excellent job with the roles of Jamie and Kathy, respectively. Although she can sound a bit thin-voiced at times, Scott acts the hell out of her songs and scores big time with numbers like the emotionally volatile "See, I'm Smiling" to the hysterical "Climbing Uphill" (at least it's funny if you've ever been at an audition) to the aforementioned "Still Hurting." Meanwhile, Butz runs the gauntlet from cocky schoolboy (the incredible "Shiksa Goddess") to disillusioned husband ("Nobody Needs to Know") and everywhere in between. And the one duet, "The Next Ten Minutes," is THE most gorgeous and emotionally honest love ballad written for the theatre.

In fact, therein lies the show's greatest triumph. Based in part on Brown's own marriage and divorce, "The Last 5 Years" tells to story of two REAL people experiencing the real emotions of love. The show is never sappy, but instead honors love in a way so emotionally truthful that you really feel for the characters. This is due in no small part to Scott and Butz, who portray both Kathy and Jamie as real people with real flaws, yet who are both trying their best to make things work.

"The Last 5 Years" isn't Brown's best score; that honor goes to "Songs for a New World." It also isn't his best show; that honor goes to 1999's "Parade." Yet it is his most daring show to date, and for that alone deserves attention and praise. If the show doesn't quite work in places, it's such a daring and immensely personally undertaking that the fact it turned out as good and truthful as it is proves Brown's mastery of his craft. We will be hearing a lot more from this man. I guarantee it.

A True Musical For Today's World
When I say that this musical is one for today's world, I mean it. As a musical it has advanced beyond generation constraints and become not only a timless piece of work, but a piece of work that really reflects our generation of people right now. It captures the spirit and spunk of relationships today and it combines it with brilliantly written lyrics and fun, clever semi-modern music. Jason Robert Brown is an up and rising composer/lyricist in the theater world and has broadened our view of entertainment with his very own style of presentation. When asked if he thought that he was the "new" Stephen Sondheim he replied, "Sondheim is a genius, I just write some good songs." This show is basically about a couple, Kathy and Jaime, who meet, get married, and then eventually break up. Kathy starts her story at the very end and progressively works her way backwards. Jaime starts at the beginning and works his way back. It is packed with emotion and power that really hits home. The lyrics are amazing as I have said and so is the music. Both Sherie Rene Scott and Norbert Leo Butz have amazing voices and put so much into it, it becomes hard to believe they did this almost every night. They are true rising stars as well as Jason Robert Brown. Somebody must of thought so as Butz is in the original Broadway cast of Stephen Schwartz's Wicked. I can't wait for Brown's next musical, because even if it is only half as good as this, then it will be spectacular. ... Read more

Album Description

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS are Victory's next high priority emo project, and are already generating a buzz with the Victory fan base.The Silence In Black and White record will appeal to fans of THURSDAY, TAKING BACK SUNDAY and SILVERSTEIN. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Hawthorne Heights
Yes as many reviews have pointed out, this cd has been done before many times. But HH has done a great job finding a happy medium between emo and screamo. Its too heavy to be emo, but its also pretty weak screamo, which isn't all that bad. The songs are super tight too, all of them around 4 minutes. My only complaint is that the lyrics are sometimes a bit weak, but overall its a great listen.

1.Life on Standby-9/10- One of the heavier tracks, and it works.
2.Dissolve and Decay-10/10- This song is still stuck in my head.
3.Niki FM-10/10-Another standout, this is probably my 2nd favorite.
4.The Transition-8/10-Decent, with some catchy breaks that boosts its rating.
5.Blue Burns Orange-9/10-Catchy all the way through, with a great chorus.
6.Silver Bullet-9/10-First song I heard, I had to buy this after.
7.Screenwriting and Apology-7.5/10-Very forgettable.
8.Ohio is for Lovers-10/10-Great song, a definate standout.
9.Wake up Call-Amazing song, my favorite on the disc.

10.Sandpaper and Silk-8/10-also forgettable, but a very good track.
11.Speeding up the Octaves-8.5/10-Great song, but by no means the best on the cd.

Overall, this cd is definately worth the 12 bucks. HH have put together 11 amazingly catchy songs here that won't dissapoint.

flawless cd
these guys are probably my 2nd fav band now, i've listened to it strait through over 30 times and i love every song here's what i think of each track:

1.Life on Standby -Great song with more screaming then the others
2.Dissolve and Decay-I love the guitar solos in this and also a great song.
3.Niki FM-heard it on the demo cd and loved it one of my favs.
4.The transition-another fav, great song.
5.Blue Burns orange-Awesome song, good chorus.
6.Silver Bullet-This song is really good song too, good to listen to after a split up :)
7.Screenwriting an apology-omg my fav on the cd no questions asked. 20 out of 10. haha.
8.Ohio is for Lovers-Great song one of the best on cd. I dowloaded the video and wathced it over and over...damn good.
9.Wake up call-at first i hated the begining now i love it. great song.
10.Sandpaper and silk- not my fav but a great song!
11.Speeding up the Octaves-This songs prob got the strongest lyrics but its not my fav its obviously good tho.

This cd is a steal its worth a hell of a lot more than 12 bucks they must be insane. BUY IT NOWWWW!!! I didn't even like screaming b4 i listened to these guys now i love it. You won't regret it.

Great cd
I love this cd. Its been in my cd player since i bought it in september. Go buy this cd as soon as you get the money for it..i gaurentee you will love it as much as i do

amazing
this is an amazing cd. best of my buys so far.

good cd
this is band is pretty much a normal screamo band, but yet every screamo band has there own way of doing things, and they prove that in this....i first heard silver bullet on purevolume and loved it, i drink alot so i thought the silver bullet song was about coors light, heh, but anyways, i bought it the other day and fell in love (...), ohio is for lover is probably the best track on there, which they're all good though, but you should buy this no doubt, later ... Read more

Album Description

Malkmus's third album since the break up of Pavement is a painstakingly crafted eclection of songs. Interspliced with serious rock history references is some of his most approachable and hummable work ever--and some of his weirdest. "The man has an uncanny ability to transliterate the sounds only record collectors can hear--early Thin Lizzy, for instance--into a passionate ache anyone can love"--Village Voice. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Baby C'mon
This record is so good. I can't stop listening to this bad boy.Every track is so good and different. He makes music that does not exist.Great summer record. It's worth the 13 bucks you're going to pay.

Stephen Malkmus does it again!
Stephen Malkmus has just created another masterpiece. Stephen experiments with a lot of new things on this album that you will not hear on "Pig Lib" or his self titled album; this album has a more poppy and electronic feel to it, but he does it by using things he used when he was with Pavement. I've had this album since 4 o'clock and I can't stop listening to it, if you buy it you will not be dissapointed. I'm not quite sure why he isn't more popular than he is, but i'm sure his day will come soon. Even if it doesn't I'm sure Stephen Malkmus wouldn't care and would still continue to write/play the same great music he always does.

Face It, Malkmus Is Here To Stay
Stephen Malkmus has always been one of the most interesting and original singer/songwriters out there capable of conjuring some wonderful witty lyrics. It's probably his originality that will lead him to having a dedicated following, but he will never become a household name. With this his third solo album, Malkmus has finally done what he's been threatening to do; produce a brilliant album while still staying faithful to his trademark sound that stretches back to his days in the band Pavement.

The opener 'Pencil Rot' is a catchy, effects riddled tune that would have been a standout on Beck's latest album. The effects return later in 'Kindling For The Master' which sounds like what I'd imagine disco would sound like if it still was in the charts. 'It Kills' is the album's standout. It opens with a wonderful riff performed on an electic guitar and then a banjo with Malkmus twisting his voice to full effect. Unexpectedly Malkmus drops an eight minute epic with 'No More Shoes', that highlights that his backing band The Jicks are of considerable talent.

'Freeze The Saints' is a gentler track and 'Mama' sees Malkmus reminiscing about several stages in his life. It's the most autobiographical thing he's ever done with a great melody to drive it. These songs suggest the coming of age of a songwriter. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The orchestral-pop hit "Iris" (from the soundtrack to City of Angels) proved the Goo Goo Dolls were no one-hit wonder with 1995's "Name." One listen to "Slide," the crafty, yearning second track off their sixth release, suggests the streak continues for Buffalo's finest. Not surprisingly, aspects that make the aforementioned songs memorable--warm, acoustic stylings; strings; heartrending hooks--also make Dizzy come alive elsewhere. Ultimately, the effort documents the band's continued migration from indie rock toward the mainstream. Thus, while "Slide" and the reprise of the wondrous "Iris" might shine for weeks (or even years) of repeated listens, attempts to keep alive the group's power-trio past often have a been-there/done-that feel. --Neal Weiss ... Read more

Reviews (593)

A New Goo Listener
I first heard of The Goo Goo Dolls on the radio with their songs "Name", "Iris", "Slide" and "Black Balloon". I am not one to run out and buy the latest and greatest CD's. I pick my collection out very carefully. The week before Christmas 99, I saw John Rzeznik host VH1's "The List" and he seemed really cool. So the Sunday before Christmas, I bought "Dizzy Up The Girl". I couldn't wait to hear it. The first song, "Dizzy", played and I thought, oh know, what did I buy, but then I listened and heard the lyrics to all of the songs. Nothing else has been in my CD player since. I don't even listen to the radio while in my car, just this CD for three weeks straight. I haven't listened to a band like this since the Eagles back in the early 80's.

John Rzeznik, your songs inspire me in ways that words can't describe. You write from your heart and soul and that's what writing should be all about. My favorite is "Acoustic #3". This is my only CD where I don't skip one song. I love them all.

Thank you, Johnny, Robby and Mike for making such great music and for sharing it with the rest of the world.

I definitely recommend this CD for any music lover.

Long On Energy Short On Depth
The Goo Goo Dolls certainly put forth a great deal of energy on Dizzy Up The Girl. The guys sure play their instruments fairly well even if its in an understated way. The drums sure drive many fo the songs. John and Robbie's vocal styles compliment each other well.

However, diversity is not a strong point for this band. Most of the songs are mid-tempo rockers. By about the midpoint of the CD, you get the impression,"Gee didn't they just play that song already?" Even the singles Dizzy and Slide are pretty identical although both are good. I tend to prefer the lesser known tracks, Bullet Proof, Broadway and Amigone as they rock along quite steadilly. Acoustic 3 and Iris are both a nice and needed change of pace for these guys.

If you just want some good alternative rock n roll that does not need to be analyzed too much, this could be the disc for you.

They're from buffalo
I think that i would have liked this record better if the Goo Goo Dolls got electructed playing that free concert for the 4th of July in Buffalo.

The Goo at their finest!
The Goo Goo Dolls may not sound the same on their later CDs as on the old 1s, but it's still great music. Yes, some songs are a little to poppy, but most of the songs have a good solid softer rock beat.
My Ratings
1)Dizzy- it has a good beat, and a nice sounding, but too short chorus. good intro track 9/10
2)Slide- 1 of the hits, it has a really nice intro and ending. The song is great cause it sounds like some happy teenage love song, but if you listen, you will find out it is about a deeper issue- teen pregnancy. My favorite! 10/10
3)Broadway- 1 of the hits, it has a very nice rocking sound to it and very deep lyrics. They don't make sense until you realize broadway was the street that rzeznik grew up on in buffalo. the song is about how screwed the city of buffalo is. 10/10
4)January Friend- i think its rather a boring sounding song and the lyrics aren't up to rzeznik standards. the worst song on the cd sandwitched between some of the best 1s 6/10
5)Black Balloon- 1 of the hits, its got that well known, very eerie sounding tune. the song also captures its message- a girl who OD'd on heroine right after her child was born- with impressive lyrics 10/10
6)Bullet Proof- a song w/ a harder sound at the intro and ending and decent lyrics. a pretty solid song. 8/10
7)Amigone- a few of the remnents of the old punkish sound of the '80s Goo is on this track. the lyrics are well written...for a robbie song. i do think its great though 10/10
8)All Eyes On Me- an ok beat and some pretty good lyrics, but an all around average song 7/10
9)Full Forever- now onto the 'horny' (ie love song)part of the album. thats what it sound like. a love song w/ goo type sounds. just ok 7/10
10)Acoustic #3- hmmm...a happy sounding song thats not meant to be happy played w/ just an acoustic guitar and violin...where could someone get that idea in the late '90s (cough cough, green day's time of your life cough cough). however, it is a well written, but way too short song. 9/10

11)Iris- the biggest hit that the Goo's have ever had, its a nice hard love ballad about misunderstood lovers w/ great lyrics. good song to play to a gf 10/10
12)Extra Pale- another robbie song w/ an old Goo sound. however, the chorus gets repetative which makes an otherwise good song a little annoying 8/10
13)Hate This Place- a song w/ some good lyrics an ok drum beat and a good way to close the CD out 9/10

A Classic.
There not many albums i know that i can still listen to after months and not be bored so it says a lot of this album that its still getting rotation after six years. This album is as brillant as it was then, and will go down in mine and many people collection as one of the best.

The whole album is just amazingly solid, and the lyrics are amazing. You can tell the Goo really poured out there hearts into every song. There was a point before they wrote this album that the Goo might just break up, with John Rzenik going through a lot including a writers block. Then he wrote the amazing 'Iris', which to this day is still one of my favorties songs of all time. This record proves the Goo Goo Dolls arent one hit wonders. From the ballads such as Acoustic #3, All Eyes on Me and Black Ballon, to the classic Goo such as Slide, January Friend, Amigone, and Broadway. Its no surprise they released four singles from this record, they could have released each song as a single.

In short, this is one of the best records put out, and it should be already an addition in your records collection. Its a classic. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Not since the days of the Clash and the MC5 has rock seen such political force as in the uncompromising debut from this L.A. quartet. Expanding the hip-hop/metal style of bands such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage tap the spirits of vintage Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, coupled with hardcore punk intensity and Public Enemy-style grooves. "Bombtrack" opens the LP with a shot of adrenaline and singer Zack de la Rocha's infuriated chorus of "Burn, burn, yes, you're gonna burn!" The intensity doesn't let up an inch on the militant "Killing in the Name" (with the inspiring chant, "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!"), the ultrafunky "Bullet in the Head," and the engrossing "Fistful of Steel." Tom Morello combines time-honored metal guitar riffs with sounds that suggest a hip-hop scratcher over a rhythm section that simply takes no prisoners. Intelligent and aggressive, this is unimpeachably one of the best hard-rock records ever made. --James Rotondi ... Read more

Reviews (442)

Music as brutal and uncompromising as the cover art.
From the beginning in 1992, Rage Against The Machine rank as the best, most intelligent foray into the tepid rap-metal genre. While their radical politics may not be for everyone (I'll get to that in a minute), when they were "on" not many mainstream bands could rival their intensity. Rage Against The Machine's debut is perhaps their most consistent and best album.

The debut has a different feel from their later releases--the song structures are stretched longer, and the lyrics read more like political slogans than the poetry of The Battle Of L.A. The rhythm section also plays a more prominent role, with Tim C.'s funky slap-bass rhythms and tight drumming by Brad Wilk. Tom Morello's guitar playing never fails to amaze, with big Led Zeppelin-esque riffs (check out the Kashmir homage on Wake Up!) and unique electronic blips and effects.

Zach De La Rocha is a unique vocalist--love him or hate him, few can argue with the power of Rocha's delivery and lyricism, somewhat remiscient of Chuck D. from Public Enemy. And the lyrics here are VERY powerful. Take Know Your Enemy, for example (which features a strong guest vocal by Tool's Maynard Keenan):

"Yes, I know my enemies/
They're the teachers who taught me to fight me/
Compromise, conformity, assimilation, submission/
Ignorance, hypocrisy, brutality, the elite/
All of which are American dreams.."

The last line is repeated several times, driving the song home and leaving the listener stunned. And the album achieves this level of power again on Wake Up, with the verse:

"Ya know they murdered X/
And tried to blame it on Islam/
He turned the power to the have-nots/
And then came the shot/
What was the price on his head?"

The rest of the album approaches or matches this level of quality, with only Settle For Nothing leaving me somewhat cold. Definitely worth a purchase, then check out the great third album The Battle Of L.A. (skip over Evil Empire).

Note: I agree with some of the political views and disagree with others expressed on this album (such as the pro-socialism stance), but ultimately it is possible to enjoy the top-notch music and not agree with the rhetoric. As far as being charged as "hypocrites," yes they are on a major label. However, a great deal of Rage Against The Machine's proceeds go to Amnesty International and other organizations, so I wouldn't be so quick to call them "sellouts." Just thought I'd contribute my opinion.

A Historic Album For Music
In 1992, everything was about grunge and flannel. Enter Rage Against The Machine. While everyone was finding a way to rip off Seattle bands, RATM were smelling revolution instead of teen spirit. RATM weren't the first ones to rap over riffs (see: Anthrax's "I'm The Man"), but they were the first to really do something with it. Melding Black Sabbath-esque guitars, Public Enemy political raps, and a punk rock tinge in both their music and intensity, RATM gave birth to an animal known as "Rage Against The Machine" that would forever change music. RATM's anti-government political stance in their songs is as relentless as Tom Morello's riffing. Just look at the names of these songs: "Take The Power Back," "Wake Up," "Know Your Enemy," "Freedom"--this isn't your typical rock album here, folks. Everything hear has a meaning, and it doesn't stoop down to the level of sticking cookies up your girlfriend's ... Zack De La Rocha's furious vocals are nothing short of amazing. Every lyric, every gasp of air he takes, and every scream shakes the skull like only Fat Freddie could dream of. "Instead I warm my hands on the flames of the flag" goes one line, "So called facts are fraud, they want us to allege and pledge, and bow down to their God" goes another. Then, there's Tom Morello--my personal pick for the greatest guitarist ever. Taking a page from Tony Iommi's book (Black Sabbath--maybe you've heard of 'em?), Tom's guitars are dark and sludgy--but with that extra punk rock kick that guitarists in Iommi's era were missing. But while Iommi had those dark, sludgy, demonic riffs, Morello has dark, mean, ugly and nasty riffs that are fueled by punk rock rage. And who could forget Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk? Hands down, one of the best rhythm sections in rock history. Tim and Brad alone are amazing musicians--Tim's bass playing rivals Flea's, and Brad's drumming is fast, powerful and devastating--but together, there's no stopping them. They're funky, they're awesome, and they never fall victim to being redundant. As a whole, RATM are unrivaled. Limp Bizkit, Taproot, Papa Roach, etc. couldn't get the rap-metal formula right with hand-written instructions from RATM stapled to their foreheads. It's easy writing a review were you disect a song and talk about its good or weak points. But not here. You see, ALL these songs are top-notch, rock classics. From the religion bashing of "Killing In The Name," to the goverenment bashing of "Know Your Enemy," to "Freedom" which is about Leonard Peltier, this disk is perfect anyway you look at it. But my personal favorite was "Freedom." Saving the best for last, RATM create a relentless rock song that is up there with "Bulls On Parade." The way the song rolls and stops, then kicks into high-gear, and then builds up with so much tension and explodes like the atom bomb is just perfect. "Rage Against The Machine" is sheer perfection, any which way you look at it. It's aggressive, it's defiant, it's intelligent, it's groundbreaking, and it's a masterpiece. Just like all the classic albums, this one will forever stand the test of time.

"When ignorance reigns, life is lost..."
I first got into Rage Against The Machine in 7th grade, when I was into crap like Limp Bizkit and purchased Evil Empire because people said I would like it if I liked Limp Bizkit. In retrospect, that comparison is a big insult to Rage. That's like comparing "Goodfellas" to "You Got Served".

Anyway, I really liked (and still like) Evil Empire (especially "Vietnow"). However, I didn't get this album until this past January. Before then, I had a few of the songs on mixes, but that's it. I listened to samples in the store and really liked what I heard, so I purchased it. Forget Wimp Bizkit; this is rock-rap done RIGHT!

First of all, the musicians here; Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk (now of Audioslave); are all very talented. Check out the slap bass, the riffs, the drumming. Add Zack De La Rocha's politically-charged rhymes over top of them, and you get what might be the only band in history influenced by both Led Zeppelin and Public Enemy, which may sound like mixing pizza and ice cream but comes out sounding damn good. Most of the songs on here are favorites.

The angry, anti-authority/government diatribes are what made this album a classic twelve years ago. Before 1992, there weren't too many albums with "[...] you, I won't do what you tell me!" as a lyric. And I think "When ignorance reigns, life is lost" is very relatable to the Iraq war going on today.

Overall, if you want a REAL rap-rock record, check this one out first, then get the others.(...)

Classic
Their self-titled debut would prove to be Rage Against the Machine's best effort, though they hardly slipped over the ensuing years and albums. This is a classic in the truest sense of the word: it begs you to pull it out of your collection at least 2-3 times a year, and it represents some of the best music from its time and place. RATM reminds you that the best music SAYS SOMETHING, whether it's politically-motivated or just something the artist feels the need to share with their audience. Rage's blend of incendiary metal riffing (courtesy of Tom Morello's groundbreaking guitar work), pounding drums, and scream-in-your-ear agenda-pushing lyrics was powerful, unique, and uncompromising. This is an essential album for anyone that listens to message-heavy music.

finally, real rap/metal
I have to say, listening to Linkin Park, P.O.D, etc, RATM is by far the best rap/metal band out there. Alot of rap/metal bands just talk about sex drugs and stuff cough*, cough*, Limp Bizket, cough*. But Rage is differnt they talk about right and wrong. Zack De la Rocha is one of the most respected people out there for his political opinions on our US Government, his lyrics are expreesed in various amounts of anger in hardcore rap. Tom morello, 1 word, AMAZING, his guitar playing is crazy. And would you believe that most of these cool sounds are made by guitar, thats awesome. Timmy C with the bass, very good, the bass blends perfect with the guitar. And Brad wilk, another jaw dropper, his drumming is also amzing, when you listen to all the tracks, the drum pattern is perfect. There Self titled debut is filled with lots of great rap, guitar solos, and plenty of screaming.

1)Bombtrack (4:05) - great opener to the album, also a nice intro too. 8/10
2)Killing in the Name (5:14) - After listening to this track I was amazed, great song to listen to when you're pissed off, my third fav. track. 10/10
3)Take the Power Back (5:37) - a very political song with some great lyrics. 8/10
4)Settle for Nothing (4:48) - not my favorite but still good. Has a cool guitar solo. 7/10
5)Bullet in the Head (5:09)- cool guitar, another great track one of my favorite. 8/10
6)Know Your Enemy (4:55)- cool lyrics, and great guitar riffs. 9/10
7)Wake Up (6:04)- first heard it in the matrix, another great guitar, best lyrics. 10/10
8)Fistful of Steel (5:31)- meh, ok. 6/10
9)Township Rebellion (5:24)- meh, ok. 6/10
10)Freedom (6:05) - An excellent way to finish the album, my favorite track. 12/10

In all, out of all the best RATM albums pick this up first then move up to there other ones, Evil Empire, Battle of L.A, Renegades, and Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As a placeholder between the full-length Pretty Hate Machine and The Downward Spiral, Broken packs a serious punch. Angrier and less poppy than Machine, this EP is full of noisy hooks, if such a thing is possible (check out that guitar riff on the full-throttle "Wish"), and much closer aesthetically to the industrial subgenre that informs Trent Reznor's music. As song titles like "Help Me I Am in Hell" suggest, Broken is a work of undiluted rage, which is, of course, a big part of its appeal. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (200)

Can't get much more intense than Broken
This Broken EP is the one to play if you are in anger. But it's very amazing. It will even scare you. Going from the emotional Help Me I Am In Hell going slower than the others, it then gets to Happiness In Slavery. That will scare you the first time you hear it.

And you'd be used to NIN having such soft songs. Broken uses a trend no other NIN album managed to do. No synths, no piano. But it's still great. And I love synths. But this isn't the mood for it. And you will probably find yourself head banging to Wish the day that you feel like your stupid. Then there's Gave Up before the hidden tracks, about losing your strength. It doesn't hold up for as much emotion as The Fragile but is still great.

I love the first hidden track, Physical, the cover of an Adam Ant song. You'll probably be addicted to it. And it IS addictive. Watch out though. There's a trick: There'll be a thing that makes you think there's 99 tracks when 91 of them are really left blank, those being seven through 97.

The only flaw is that it's barely longer than 33 minutes. It could have been much longer. Add this to your NIN collection if you are a beginner in collecting. mainly if you love more of the metal music. This is where they were called "metal" from. Join the ride like no other.

A Clamorous Smash of Affliction and Angst
Broken is the second NIN cd I purchased following the dark masterpiece that is "The Downward Spiral". It is 33+ minutes of raw torment and carnage all twisted and tied up into a bondage of an EP. The emotions of Halo 5 are genuine and pure, inspired by Reznor's feud and hatred with TVT records. Each song is capable of representing sheer power and strength in sound while the instrumental tracks provide some peaceful yet depressing insights in between periods of onslaught and rage. The two bonus tracks are interesting but lacks some character and focus of the first six.

Standout Tracks: Happiness in Slavery & Gave Up
As each song procedes the previous, the adrenaline and intensity is heightened. Thus, the last two tracks [excluding the bonus material] represent the climax of Broken. Combining heavy guitar riffs with loud, innovative synths; surprisingly enough, Happiness in Slavery comes off extremely catchy. Gave Up is my favorite track on this CD. With its hopeless lyrics and distortion, it certainly leaves the listener on a high note. Gave Up also appeals to me as a faster version of Wish. As Reznor screams through the chorus, he sounds like a racing demon on speed.

Broken is the next step up from the phenomenal debut "Pretty Hate Machine". It is anything but a "placeholder" described by Genevieve Williams. The song "Wish" won Reznor a Grammy and it elevated NIN's popularity. My only complaint about "Broken" is its length, as it leaves the audience with a bit of emptyness. However, having a full album of hate anthems might bring this precious gem to a bore real fast...

- aZnXgIn

OMG
oh the rage...oh the rage....when your record company upsets you..

what do you do..
put the swerve on em

standouts: wish, happiness in slavery

Overrated
Broken is incredibly angry for NIN, considering that they tend to prefer angst to anger. However, the CD falls victim to the fact that it frequently lacks flow and in many cases it gets overly abbrasive.

First song (an instrumental) leads into the secon, "Wish." This is the best song on the CD, and it is actually very good. Incredibly catchy and it avoids Trent's overuse of the loud-soft-loud-soft dynamic. It flows well, avoids being jerky and manages to actually be entertaining. Try getting that guitar hook out of your head!

The second track of note on this CD is "Happiness In Slavery." The track is very complex, and has wonderfully morbid lyrics. However, the track falls down owing to two factors. The first is that it lacks continuity. It seems like it lurches between a Frontline Assembly track and a PHM era NIN track. This in turn causes the song to lack catchiness and continuity. The second problem is that it again follows the awful loud-soft-loud-soft gimmick.

The other songs are all somewhat unremarkable.

Overall, Broken showed Trent's skill increase, and NIN still sounds incredibly unique. However, the overall sound can get as bad as an in-sink garbage disposal with a guitar over the top. And even Frontline Assembly have somemelody in their tracks.

Short on songs, long on quality
This is more of an EP than an LP. But what it lacks in length, it certainly more than makes up for in intensity. "Broken" packs a punch and I like it more than "The Downward Spiral" or "The Fragile" -- at least at times when I crave very angry music. (The other two are more very good and diverse collections but just aren't the 100% pure angry energy that "Broken" is.)

If you're not a NIN fan, you many not connect with this album. I'd recommend "Pretty Hate Machine" as the NIN primer for those new to the band, and I'd recommend this one for the NIN fan who just wants some primal anger and energy. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

The joke of Licensed to Ill's cover--that the Beasties could crash their jet into the side of a mountain and keep on tickin'--serves as a good metaphor for a career that even some of their 1986 admirers thought might be over after the one-time-only shock of this full-length debut. That thousands of funk-junkie wannabes have since failed at re-creating its groove, breaking-the-law vibe, and ear-splitting mix of rock and rap is an even better joke. And funniest of all is the record itself, which packs dexterous boasts, aural puns, and lots and lots of yelling into a disc that can still be listened to with as much pleasure as it gave in '86. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (167)

Still Illin'
It's hard to believe, but sometimes true that what goes around, comes around. I saw the Beasties on stage in London in September 1986 (with Run DMC and LL Cool J) shortly after this album came out (they were last on the bill and played only three songs, including "Slow and Low" and "Fight For Your Right"). The prevailing opinion at the time was that "Licensed To Ill" was one of the most obnoxious releases in the history of music. But what a party! The Beastie Boys seemed like a one-hit wonder when they changed record labels and took three years to release their follow up (Paul's Boutique), plus the fact these white boys were being universally panned by most of the rap community. But the Boys must be having the last laugh, and listening to this album again, it still sounds good. I am amazed at all the kids that weren't even born in '86 are discovering this record, which attests to the band's endurance, although the band owes a lot to Rick Rubin, their producer who meshed the Boys' brashness with great sound samples. As a parent I can say that, based on the feedback I've read here, if you are trying to decide on a music purchase for your teenager, this may do the trick.

One of the most influential and essential albums of all time
I listen to a lot of different music, ranging from Slayer to Sublime, and have never really been much of a fan of rap or rap-rock. But before there were bands like Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit, there were the Beastie Boys, and "Licensed to Ill" is the album that catapaulted the three Brooklyn white rappers to phenominal success. Mixing hard rock riffs and furious raps, this album contains the classic party anthem "Fight For Your Right", along with radio staples "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" (featuring Slayer's Kerry King on guitar) and "Brass Monkey". "Rhymin & Stealin" and "She's Crafty" find the group sampling Led Zeppelin, while "Girls" and "Paul Revere" are hilarious. Produced by legendary producer Rick Rubin (Slayer, Danzig, Red Hot Chili Peppers), the Beastie Boys have pretty much disowned all their older material, which is a shame considering how excellent this album is, and how fresh it still sounds nearly 20 years after it's release.

its awsome a few of the songs not so good
its awsome like (fight for your right) but just a few sucked but i did not hate the fact i bought it i love it still i think its a good product here at amazon so i recomend it to all of you

Debut album that packs a punch
No one expected the Beastie Boys to last as long as they have, and that is part of this album's appeal. Who would have thought way back in 1986 that these white boys who practically yelled and screamed over tracks that masterfully blended rock and rap would still be topping the charts nearly 20 years later?

The then-novel concept of rock-rap is courtesy of the genius of producer Rick Rubin. He really knows how to craft a song full of hooks. The beats on this album are so massive they practically burst out of your stereo. Every song has a hook that digs itself into your brain and stays put. The best example of this would be "Paul Revere", an undeniably entertaining and catchy classic.

This wouldn't be much of an album though if it was only a producer who makes it worth listening to. Mike D., Adrock, and MCA have a great chemistry and work very well together. They are so confident and playful it's impossible not to have as good a time as they're having. They even know how to pull off the silliest of rhymes (check out "Girls" for proof).

This is a fantastic album. I just got it last week and I have been listening to it over and over ever since. If you are a fan of good, dumb fun, then I highly recommend this CD. Sure, it may appear to be a lot of screaming and yelling, but why complain when it's done so well? There are so many good songs here, including the big hit "Fight For Your Right" (which has held up very well over the years). I give this album my highest recommendation.

Bratty little SOBs with a fine CD.
People like to complain about this album: it's stupid, it's immature, it's sexist, blah, blah, blah. Well of course it is. It's supposed to be. And it succeeds spectacularly! Have a sense of humor people. Okay, on to the album itself: a fantastic blend of rock and rap (Thank you Rick Rubin, for such a concept!), with the perfect trio of smart ass punks, ya know the ones who came close to getting beat up everday at school but managed to smooth talk themselves out of harm's way? These are the guys. The rhymes are silly, but for the love of all that is good and holy, who can stand another thug reppin' his hood (when you know he grew up in the 'burbs of Jersey), talkin' 'bout his ho's and his ice without the slightest trace of irony? Rap is not known for its sense of humor. Licensed to Ill rescues it from drowning in it's own sense of self-importance and then manages to sneak a few sucker punches in on it's own. Great album, great rhymes, great beats. Long live Paul Revere! ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

More song-driven and acoustic than Kid A, Radiohead's Amnesiac isn't quite "Kid B," but it is unquestionably cut from the same far-out cloth, as the band revels in fascinating quirks and abject nihilism. It's also the first time in Radiohead's career that a new record hasn't meant a complete shift in artistic priorities. Surely, however, regardless of which was released first, they both deserve recognition; after all, Amnesiac, like Kid A, is an amazing piece of work.

Only lightly augmented with electronics, songs like "You and Whose Army?" and "I Might Be Wrong" almost sound like they came from a typical five-piece rock band. You may even believe the band still employs a guitarist after hearing Jonny Greenwood's wistful surf-guitar lead on "Knives Out" or his subtle but noticeable contributions to the anticapitalist rant "Dollars and Cents." But inevitably, the band continually shifts gears, moving into Boards of Canada territory on "Like Spinning Plates" and delivering dark, bass-laden oddities like "Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors," a fuzzed-out piece of avant-garde techno that could just as easily be on an Autechre or Aphex Twin record. The song's half-sung, half-spoken vocal was laid down by either a heavily distorted Thom Yorke or, just perhaps, a loquacious microwave oven. Either way, the music always has momentum, regardless of whether propelled by man or appliance. Radiohead as a band understand how to make rock interesting again, and in the end, that's all they set out to do when they recorded Amnesiac, as well as Kid A. It's more than can be said for the bad frat-punk, teen-pop and soulless techno that currently rules the charts, and for that alone, Radiohead's astonishing exploration of 21st-century anguish deserves credit. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (742)

Annoying and Prententious
Top Ten Reasons this album sucks:
1. Leftovers from Kid A
2. Radiohead were too chicken to release a double album so they made the fans wait eight months to fork out an extra ($$$).
3. Whiny, and not in a razor-edged Billy Corgan sort of way but in a "kick me and put me out of my misery" sort of way.
4. Does anyone really believe Thom Yorke is as depressed as he tries to be in these songs?
5. A lack of coherent song stucture does not automatically make music experimental. It just makes music harder to listen to.
6. Lyrics whining about the pressures of fame, doing interviews and touring are pretty hypocritical coming from a band that has long ago reached the point where it doesn't have to do anything it doesn't want to.
7. Listen to the first 10 seconds of Mourning Bell. Need I say more?
8. Radiohead fans are so annoying that the whole time you'll just feel embarassed listening to something so overrated.
9. If you examine the packaging closely you can see the lame attempts Yorke and Co. used to try and make themselves seem all cool and fractured and mysterious.
10. Because I said it does.

On the plus side, the song "I might be wrong" is really good. I'm sure Yorke didn't intend it, but when I hear it I like to imagine that its a song about how he realized that the rest of Amnesiac is garbage and he might be wrong about, well, basically everything Radiohead has done in the last few years. I gave the album three stars 'cause its fun to listen to just for a laugh to see what all the fans are so obsessed about. Kinda like a Britney Spears record.

Otherwise, the hordes of Radiohead fanatics realizing they might be wrong? Not very good.

Not 'Kid A', but pretty close
How do you even approach this album? It's powerful enough to completely change the magic that was Kid A, the perfect album. Now I have to question it- what if, for instance, they put 'Pyramid Song' as the second song of Kid A instead of 'Kid A', or 'Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors' instead of 'Idioteque'. Some will say this is more accessable than Kid A, but it's not- it might be more "conventional". There ARE songs with guitars, notably 'I Might Be Wrong', with an infectious guitar lick and the most radio-friendly, 'Knives Out', and the buildup of the wonderful, piano-driven crescendo of 'You and Whose Army?', which is the best song you'll find here. Amnesiac is just AS good as Kid A, but it's missing the conceptual glue to stick it all together, and that's where this album falls short. However, it nearly makes up for that in lyrics, which are significantly better than Kid A's. 'Pyramid Song' has some of the best lyrics Thom's ever written, probably my favorite; and there's the sheer mock-ment of record companies and modern-day music in the very catchy 'Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box' ("I'm a reasonable man, get off my case, get off my case, get off my case...") and 'Dollars and Cents', where he almost desperately sneers "We are the dollars and cents, and the pounds and pence, the marks and yen..." The can't-quite-grip beauty of Kid A is still here, and it may even surpass it. The most beautifully haunting songs like 'Pyramid Song', 'You and Whose Army?', and 'Like Spinning Plates' are the inaccessable gems of the album. Amnesiac ends on a different note than the rest of the album, with the New Orleans death march of 'Life in a Glass House', which I also love. The only thing I really can criticize is 'Hunting Bears', which I don't think is a bad track, but 'The Amazing Sounds of Orgy' or 'Trans-Atlantic Drawl' should've been put there instead. Do buy this album, but don't look at the liner notes; they're far too disturbing... I'm afraid to open the CD case.

I'm a Reasonable Man
There seem to be various and sundry reviews about Amnesiac: those that claim it to be the most astounding example of Radiohead's brilliance, and those that were less impressed by the collage of texture it presents. So, I offer more noise to the already confused clamor by examining the points of contention.
Well, I don't really see Amnesiac as a sequel to Kid A, but the two albums are obviously linked (hence, the revisted 'Morning Bell' as title cut). Many of the songs, such as 'I Might Be Wrong' and 'Knives Out,' first appeared during the Kid A tour and were probably penned around that album's production. Apples from the same tree, you could say.
While Kid A was a cohesive whole where each song led into the other, Amnesiac is more a complilation as each song exists in independent musical space. The crunchy bass textures of 'Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors' provides a claustrophobic backdrop to the processed vocals, while the thick piano chords of 'Pyramid Song' are adrift on ambient synth swoops and orchestral strings. 'Life in a Glasshouse' takes a trip to the swing era with a horn section, while 'Like Spinning Plates' plays the background backward while Yorke sing the melody foward but makes it sound backward with phrasing (confused yet?). One thing is for sure: there's a lot going on in every track!
I think Radiohead was trying to expand their creative boundaries here (if they have any :) by trying different approaches and techniques. The focus seems to be on the production methods and sound textures, as if they wanted to see what they could come up with. As a result, some songs are great (like 'Knives Out,' one of their most straight-foward melodies highlighted by clear arpeggios) and others fall short (like 'Hunting Bears,' a guitar instrumental which is just kind of "there," although it's very similar to the melody of 'I Might Be Wrong,' so maybe I'm missing the point).
All that being said, Amnesiac is a good CD that any Radiohead fan or fan of avant rock will want to pick up, and most will find it a satisfying 45 minutes; however, if you're looking for the conceptual and thematic sweep of OK Computer or Kid A, I'm afraid you won't find it.

misunderstood
Pyramid Song is one of the most quietly beautiful songs EVER.
That being said, I find the rest of this album slightly harder to understand as a single unit than Kid A, which cannot be touched or repeated even though these songs were made at the same time. Maybe that's because this album really just doesn't fit together as well, although many of the songs have textures which Kid A made familiar. There are songs that stand out, like the last one, the reworking of Morning Bell, and Dollars & Cents (which really had to grow on me), and Pulk/Pull Revolving doors. I really like You and Whose Army because it kind of looks forward to we suck young blood, the way it crescendos. Spinning Plates is cool and trippy and Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box is very calm and well constructed; in short, all the electronic songs are well done. But the other rock tracks: I Might Be Wrong and Knives Out, are pretty good, but feel lacking somehow in placement or maybe they just aren't as great because they've kind of been done before, or maybe my instinct is wrong.
It's like Kid A was made for the middle of the night and Amnesiac was made for facing dawn, with bits of the past still lingering and affecting the present but everything having a different tint to it and being a little bit easier to do. Amnesiac is not Kid A part two, it's more like Kid A's brother. With each Radiohead album, it gets harder to categorize them in relation to their predecessors, so just listen to it and see what you think.

Hunting Bears
I would agree with some others that "Amnesiac" is not as good Kid A. It's slightly below the level of the other records Radiohead has releasted in the past half decade. However, even if it's a lessor effort, it is still a very good album. As a whole, the album isn't as strong or profound as their other works, but it does have a few individual sounds that are quite amazing.

Rathern than go into a long-winded review of the album, and analyze every aspect of the album, I'll leave that to the other reviews here.

However, I must take the opportunity to defend the track "Hunting Bears." Reading many of these reviews, most of them unfairly criticize this song, condemning it as mere "filler" and "a boring two-minute repetitive guitar bit." It's much more than that. Yes, it's just an instrumental, it's bascially two minute-long guitar bits played back to back--what's wrong with that? I find it altogether enigmatic, atmospheric, and tranquil. I also like how they throw in a soft whooshing sound in the background to support the guitar.

There is also a short instrumental on Kid A, "Treefingers." That song is also often unfairly dismissed. Both "Treefingers" and "Hunting Bears" are astounding, trance-inducing instrumentals that hit inner strings inside me that few other songs can. ... Read more