Reviews (159)

Unstoppable
This CD is just plain amazing. Normally I can't stand listening to the same CD for very long, but I've been listening to this nonstop since I got it. The beat is catchy and upbeat and the music is great. The song lyrics are fun and yet have a good story behind them. The Starting Line has more drive than many bands in the genre and the high-quality sound that should take them far. You can tell they mean what they say on this album!

1, "Up and Go" is a great song with interesting layers of vocals and great energy. 2, "Given a Chance" - well you can't help but love a band who appreciates the fans. 3, "Leaving" is a more polished version of the song on the EP; great lyrics. My favorite tracks are #4 "The Best of Me," (just so good), #7 "Cheek to Cheek," (perfect for rocking the air-guitar) and "Saddest Girl Story" (which is the song that first introduced me to the band, as I fell in love with it when I heard it - it's just ultimate Starting Line).

After hearing them live twice, I can also testify that they rock hard live too. They put on an amazing show and have an amazing energy, especially when they're feeding off a great crowd (like here - Portland loves ya, TSL!)

In short, a great example of what a punk band should be. Good lyrics, good rhythm, good melody. Hence - great album.

Pop Punk - But definitely still punk
This band is a punk band....but a pop punk band not that there's anything wrong with pop punk some great bands are pop punk. To clasify Good Charlotte and Simple Plan as pop punk means you are a dumbass they are simply pop. If you say good charlotte and simple plan (they don't deserve to be capitalized) are any type of punk then you are a failure in life and you deserve to be shot (I'll do it myself).So here's an analysis of they're cd
1."Up and Go" 5/10 fun song but get's boring after a while
2."Given The Chance" 2/10 In my opinion the worst song on the CD...it just lacks what it really needs
3."Leaving" 8/10 Great song...need I say more? haha it's more...neat then the WHOSO(old cd) version
4."The Best Of Me" 7/10 Good Song But I don't think it's the single best song on the cd
5."A Goodnight's Sleep" 9/10 In my top 3 on the CD a great song the chorus sticks in my head all day after I listen to it
6."Almost There,Going Nowhere" 7/10 Pretty cool song

7."Cheek to Cheek" 7/10 Awesome song also sticks in your head
8."Hello Houston" 9/10...a fun one! haha no this one's awesome
9."Decisions" 9/10...I love this song one of the best on the cd
10."Saddest Girl Story" 10/10 in my opinion the best song on the cd me and my band play this one all the time it's just a fun one to play and listen to
11."Left Coast Envy" 9/10 another one of my favorites from the band I listen to this one after my vacations (that I like) and it also brings back memories of California
12."The Drama Summer" 9/10 And the last of my top 5 show's the softer side of them and just a great song
13."This Ride" 7/10 at first this was my like one of my favorites but then I listened closely and you can hear that the guitar part at the beginning doesn't really match with the vocals but it is still a great song

awesomely awesome
this cd is ttruly awesome. When I first bought this cd and I heard it I was thought my money was wasted on one song that I could've just downloaded. One day i was....... oh forget I'll just break it down

1.Up&go- 10/10
great way to start the cd
2. Given the chance- 9/10
good song, but not my favorite
3.leaving-10/10
The 2nd single. it kicks butt
4. the best of me- 9/10
good song but once you here the rest of the cd you kind of forget about it
5.a good nights sleep- 10/10
one of my favorites
6. almost there going no where
another good song
7. cheek to cheek- 10/10
my favorite awesome
8.hello houston-9/10
a pretty cool song
9.decisions,decisions-10/10
awesome song
10. saddest girl story- 10/10
not sad, but nice
11. left coast envy- 10/10
another of my favorites
12.the drama summer-10/10
awesome
13.this ride-10/10
nice way to close

awessome cd

(...)

Excellent, upbeat CD!
I never really heard of The Starting Line until my friend played the CD when I was over at her house, and I went out and bought the CD because I loved it so much! The songs are all great and really put you into a good mood.

I think my favorite songs are Decisions, Decisions because of the great lyrics and the AWESOME chorus; Up and Go because of the upbeat pace; A Goodnight's Sleep because it has an awesome melody; and The Best of Me because it's such a cheerful song.

If you enjoy listening to the bands Something Corporate, The Ataris, or Yellowcard, you should love The Starting Line. It's one of my favorite CDs!

After having listened to this cd...
I really enjoy listening to this cd, whether i'm in a good mood or a bad mood it makes me feel good to listen to. It's an awesome cd, and if you like this music then you should also listen to Fall Out Boy, Yellowcard, The Ataris. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Terrific sales of their independent Cheshire Cat got Blink-182 signed to a major label (MCA) for 1997's Dude Ranch, which led to radio hits ("Dammit," "Josie") and platinum sales. No "sell-out" on the band's part, though, as Dude Ranch simply features another infectious collection of snotty vocals, punchy rhythms, vivid lyrics, and aggressive chords. San Diego producer Mark Trombino shines some of the scuffed edges, but this is still good ol' Blink at its sunny, effervescent best. Nice "emocore" spoof here ("Emo"), plus an odd knack for crafting bass-lines that recall--seriously!--New Order, and vocal harmonies that owe debts to the Beach Boys. --Mark Woodlief ... Read more

Reviews (377)

Blink's Best
Dude Ranch is great... no song on this album sounds the same. You get everything: meaningful lyrics, fast guitars, and a band that will keep a smile on your face (either that or you'll run from Tom's pervertedness). Either way its good. Each song I can identify with one way or another - whether it has to do with a girl, or urination. They're awesome! If you buy this CD, you're getting the best that blink has to offer; from here on, none of blink's CDs will beat this one - unless you're a good charlotte/simple plan fan. Blink has and will always be my favorite band. I mean, sure they're not "Punk" (examples: rancid, operation ivy, nofx, anti - flag), but they're a lot more punk than they are now. If you're a power pop fan, then buy Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. Otherwise, go with this. Here's the break down for you:

Pathetic - This is a great opening song. I can identify with the lyrics really well. The guitar sounds really cool in the intro. The bridge is pretty tight as well. 9/10

Voyeur - Great bass in this song. Tom's pervertedness kicks in here. haha, don't worry its not that bad. There's also a bass solo in here. 9/10

Dammit - Sickest song ever! Six words: "I guess this is growing up." Here's a cool fact: Mark wrote the main guitar riff to dammit on a two stringed guitar. (Yes I know mark's the bassist, but he knows how to play guitar). The soft interlude in this song is a nice touch, so is the keyboards at the end. 10/10

Boring - For me, probably one of the more boring songs of the cd. The interlude is great, but the song itself has never really sunk in. 6/10

Dick Lips - This song is about Tom getting kicked out of high school for getting caught at a basketball game drunk. When I hear this song I think of Tom pleading to his parents "Please don't ground me!" Great song. 9/10

Waggy - I love this song! Probably one of the best on the album. Outstanding work on lyrics by Mark. Cool harmonies too. Tom does a great job on the guitar in this song. One of the reasons he's my idol.... 10/10

Enthused - Nice work on guitar in this song. This is a nice, fast paced song. Tom's singing in this is outstanding. I really like this song. 9/10

Untitled - Very cool song. The palm mute (who ever knows how to play guitar knows what I'm talking about) is great in the beginning. It soon leads into a fast paced song. The palm mute is actually the slow part of the song. Great harmonies during the intro. Tom's lyrics kind of mislead me as far as what its about. But its still great either way. 8/10

Apple Shampoo - For those that don't understand the title, this song is about a girl Mark had a thing for, who used a product called "Apple Shampoo" in her hair. This is supposedly some of the best lyrics Mark has ever written. This song is great. 10/10

Emo - This song was named because the Blink boys couldn't think of a name for the song, so they named it after what they thought it sounded like: Emo (the type of music). This song, written by Mark, tells a story about a girl who's "Better off sleeping on the floor" (as it says in the song). I get a good message from it. Cool bass solo in this song. Good harmonies between Mark and Tom right after. Very cool. 9/10

Josie - The ultimate song about girls! This song is about Mark's girlfriend, and about how thankful he is to have her. He lists all the things that she'll do for him. Very cool. I wish I could write a song half as good as this. Great job on this one Mark! 10/10

New Hope - In this song, Mark rants about his love for princess leya in Star Wars. A lot of star wars references in this song. Good thing I've seen all the movies! Tight interlude. Especially with the guitar. 9/10

Degenerate - Blink wrote this song back in the days of the very, very first Buddha demo (not the one you can buy in stores in CD format). This version is much better. Its about Tom, walking through the streets naked at night, and... well, just listen to it, you'll laugh, don't worry, I did. 8/10

Lemmings - This song is excellent - not for the instruments as much as it is for the lyrics. Mark did such a great job on this song. Its called Lemmings, because Lemmings are a type of Animal that follow their species into the sea (and drown). Mark relates this to friends, and how they can follow each other, and not lead to good things. Awesome concept. 9/10

I'm Sorry - When I hear this song I get one message: "I'm sorry that the CD is over." I'm not sure if that's the message or not but still it's a great song. 8/10

Buy this CD! I've listened to much more hardcore stuff, but this is still an awesome CD for punklovers like me. Also, be sure to check out the skit at the very end of the CD. I was cracking up for hours. Buy this CD!

Four and a half actually, but I guess I can't choose that...
This is the music of the youth. If there's one band that specializes in putting the feelings and frustrations of the typical American teenager into music, it's blink-182, and if there's one alblum that they really did it well on, it was Dude Ranch. This is a great CD to listen to, unlike it's follow up, Enema of the State, Dude Ranch doesn't get old. Everyone's heard "Dammit", but who's tired of it? It's a great song, maybe the best youth anthem of all time, and it's not the only one on this CD, "Dick Lips", "Enthused", "Apple Shampoo" and "Waggy" are all songs that just might remind you of your immature, juvenile self and all the... you go through on a daily basis. Songs like peeping Tom Delonge's perverted "Voyeur" (probably the second best song on this CD), "Degenerate" and "A New Hope", (Mark's fantasies about Princess Leia in a song) all add some great laughs to this disc. Not to mention that Dude Ranch is much more punk than Enema of the State, which is what blink has always aimed for. They may be on TRL with the Backdoor Boys and N'SUCK, but blink-182 is still a punk band. Don't believe it? You probably haven't heard Dude Ranch yet, you might wanna get it...

Awsome older Blink CD!
This is their last "Punk Like" CD before they changed to a more pop-punk. It has their too awsome singles Dammit and Josie on it plus one of my favorites Degenerate. The songs on this cd dont just rock but can be really funny too! I recommend this cd to any blink fan old or new!

This is the best cd of all time.
I absolutely love this cd. i've been listening to it regularly for 3 years and i love it even more than when i started. from the shreeking start of pathetic to the to the teenage anthem of i'm sorry, dude ranch is blink's best cd. even though blink didn't have travis, the music still kicks ass with scott. tom wrote his best guitar riffs on this cd and cheshire cat. if you still aren't convinced this is a great cd, it has dammit on it, that's reason enough.

Awesome Blink!!!!!
This CD is incredible!!! I first bought this CD over a year ago and had the reaction most people have when they first hear this album. Uncreative and just one in another long line of punk albums. I look back then and realize how wrong I truely was. After listening to this CD for a while, it grew on me and eventually became my favorite in my entire collection. This CD manages to pull off what seems to be impossible nowadays, managing to have the perfect mix of humor(no matter how twisted), emotion, and power all rolled into a single CD spread out over 14 tracks. This CD is an awesome collection of punk anthems for the new generation. Blink 182 at their very best. ... Read more

Reviews (96)

Full of hits
The whole cd is full of great songs, and this time we get 17 of them! I really loved the romantic songs near the end, Into the Mystic and Honey and the Moon. I love the songs near the beginning too, they're really fun and upbeat. I'd name my faves but all of them are great, by Foo Fighters (Times Like These is such a great opener), Good Charlotte (the Anthem, my fave song they've done), Sum 41, All American Rejects, American Hi Fi, Sugarcult, and GOB. Laid by Matt Nathanson was perfect for this movie, I noticed they used it in the trailer for a previous American Pie movie. Fever for the Flava is a funny song that's included. I really love I Don't Give by Avril Lavigne, and it's great that it's on here since it's not on her 2 cds in the US.

Before the movie
Before you see the movie, you'll want to hear this CD. The songs vary, of course, but mainly stay on with a punk vibe. Most notably are Sugarcult, Good Charlotte, Sum 41, Foo Fighters, and Avril Lavigne. For those of you who are fans of these groups, I would suggest buying this album. As far as soundtracks go, this is one of the better ones. Calling You by Blue October and Honey & the Moon by Joseph Arthur are some of the most romantic songs I've heard in my life, and place perfectly near the end. As for the rest in the beginning, if you're buying this CD, I'm very assured that you know how wonderful these groups are. But since hearing this album, I have become a fan of Matt Nathanson (who does the song Laid on this soundtrack), and Nu. As well as the other two mentioned previously. All in all, this is a wonderful punk/rock/pop sountrack to a probably funny, and romantic, movie. This soundtrack has convinced me to see a movie I previously would have disregarded. That, to me, says a lot.

I don't Give
i think that avril lavigne's song i don't give is a great song because it states the fact that most of us don't care about anything anyone says. it basically says the things that we are too embarassed to actually say. also, the other songs on the soundtrack like swing, swing also rock!

Mystery Song.....
Ok.The song playing when Michelle and Jim wake up to witness the football team has assembled a new batch of flowers for the wedding is "Time For Heroes" By The Libertines

Laid
Greg,

I think the song you are referring to is "Laid" by Matt Nathanson. The song appears at the end credits and seems to be the one used for all the promotional stuff and also appears on the dvd menu. The song was originally done by an artist called "James" a few years ago. Great song! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sixteen-year-old Skye Sweetnam's debut sounds more like noise you might hear at the Macy's junior department than noise issuing from anybody's basement. But that's as it should be. Billed as the next Pat Benatar, the pouty-lipped, kohl-eyed Canadian steps out with a solid rocker ringed with a touch of Ramones (hear it on the rebel schoolgirl song "Billy S.," which earned a spot on the How to Deal soundtrack, as well as on the hopped-up, swing-your-hair-around cover of Blondie's "Heart of Glass," and the bad-boyfriend basher "Number One"). It's a distillation of all that's right with modern rock--hyper guitars, a heavy dose of the kind of attitude that parents prefer to think of as teen spirit--and girls, the little sisters of Ashlee Simpson fans and those whose love of Hilary Duff is "so yesterday" especially, will slurp it up like it comes in a 64-ounce cup from 7-11. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (3)

From Sweden With Love
The Boy's return to their roots with the re-release of their debut album. Originally released in Sweden than distributed here in America thanks to Solid State Records. BlindSide purchased their masters and have given a new fresh look and feel to their first two records. The band is all over the place with this album moving from alternative rock riffs to modern rock grooves and some hard rock as well. The singing shifts from melodic to screaming without warning. It's a bit jumbled and the songs move from really good to really not so good. It's not until their sophomore effort that we truly see the band come into their own. I won't say this record will blow you away but if you're a fan you'll enjoy hearing the very unique evolution of this now great band.If I had to rank their four records It would be as so.

A Thought Crushed My Mind4.5/5
About a Burning Fire4/5
Silence 3.5/5
Self Titled 3/5

Looking back on this record I find myself enjoying it more and more than I did the first time around and it's nice to see that the spark of potential was there from the very start and it was certainly not wasted on future records.

Great way to witness the evolution of a powerful metal band
The Good
The best part about having both of the Blindside re-issues is that you get to hear how they evolved and defined their sound. On their self-titled debut, Blindside struggle with finding their sound. You can hear that they become torn between sounding sort of like Clutch or sort of like Shadows Fall. "Invert" comes barreling at you like a 16 wheeler out of control on a steep hill (long way to go for a simile), with its monster riffs and manic vocal delivery. It's almost like Blindside is messing with you on "Born". The track takes a completely different direction with more subdued vocals and minimal distortion. The track is defined by a simple guitar lick.

It's back to releasing the fury on "Empty Box". This time theirs a soulful bass line matched by heavy breakdowns. A meaty chugga-chugga riff runs rampant on "This Shoulder". The vocals are melodic yet still edgy. "Teddy Bear" has a clean arpeggio lick and somber drum rhythm. By the time the chorus kicks in, the riffs become thunderous and driving. It's nice to be able to compare the four demo bonus tracks to their final product.

On A Thought Crushed My Mind, Blindside have settled on what they want to sound like (more like Shadows Fall). It's also apparent that they had a bigger production budget when this was originally released. "Vow of Silence" is everything but silent. It's pure assault of heavy distortion and furious vocals. It's amazing that vocalist Christian Lindskog's lungs haven't exploded. "King of the Closet" is a tale of vampires that chugs along with breakneck unruliness.

"My Mother's Only Son" briefly flirts with the soulful sounds of Blindside's debut, but reverts to the angst they so relish in. Think bass riffs take hold of "Nara". The intensity builds when the guitars and vocals kick in. Instead of including demos with this reissue, Blindside decided to include two hard to find 7" vinyl releases and two previous unreleased tracks. If you want to hear a completely different side of the group, listen to the final track "[Phatbeat 1303]".

The Bad
Nothing

The Verdict
The Blindside reissues are a great way to witness the evolution of a powerful heavy metal band. It will also hold over their fans with demos and unreleased material, until their new album is released later this year.

Generating A Pattern?........................
Notice how this album like Silence is very mellow. Whereas in A Thought Crushed My Mind has all the screamo effects of About A Burning Fire. Blindside is still one of my favorite Christian rock bands around. This was very cool of them to remaster and redistribute their first two albums. The new added tracks are actually the band's demo songs from when they first started out. It sounds like they were in someone's garage when they recorded it. Still a good CD though. Keep up the good work guys. I'll be patiencently waiting for you're next new album. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

3 Star CD+5 Star=4 Star Combo
I was looking through a record store, where I came across this CD/DVD. Then I remember, "oh yeah, they just released this!". So I bought it. Now, the CD is a good sampler type album, with live tracks, demos, etc., but most of the demos are just interesting songs to listen to, and after you do, you won't listen to them again for a while, because of their awful quality. However, the live tracks are good, as is the Christmas-based "Alone This Holiday". The other track, "Sometimes I Just Go For It", is just a long track of Bert playing piano.

Now, I know I might have made the CD sound bad, but the DVD is great. It's 115 minutes (according to the back of the case), and features all their music videos (including the funny "A Box Full of Sharp Objects" video and the brand new "Blue & Yellow" video), video bios of each member of the band, the live performances of the 4 live songs on the CD ("Maybe Memories", "A Box Full of Sharp Objects", "On My Own", and "Say Days Ago"), but, disappointly, Bert does NOT puke in the performance. It also features the interesting documentary of how they came together, where they're from, etc.

I recommend this if you liked their first album, but if you're just getting into the Used, get their self-titled first, then if you like it enough, get this.

It's their time to shine.
The Used had an incredible year in 2003. Their 2002 self-titled album yielded three powerhouse hit singles and propelled the band very quickly into the mainstream. Their blend of emotional punk-rock and melodic hard-rock got them (and other like-minded bands) tagged as "screamo" and helped open the doors for similar, but more eclectic bands such as Thrice and Brand New. So, it would make sense for the band to release a little something to keep everyone happy until their second studio album sees the light of day. "Maybe Memories," a DVD/CD set featuring live songs, music videos, demos and everything in between does a great job of filling in the gap. The DVD, I have to say is far superior to the CD. In it, we get a documentary on the band, how they made their album, how they made their videos, a four song performance (also on the CD) and all four of their music videos ("Box Full of Sharp Objects," "Taste Of Ink," "Buried Myself Alive," and "Blue & Yellow). The CD is 10 tracks long, and along with the killer live performances (featuring a particularly moving version of "On My Own") we are treated to the bands home-made demos and some left-over tracks from their debut. "Alone This Holiday" is basically their Christmas song, which featured guest vocals by frontman Bert's then-girlfriend Kelly Osbourne (the vocals are deleted here, however, thankfully). The original version of "Bullimic" and the instrumental "Sometimes I Just Go For It" serve as highlights. Overall, it's a great package, you definitely get more than you pay for. If you are a fan of The Used, you shouldn't be without this. If you are new to the band, however, I direct you to their self-titled debut album first, as this release is strictly for those who are already initiated. Personally, I can't wait to see what they come up with on their second album.

The Used: Maybe Memories
This is something that hardcore fans of The Used will love. I greatly recommend it, yet I do recommend that you buy their first cd before this one. The DVD is awesome because you not only get to see them in concert, but you also get to see the music videos!

the goodness
Wow The Used can't seem to do no wrong these days. On the heels of their highly sucessfull self-titled album comes their new cd/dvd entitled "Maybe Memories," which I have to say is pretty impressive. Not only does it deliver on the audio side with the new song "just a little," but the dvd is great too. It reminds me of when I went to see them for the first time last year and it was on point. Good video quality, cameras were pretty awesome, but when it comes down to it, who gives a flying hootnanny about the cameras and stuff! It was, overall a very entertaining documentary.

Amazing
Buy This.
The used are probably one of the most talked about bands at the moment and you can really see why. 10 great tracks and a Dvd that tells us what theyre all about. it is worth every cent. Highlight track - Just A Little. ... Read more

Reviews (62)

It's so rockin', you'll have to be sedated!
At first, the Ramones may seem like a one-dimensional high-school-oriented talent show act...but for those in the know, these guys are the pinnacle of musicianship: creators of an original theme and an original sound. They're the Ramones. Take 'em or leave 'em! One can't help but be impressed with a collection of hits that packs 30 of them onto one CD! So impressed I am with 'Ramones Mania'; and it is CERTAINLY definitive at a price you can afford. The only song I can think of that I would have liked them to include is "Do You Wanna Dance?"...but I cannot complain. Relive your youth with the anthemic "Blitzkrieg Bop", the infectious "I Wanna Be Sedated", the clever and fun to sing-along with "The KKK Took My Baby Away", and the loveable "Sheena is a Punk Rocker". And to show that the Ramones possess 3 dimensions, just check out "Needles and Pins" or "Howling at the Moon". Included with the disc is a nice bio, the ultra-rare UK B-Side "Indian Giver", and a new stereo mix of "Rock 'N' Roll High School".

A perfect introduction to a great band!!!
MANIA is a compilation of the greatest hits of the RAMONES. You get 30 songs on one disc. If you are already a fan of the Ramones, this is another gem to add to your collection. If you are tired of the music that is being played today (boy bands and Britney Spears), then go out and get this CD. It is a breath of fresh air. The songs are short and brutal and their is no BS in their music. How can you not love songs with titles such as: BEAT ON THE BRAT, I WANNA BE SEDATED, THE KKK TOOK MY BABY AWAY, SHEENA IS A PUNK ROCKER, PSYCHO THERAPY, SOMEBODY PUT SOMETHING IN MY DRINK. The RAMONES showed that all you need is 3 chords, and an attitude and you can rock. So go out buy this album and be ready to rock. If you want a good companion to this album, pick up DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME by Joey Ramone. Rock On

All the Ramones You'll Ever Need
Unless you are a totally huge fan of the Ramones, this is the only album you'll ever need by this loud, fast and revolutionary punk band. Dont buy Loud Fast and Tough or any other greatest hits compilations, this has the best of the loud and fast but also coupled with the less powerful numbers, more melodic songs; so you get the complete view of the picture. This band, along with the Pistols are the bands that made punk popular back in the later 70's. Ramones were in the U.S. while the Pistols made mayhem in the U.K. Anyways you cant ask for a better deal, about 30 songs on one convenient disc at a pretty cheap price; a win-win situation! If your young and only used to the Simple Plan, Good Charlotte B.S. this era seems to be dishing out and your looking for the REAL stuff then this is definitely the place to start. After you get this get "Nevermind the Bollocks, Heres The Sex Pistols" and you'll be set for the basis of punk rock.(then you move on to the dead kennedys, buzzcocks, television, social distortion)anyways happy rockin.

great cd
first off i'd like to say the ramones are an incrediable band (R.I.P. Joey and DeeDee) and that their music is timeless. this cd is really cool though their are some tracks missing that should have been on there in my opinion(cretin family ect.), its still a great compilation from a simply amazing band. it is too bad that the ramones are not here to keep good punk alive and well and to stop the trespassing on it by waves of poser bands and their preppy fans but what are you going to do I guess, mtv stabbed music in the back again. ok heres the deal, if you want to experiance punk in its finest beggining and its roots then either get this cd or rocket to russia or something.

Non-hits? For beginners? What??
Contrary to beliefs of others, "I Wanna Be Sedated" was hardly the only "hit" that the Ramones had, and RamonesMania is as as dense of a an album representing the band as Black Flag's "First Four Years", or The Clash's "Story of the Clash Volume I". It is after all, a greatest hits album...

Funny to hear that they had been ignored by the radio except for the "one hit"... since I remember hearing "Blitzkrieg Bop", "Rock and Roll Radio", "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" and "Rock n' Roll High School" - all of which appear on this album - on the radio as a kid growing up in Cleveland during the 70's and 80's... not to mention that in the early 80's the were also a staple on MTV, way back when the network didn't even have any commericials (let alone game shows, The Real World, or Movie Awards).

For a band that had "no hits" (other than "Sedated"...lol), they sure did a good job having their music show up in the first "National Lampoon's Vacation" movie, "Pet Semetary", oh yeah... and their OWN movie, "Rock n'Roll High School"... all of which appeared before the release of this album.

Look, if you are a fan (lifelong OR new) buy this album. It not only has their best stuff, it saves you money since most of their original studio albums are relatively short, yet cost the same as any other full LP. I have almost every Ramones album on vinyl (which is to say that I don't have anything on vinyl after Brain Drain), and this CD contains most of their best stuff minus a handful of songs ("Judy is a Punk" and "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You" immediately come to mind....)

Gabba Gabba Hey. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Recorded live in 1973, Rock N Roll Animal is Reed's glam-rock sneer back at his Velvet Underground legacy. Four tracks are VU classics (two about the redemptive power of rock, two about the transformative power of dope) dressed up into slick, flashy twin-guitar noodle-fests, with big riffs and showboating solos and Reed practically phoning in his vocals. It was something of a hit at the time, and it's easy to hear how the simple forcefulness of these songs sounded good on early-1970s radio. But Reed doesn't bother to conceal his contempt for the commercial trappings he's put on his songs--"Heroin," in particular, turns from savage ambivalence into an easy cartoon--and the album's hard to like now. Two previously unissued tracks from 1973's Berlin-"How Do You Think It Feels" and "Caroline Says I"-flesh out this reissue version of the original LP. --Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (52)

One Of The Best Live Albums Of All Time!
Lou Reed's Rock and Roll Animal completely blew me away. It is completely different than most of Lou's other material. First of all, the setlist is great. It includes four great songs by the Velvet Underground; Sweet Jane, Heroin, White Light / White Heat, and Rock and Roll. It also contains three great songs from Berlin; Caroline Says I, Lady Day and How Do You Think It Feels. Each song is done incredibly. The Intro into Sweet Jane is great. Following this, Lou and the band rip through Heroin, doing a 13 minute version that is fairly different than the original, but still great. The two extra tracks, How Do You Think It Feels and Caroline Says I are two of the best songs from Berlin, and these recordings are just as good as the album, if not better. You even hear Lou tell the audience to shut up before starting a song. The version of White Light / White Heat is even louder than the original. The version of Lady Day done is even better than the album version on Berlin. The album closes with a great version of Rock and Roll, with a funky rhythm solo in the middle. The overall effect of the album is incredible. It makes you feel like you are actually at the show. If you are a fan of Lou, you will love this album. You'll love it even if you aren't a fan. It makes a good starting place for Lou Reed. Especially with the two extra songs, Rock and Roll Animal is one of the greatest live albums of all time.

One of the best live albums ever recorded, period.
"Rock n Roll Animal" was my introduction to Lou Reed and his music. I became a huge fan as a result, and despite the high quality output over the course of his ever-evolving career, this is the disc I return to when I want to experience vintage Lou Reed.

This is the one Lou Reed album that even non-Reed fans get into, and with good reason. It is simply one the hardest rocking guitar albums of all time. Some of the best tunes from Reed's Velvets repertoire ("Sweet Jane", "Heroin" and "Rock & Roll") are given high voltage heavy metal treatments, complete with thundering humbucker crunch and an almost obscene number of solos.

It has been said that the band (which later went on to back Alice Cooper) overshadows Reed, whose singing is deliciously deadpan throughout. Yet, without the material, and - more importantly - the attitude that Reed supplies, the result would probably be akin to a real-life Spinal Tap (sound and fury signifying nothing, thank you Bill Shakespeare).

While Reed himself has decried the album as little more than commercial pap, there is clearly something going on here. By melding his unique brand of decadent, literate music with a big arena rock sound, Reed was able - finally - to reach the masses in a way the Velvet Underground never could. And he was able to accomplish this with a live album that still sets the standard for what a "live" album should be: big, bad and dangerous to the ears.

INTRO,SWEET JANE,HERION!!WHOOHOOOO
SOME OF THE SHARPEST GUITAR LICKS I HAVE EVER HEARD,THE MAN CAN FLAT OUT ROCK!!!

this one kicks ass
I don't agree with the reviewer! I enjoy this album as much as I did in 1973 or 1974, when I first heard it. The intro to Sweet Jane is by far one of the best examples of rock and roll I've ever heard. I know plenty of folks who feel the same way. I'm a lot older and ... well older, but I still want to jump up and play air-guitar on this one. Lou Reed is an acquired taste that a lot of people just don't acquire. But if you like him, this is a great example of one part of the musical journey this crazed artist has been on.

DON'T pass it by because of the opinion of some Lester Bangs type.

Good, Not Great.
I put this on for the first time in many years and it isn't as powerful as I remember it being. The Intro/Sweet Jane is an amazing piece of dual guitar work, and throughout the CD the band is powerful and technically proficient, but therein lies the problem. First of all Lou Reed's voice just can't compete with this dominating band. Secondly the band is too proficient and showy, to be playing Velvet Underground songs which many consider the foundation of Punk Rock music. The guitar playing reminds me of the Rolling Stones with Mick Taylor. Yeah, he was an accomplished musician, but his guitar playing was just a bit too velvety for Rolling Stones music. This is a good live album, it's just not a great live album. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Overall its a pretty good cd
Let me first start out by saying that this is my first Reggie and the Full Effect cd, so I can't compare this album to their previous ones. The cd contains a nice mix of emo, techno, and metal although I can see where this might lead to some problems with people. I would have prefered more catchy emo tunes like Get Well Soon rather some of the heavier stuff because I have other bands to listen to for that kind of music. You can tell that they are trying to be humorous on a few of the songs and it works well. Overall, this cd has been enjoying listen and I will now look into some of their older material.

Listen And Decide For Yourself....
Review by Tyler Wagnon:

Reggie and the Full Effect is a strange entity. Main man James Dewees was a full time member in The Get Up Kids and Coalesce, while also appearing on albums by Ultimate Fakebook, The Casket Lottery, New Amsterdams, and New Found Glory. Guitarist Cory White is currently in The Esoteric and was in Coalesce as well. Drummer Ryan Pope was a member of The Get Up Kids and is currently in New Amsterdams. Bassist Rob Pope too was a member up The Get Up Kids and is currently in both Koufax and New Amsterdams. Not to mention guest vocal spots by Benjamin Perri of From Autumn to Ashes and Sean Ingram from Coalesce.
All that information probably doesn't help you any because those bands play such different styles (emocore, math metal, emo, hardcore, indie rock), and to be honest, the influences don't shine through much at all.

Anyway, Reggie and the Full Effect's sound is schizophrenic to say the least. Some songs are pure blissful pop punk, some are electronic dance songs, and there is even a metal track on here as well as an industrial sounding song.

The point is there is no point. Reggie and the Full Effect is a strange band with a sense of humor and for most people they are love em or hate em. The only real way to know is to listen to it and find out for yourself.

goooo reggiee
ahh this is great, its hes best cd so far, it has hardcore songs, some techno and ofcourse the emo heartbroken catchy songs, it was actually a good thing that he got divorced after all, nicely done!

Seriously.
This CD is pretty out there as far as Reggie and the Full Effect is concerned.

The CD proves that Reggie can write songs that have to deal with subjects other than running away.These songs have sincere emotion in them, much unlike anything RATFE has produced before.Caving and Get Well Soon are both excellent examples of this.

The CD has it's share of catchy pop tunes as in the other Reggie CD's...however, they are in far fewer quanity on this record.

Overall, I trully enjoyed this CD.It's not anything that could win Record of the Year... but it contains some of Reggie's best work.Definity a good buy.

Proceed With Caution
Having been a Reggie fan since the 1st album, this CD came as a big disapointment.Upon listening to it there are only really about 2 or 3 songs on this album that stand out (Get Well Soon,Caving & Take Me Home Please for example), and I wouldn't even say they REALLY stand out.The rest of the album just seems very rushed & boring (example - What The Hell Is Stipulation & What The Hell Is Contempt).Plus there is a bunch more heavy songs featuring Hungrybear & I just don't think they are all that good.If I wanted to hear good heavy stuff, I'd go pop on some Botch or Converge.The metal stuff just seems mediocre.

Another thing that doesn't do this CD or the band any justice is the actual mix & production of the CD.The guitars sound way too clean & non existant.I'm the type of person who loves big guitar sounds like the earlier Reggie albums & Weezer's blue album and these mixes just take away from the feeling & power of the songs, leaving them boring & bland.

I loved the re-issue CD and I absolutely loved the Return of the Bling songs, which I think led me to believe the new stuff would be along the same lines, but it wasn't.I would say this is their worst album to date but if you didn't like Under the Tray, you'll dislike this one even more.I would recommend to anyone to LISTEN TO IT 1ST before you buy and then decide.And for anyone who hasn't heard Reggie, buy the 1st 2 CD's, they are 100X better than this one! ... Read more

Album Description

Set up by two acclaimed albums and in the past few months playing live to half-a-million fans, American Hi-Fi turns up the volume with its Maverick debut, Hearts on Parade, produced by Butch Walker. Led by Stacy Jones, American Hi-Fi scores the pop big-time with Hearts on Parade and its lead track "The Geeks Get The Girls". ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Geeks, Grab your pocket protector and buy this one!
Outstanding offering from the skinniest band in rock. The tracks "Hell Yeah" and "Geeks Get the Girls" are catchy but not in a pop "sell-out" way.If you ever get a chance to see these guys live...just do it.They put on a smokin hot show.I saw them twice during the recent Bowling For Soup tour and they were flawless.Take the Ramones and The Knack, split the difference and you have American Hi-Fi.100% geek endorsed.

American Hi-Fi - 'Hearts On Parade' (Maverick)
'Hearts...' is the band's fourth effort,the very first I've ever heard of them.Okay alternative pop,nothing to get all that excited about.But,decent I thought.Some of the better tracks are "Hell Yeah!","We Can't Be Friends" and "Highs And Lows".Line-up was tough to figure out,but as close to what I've been able to discover was:Jamie Arentzen-guitar&vocals,Drew Parsons-bass and Brian Nolan-drums.Believe they might have one other member but I couldn't find his name.Might appeal to some fans of Blink 182,Weezer,Sugarcult and Veruca Salt.

Severly Disappointed
If you were one of the fans like me that loved them because of there hard rock beats and guitars then you WILL be disappointed. This CD is pure pop music. No rock what so ever. I have been a huge American Hi-Fi fan since there debut and I have loved them seing them in concert three times. I was severly disappointed. Its taking Amercian Hi-Fi striping there rock guitars and it comes out sounding like a f***ing Maroon Five love song. I don't know if I would buy another one of there albums if they have the same producer this was just terrible. I have heard bands change there style that I haven't liked as much but this has to be by far the worst I've heard. I find this CD unlistenable. Its just plain bad.

Change Is Good...
The reinvetion of American Hi Fi is complete. Things change. Life is in constant motion. Music is no different. American Hi Fi along with trusted hit maker Butch Walker go 360 degrees on this one. The only thing you'll recognize is Stacy's rock vocal power. Gone is the wall of guitars. Gone are the angry angst ridden choruses. Say hello to happy keyboards, fun, and foot tapping verses. If you're looking for the old American Hi Fi sound you will be very disappointed with this album but if you're open to change then you'll get behind the boys on this one and buy it. I didn't hear an immediate hit like "Flavor of the Week" but "Hell Yeah" might be the sleeper that gets the girl...

Not what I was hoping for.....
A lot of people seem to be pleased with the new sound American Hi-Fi went with on this album.Personally I think its terrible.I was hoping for another in your face rock album in the mold of Art of Losing.Instead I bought some popped out, 80's influenced garbage.I know Butch Walker produced this album, and you will not find a bigger Butch fan than myself (his former band Marvelous 3 was the greatest and both of his solo efforts are amazing), but American Hi-Fi was not the band to try and experiment a new sound with.If you're looking for something COMPLETELY different than their first 2 albums buy this one, if you want to rock, this isn't the CD for you. ... Read more

Album Description

55 tracks on 4 CDs, featuring 34 tracks on CD for the first time, including The Thorn EP. 76-page booklet with an introduction by Siouxsie and full track annotation by all 3 band members plus full lyrics for all B-sides, printed for the first time. Sleevenotes by Mark Paytress. 2004. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Steeped in poetry and class issues, X was the first L.A. punk band to fully incorporate a dark West Coast sensibility. Singer/lyricists/spouses John Doe and Exene Cervenka forged a stray-cat approach to vocal harmonies while spieling reports on crash-pad sex and drugs, casual hatred, and the occasional spotting of the "idle rich." Full-powered and intelligent, X's sound also spotlighted Billy Zoom, a pompadoured guitarist schooled by Gene Vincent, and flexible drummer D.J. Bonebrake. Los Angeles, the first of four productions by ex-Door Ray Manzarek, made an excellent case for the group, though its ambitions were to be quickly outstripped by the evolving personal takes of Doe and Cervenka. For the most part, the album is fast, hard, and fleet, like the motorcycles Zoom loved: "Your Phone's Off the Hook," "Johnny Hit and Run Pauline," the title track, and a Ramones-style cover of the Doors' "Soul Kitchen" are touchstones that reach beyond their era. Only "The Unheard Music," a turgid bit of suburbia-bashing, mars the original LP, which is augmented on this reissue by five bonus tracks that bring the running time close to 40 minutes. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Decadent nihilism
I agree with Mike Harrington: it takes a few listens for "Los Angeles" to seep into your brain. This is a unique album that sounds a little underwhelming at first, considering its lionizing by punk purists. After a few listens though, this album will forever be etched in your brain.
John Doe and Exene create a most unlikely pair of singers, two barely in-tune vocalists who yelp and shout the vocals to match the surf-punk backing underneath. The music is delicious, and the half-poetry, half-punk lyrics are sheer delirium. Every one of the nine original songs are amazing (even the "Unheard Music", which apparently mars the album because of its slower pace), and make for an absolutely essential punk classic. The five extra tracks aren't anything too special, and if you already own the original album, you might only rush out for the improved sound. Either way, I am very glad I bought this album, and it will remain a treasured part of my collection.
"Nausea, bloody red eyes go to sleeeep....."

Poverty and Spit
I'll be honest. The only reason I bought this album is because Brett Easton Ellis talked about X all the time in "Less Than Zero." After listening to the record, I understand why. Both are about the decadence of Los Angeles and the nihilism of its youth.Both are about the corruption of money and the emptiness of sex.In short, both are about realizing how miniscule you are in this world and how insignificant you are to everybody else. Now, on that happy note, "Los Angeles" is not only a true punk classic, but it's also pretty good old-fashion rock n'roll. Fleetwood Mac would sound this way if they didn't have enough money to produce their albums. In fact, it might be good to compare Exene Cervenka and Stevie Nicks. Both claim to be poets, both are unusual, attractive, and slightly off key - in the case of Exene way off key, but both can maintain their own. I could compare John Doe and Lindsey Buckingham, but why bother? The point is that both are the sound of California but on opposite poles: Fleetwood Mac's the rich and X's the poor. This is very apparent on X's "The Unheard Music." Boy, does this song rock! It has guitar crunches, a slow melodic dark sound reminiscent of The Doors and a Beach Boy in the sun type of break that is anything but hopeful."Nausea" is the best song on the album because it encapsulates the whole feel of isolation in a big city and a life among the "poverty and spit." The title track shows a woman in flight from her own derangement, her incipient indifference. The other stand out song is "Your Phone's Off the Hook, But You're Not." It's a deliciously evil hillbilly rocker that has Exene singing atonally about her sister and some guy who doesn't "have to answer" her or "call her" back. In fact, the overall theme of this album is the evil of humanity. When in "Sex and Dying in High Society" John Does talks about a girl telling her maid to burn her on her "virgin back" with a curling iron because "pain is better than any kind of love," you get the sense that love and death in "high society" is so shallow and impotent that the impression of feeling is better than feeling nothing at all. This is an exceptional album exposing the fakery of the California Sun. It's a Fleetwood Mac album without the clichés and meretricious display of musicality. It's real, and it may be hard to swallow.

Sheeee had to leave....LOS ANGELES
Punk at its BEST. I kind of had to give X a few listens before I came to love it, as the Doe/Exene vocals were something I never heard before, but it all ended up blending in so well with the sheer intensity of this album, backed by the AMAZING Billy Zoom on the guitar. No, this was no ordinary punk...it was punk to set your skin on fire, make your body jump, and make ya think about the world around you. X's awesome follow-up (Wild Gift) further explored domestic 'bliss' (or lack thereof), so what sets X from the crowd is their keen view of the world - not just a bunch of angry punkers saying the world sucks. They are feelin it, playin it, screamin it, lovin it and being it. Most other punk albums get their point across with fast riffs and screaming - well, Los Angeles has all that, but a LOT more.

This has been on my top 10 punk albums of all times - if you don't have it, get it, and I'm sure it will be on yours!

Just too good
X didn't bring punk to Los Angeles, rather they brought Los Angeles to punk!!!

Too good and true to their music, X was never destined to be heard by mainstream audiences, but they had an audience all the same - and to this day their music stands up as some of the best that exploded from the punk scene, and Los Angeles is the raucous taboo debut that has quenched many a yearning!

A punk milestone!

Los Angeles Is Still Burning
X's debut album, Los Angeles, was released in 1980 and was produced by Ray Manzarek of The Doors. X emerged out of the burgeoning L.A. punk rock scene of the late 70's. Unlike most of their contemporaries who were more raw style than substance, X consisted of gifted musicians. They fused the raw power & frenzied emotion of punk with strands of rockabilly and country twang. The quartet of Exene Cervenka on vocals, John Doe on bass, Billy Zoom on guitar and DJ Bonebrake on drums were supplemented by Mr. Manzarek on keyboards. The nine songs are quick bursts of power and precision. The opening track's spurned lover fury of "The Phone's Off The Hook, But Your Not", the date rape victim of "Johnny Hit & Run Pauline", the feverish remake of The Doors' "Soul Kitchen", the banality of rich people's existence in "Sex & Dying In High Society" (which was used a theme in Bret Easton Ellis' book Less Than Zero) and the majesty of the title track, the album's finest moment. The reissue is augmented beautifully by five tracks. X was a band never destined for mainstream success, but nearly a quarter of a century later, this album as with much of their music, still sounds fresh and vital. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Electric Warrior, T. Rex's best album, distills elements of Marc Bolan's earlier acoustic period with a dynamic rock rhythm section--drummer Bill Legend and bassist Steve Currie--and lush arrangements by producer Tony Visconti. Featuring the classics "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," "Jeepster," and "Mambo Sun," Warrior ranges from the space blues of "Lean Woman Blues" to the punk jazz of "Rip Off," with a sound fleshed out by chamber strings and the falsetto harmonies of ex-Turtles and Mothers of Invention members Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. (Zappa sideman Ian McDonald plays sax as well.) Touches such as the arcing cellos of "Cosmic Dancer" and the sexy rhythms of "Planet Queen" perfectly bring to life Bolan's imaginative world of "diamond star halos" and "shadowless horses." A must for any serious collector of British rock classics. This remastered reissue is fleshed out with a half-dozen bonus tracks and a band interview. --James Rotondi ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Unique Results From An Old Formula
On this classic, breakthrough record, Marc Bolan miraculously manages to pull something fresh and durable out of a Pandora's box of rock clichés: Nearly every song is a gritty variation of standard twelve-bar blues; the lyrics are about sex; the rhythms are beaten out with bongos and hand claps; the strings and sax are prog holdovers; and the raspy, elfin vocals-though distinctive-are delivered in a fey manner that shamelessly rips-off David Bowie. But the total effect is spellbinding. There is so much fun, attitude, and magic in this album that it continues to surprise and stimulate musicians and fans alike.

How T. Rex conjure their glamorous originality is a secret Bolan took to an early grave. But who really wants to know how a trick is done? Better to just sit back and marvel!

Pop Perfection
T. Rex was, more than anything, a singles band.Unfortunately, there isn't a perfect singles collection.They all seem to lean to heavily on the hippie days or ignore them completely.As it stands, Electric Warrior is the best place to start if you want to get into T. Rex.It has three of their biggest hits, "Jeepster," "Cosmic Dancer," and the immediately recognizable "Bang A Gong," and it is probably the only T Rex album where the album cuts match the hits in terms of quality.Starting with "Mambo Sun," this is a perfect collection of slinky, sleezy glam.The artwsork and album title are a little misleading.This doesn't even resemble heavy rock.Instead it's a highly sensual, easy going pop/rock album, probably T. Rex's smoothest and downright coolest.Marc Bolan's sublimely silly lyrics are perfect, sexed-up pulp poetry and the lack of heavy guitars makes the albums' hip shaking grooves shine beautifully from start to finish.If you're interested in high quality glam rock besides David Bowie or you're just looking for an almost impossibly fun rock/pop album, you need T. Rex, and "Electric Warrior" is the best place to start.

are you kidding me!!
Im not an angry person bashing any old music. Im a musician bashing this bullfunk. Seriously, with all the good reviews on this page, they must be hopped up on cocaine. Im a huge 1970's fan myself and this is out of control. Please spare your self the $40.00 or 17.00 and buy something else. Like good blues if your into blues. Cause this is irritating. Peace out you crack fiends

Im not a "rock guru" or anything
I bought this album because I heard one song on the radio a few times and really liked it :) I think it was the "hot love" song... and now im finding out that this is a rock "classic" with lots of pretentious ponderings surrounding it... well I like the rest of the album and want to get another one too... What someone said earlier that its just really fun music is true, I like the beat and the guitars and even the lyrics are cool, it makes me want to dance! if this is what the 70s were like then I guess I missed out :) sounds like a great time for music.... I guess this means I like glam-rock music :) anyways Im happy I bought this and I listen to it alot, even if I am "new" to T-Rex :)

My All Time Favorite Album
This is one of my all time favorites - if not THE favorite album in my collection. I remember seeing a picture of Marc Bolan in the early 80's and thought to myself, man, this guy looks wild - I've got to hear what his music is like. Thus began my odyssey to get my hands on anything associated with Marc Bolan.
This album was the starting point - and it's a true gem. From the opening track, the hypnotic, sultry "Mambo Sun" to bombasitc guitars and violins on the closer "Rip Off", it's the perfect album - the centerpiece of UK Glam rock in the 70's.

Tony Visconti's involvement here brings the album full circle. The mix of Bolan's poems set to music mingled with Tony's production and orchestral arrangements are captured perfectly in "Cosmic Dancer," my favorite track on the album.

There's not a bad song here. If you're curious and want to know more about Marc Bolan and his band, T.Rex, look no further than this album.

... Read more

Amazon.com

In a few short years, the Clash transformed themselves from one of English punk's hardest-edged bands to an adventurous outfit with their hands in reggae, dub, dance, and funk. Nowhere is that range more evident than this collection of singles spanning their entire career, from the three-chord fury of "White Riot" through the swooning pop of "Train in Vain" to the dance groove of "Rock the Casbah." While no substitute for the likes of the self-titled debut, London Calling, or Sandinista!, The Singles does offer up a succession of tunes that helped make the Clash the world's biggest punk band. The addition of two tunes not released on any of their original albums ("Bankrobber" and "This Is Radio Clash") add to the value of this retrospective. --Rob O'Connor ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Not a good place to start and a pointless album
As far as The Clash is concerned this no-way a Definitive Collection and is quite disjointed in terms of continuity. Sure, it has the wellknown Punky tracks that brought fame to the Rock Foursome of Strummer/Jones/Simonon/Headon. Tracks such as White Riot, Tommy Gun, I Fought the Law, London Calling and Rock the Casbah are all on this album, however so are some forgetable B-side tracks with their 80 pop-esque feel that I am sure the band would rather not remember.

It is a rather pointless album - and should certainly not be thought of as a "Best of Album". If you are new to the music of the Clash, and wish to buy a compilation album: "From Here to Eternity" is a great "live" album and "The Story of the Clash (Vol 1)" is however probably your best bet. However if you concider yourself a diehard Clash "Punk" then you probably have most of their albums - which have these tracks, anyway - so this compilation isn't for you either.

Conclusion: A pointless collection, despite a few good tracks.

Good Introduction cd
If you have never heard the clash before or are interested in hearing thier music i say get this cd or London Calling- both are great cd's. Some of the best songs on this album are london calling, train in vain, i fought the law, Rock the casbah, and should i stay or should i go. Excellent collection of classics and Highly recomended.

A Good Compilation
This is a very good compilation of the clash. This contains all of their singles. It is not as good as the essencial clash. There are many great songs on this cd. Some of the very notable songs are White Riot, Clash City Rockers, I Fought The Law, London Calling, Train in Vain(Stand By Me), Rock the Casbah, Should I stay or should I go, and the highly overlooked This is radio clash. This is a great cd and i do recomend but I would recomend The Essencial Clash instead of this.

Pretty Good, But...
This is a good compliation. There's only one problem. If you star out on it, you're going to want to buy more. Trust me. I started on this compilation. I loved it so much, I ended up buying all their albums (except for Combat Rock.) The Clash are a life-changing kind of band.

Highlights include: White Riot, Complete Control, Clash City Rockers, White Man in Hammersmith Palais, Bankrobber, The Call Up, and Rock the Casbah.

a downhill rollercoaster ride
starts off strong and plummets in its dyre existence. i do not like the almost disco sound of the 80's clash. singles/best of cds should never be made. it spells two words. CASH IN. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Despite scoring only one sizable American hit ("Bang a Gong") during its lifespan, Marc Bolan's T. Rex was one of the most influential rock acts of the '70s. This 23-track, digitally remastered anthology moves from the band's original, late-'60s roots as Tyrannosaurus Rex to the acoustic neo-folk duo of Bolan and Steve Peregrin Took to its more familiar electrified early-'70s incarnation. While many of his U.K. peers were smitten with prog-rock excesses and album-length ruminations during that period, Bolan obsessed on the pop-single form, stripping his music down to the elemental rock hooks of "Ride a White Swan" and the minimalist cover of Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues." Coupled with a glam-era sense of style, his was a pop sensibility that presaged much of the succeeding waves of punk and new wave, hard rock and glam metal. Indeed, "Metal Guru" and "Children of the Revolution" now sound like clarion calls. If, as singles like "Gong," "Telegram Sam," and "Jeepster" indicate, Bolan was working from formula, it was an undeniably infectious one. And what could be more of an ironic tribute that a quarter-century after Bolan's untimely death in a car accident, his ballsy "20th Century Boy" became the soundtrack to a car advertising campaign? --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (14)

There was a Time-everything was fine!
Hip-O has put together an excellent collection of Marc Bolan and T-Rex material. Any serious collector will probably come up with a missing favorite cut of their own (Broken Hearted Blues, Lean Woman Blues, ETC) but for overall chronological progression you can't beat this offering. I was especially happy to see the studio version of Summertime Blues included here along with Ride a White Swan and Jewel. Cuts like Get it On, Hot Love, Jeepster and 20th Century Boy are expected. The Cuts that complete this collection for me is the full length versions of Raw Ramp and Elemental Child. The Re-mastering is excellent-extremely good quality. The inner booklet is full of insights on Marc Bolan and company, including Flo and Eddie. Bottom line on this CD is you need to get it. Whether your just wanting a Best CD or an opportunity to get some of those hard to find tunes. You should own Electric Warrior already along with Slider. This offering will do justice to a great glam rocker.

Bolan Knows How To Boogie
This is hands-down the best single disc T. Rex collection in print. You get a 16-page booklet with excellent liner notes, lots of terrific pictures, track-by-track info on release dates and album sources of all the songs (the only thing missing is peak chart positions), along with artwork and release dates of all of Marc Bolan's studio albums from 1968's "My People Were Fair..." through 1977's "Dandy in the Underworld."

And then there's the music...WOW! It's never sounded better. The first three tracks are from the late Sixties when Tyrannosaurus Rex consisted of Bolan and percussionist Steve Peregrine Took beginning with their first UK hits "Debora" (No. 34) and "One Inch Rock" (No. 28). Tracks 4-9 were all released in 1970 and feature Took's replacement Micky Finn. The new duo had their first Top Ten hit in the UK when "Ride a White Swan" reached No. 2. By 1971 T. Rex was a full guitar-bass-drums band and their first single was the UK No. 1 "Hot Love," (the first of many songs to feature backing vocalists Flo and Eddie). For the next two years T. Rextasy was in full swing and Bolan and company would hit the British Top Ten eight more times. [T. Rex would crack the U.S. Top 40 only once, when "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" hit No. 10 in 1972.]

While Bolan is closely linked with the glam rock movement, his bag full of Chuck Berry riffs and electric boogie made him one of the most influential artists of the Seventies. Kudos to the folks at Hip-O for including songs like "Ride a White Swan," "Hot Love" and "Raw Ramp" (which I previously only had on an out-of-print WB anthology on cassette). However, it would have been better if they had expanded this to a 2-CD set like some of their other releases (John Hiatt, Robert Palmer, etc.). As it is, there's a 3-year gap between 1973's "Twentieth Century Boy" and 1976's "I Love to Boogie." T. Rex hit England's Top 40 seven times during that period. This is a generous 75-minute anthology, but it wouldn't have been difficult to fill a second disc when you realize that more than a dozen UK singles from throughout Bolan's career were excluded. Don't Get me wrong, this is an excellent collection. But as a longtime fan, I can never get enough. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

great songs- but could have been a much better collection.
I picked this up on a whim, because I was a big Bowie fan, especially of his early 70s period, and I heard he owed a lot to Marc Bolan. And ever since then, I've been a huge Bolan fan. What can I say, the remastering job is excellent, and it does a great job following the development of the T. Rex sound- with the tracks in chronological order, it almost tells a story. So, why not five stars? I just couldn't give it five stars after I heard some of the songs it left out. As another reviewer said, this album would have you believe that T. Rex sucked between '73 and '75- and they did turn out mediocre albums- but those albums had a few great and forgotten songs. (the liner notes doesn't even mention his "funk" phase)It would have been nice for Hip-O to put these songs on here, especially since the albums they came from aren't that good. Instead, what we have are too many songs from Electric Warrior and Slider- not that those songs aren't great, it's that every song on those albums is great, so it's a little unnecessary to collect their "highlights" on to a best of disc. They could have eliminated a few of those, and maybe included "Truck On," "Dreamy Lady," "New York City" and "Celebrate Summer"- not because "Celebrate" comes from an especially bad album, but because being his last ever single, and one of his best, (though not very popular)deserves to be on the "ultimate" collection. Aside from that, it definitely does deserve props for the non-album songs on there, especially "Ride A White Swan." Despite my complaining, it was a good introduction to T. Rex, and it's still nice to have all those songs on one disc.

good stuff
This is very good. Here are a lot of good songs. And this is my only t.rex CD I have. I think one is enough. And I really recommend to try it, if you don't wanna buy the albums.

Glam Rock at its Best
T. Rex was an enormous commercial force for only 3 years (1971 through 1973), but its legacy is huge. Interest in the band has gone up and down over the years, but after 30 (!) years, they are still to be dealt with, and with reason.

In a short span, Mark Bolan (the creative force behind the band), gave us an unforgettable collection of songs, including "Hot Love", "Jeepster", "Telegram Sam", "Children of the Revolution", "Metal Guru", "20th Century Boy", and of course the best known of them all "Get It On (Bang A Gong)", remade many times since then. But when you go beyond those hits, you'll find many other jems, such as "Mambo Sun", "Planet Queen", "The Motivator", and "Monolith".

T. Rex was already on the way down before Mark Bolan's death in a car accident in 1977. Nevermind. This collection shows why the band remains relevant, after all these years. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Halloween and B-grade horror movies
This is possibly my favorite album, right next to Beastie Boys "Paul's Boutique" (yeah, pretty different). I can't fathom anyone not liking this album to some extent. Take away the deranged imagery and punk leanings and one's left with a collection of infectious pop songs that harkens back to the 50's/60's. On top of that, Glen Danzig has some of the best male vocals ever, reminiscent of both Elvis and Jim Morrison.

That aside, the Misfits definitely aren't for everybody. If you like The Ramones' style of punk, then there's a chance you'll dig the Misfits. But even then, most people can't stomach the pervasive horror imagery. I've known several that have gotten into this album only to eventually discover that the lyrics are way too sick and twisted for their tastes. But anyone that enjoys Halloween and B-grade horror movies will likely be able to find amusement in the lyrics rather than out and out revulsion. I mean, it's essentially camp! With the right state of mind this is fun, fun stuff.

This collection is the best place to start if you're new to the Misfits. "Bullet" is absolutely essential. That one song can single handedly horrify any JFK-loving baby-boomer. A graphic and macabre re-imagining of the former president's assassination, "Bullet" is possibly the most irreverent song ever recorded. "Teenagers From Mars" is another essential Misfits track. Just TRY not to sing along as the pubescent Martians invade and subjugate the human race. (An alternate version can be found on the formidable "Static Age" LP but this one's the version to kill for.) "Where Eagles Dare" is instantly likeable and was my first favorite Misfits song, along with "Die, Die My Darling". "Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight?", a song about a psycho killer that brings back body parts as souvenirs for his mother, rivals the flock for most demented lyrics. It's also the most hardcore song you'll ever want to hear (the live version on the "Walk Among Us" LP is riot-inducing).

The last five songs on this collection are from the "Earth A.D." LP, the final Misfits album that marks the point when Danzig starts taking himself and the band a little too seriously. As such these songs are not as fun as the ones that come before and nowhere near as melodic, but they aren't bad if you like hardcore punk.

Misfits: Collection I
The Misfit's Collection is possibly the worlds greatest CD ever. First of all, I had the wrong kind of introduction too the Misfits. I first bought Famous Monsters because it had a song named Scream and the cover was cool. Childish, eh? Well i liked it, i liked it alot. Then i did a search on them and saw their complete discography. Next time i had spare cash, i bought every misfits album i could find. Eventually i had every misfits title on both compact disc and vinyl (eBay). Now this, Collection II and Legacy of Brutality are probably the albums i listen too the most. Now first off, Glenn Danzig frigging rules. His voice is both smooth, haunting and angry - like a Rebellious Zombie Elvis, heh - if you can imagine that. I love all the tracks on here, every single one of them, but my favorites include: Bullet (Read the lyrics, it makes Eminem look like Barney singalong), London Dungeon (excellent, slower song for the Fit's and very dark), Were Eagles Dare (one of the catchiest sogns ever and awesome chorus), I Turned Into a Martian (Very catchy punk tune), Die, Die My Darling (awesome awesome song, very catchy, hard punker) and Horror Business (awesome, almost like an anthem). All the tracks here simply rule though, i mean it's The Misfits for the Crimson Ghost's sake! The Bottom line is - The Misfits own your soul, You should own this cd (all of them for that matter) and if you don't you should be shot.

Buy it if you can find it cheap
I've never been a huge Misfits fan, but I went ahead and bought this cd beacause I knew it had some of their better tracks. She, Hollywood Babylon, Bullet, Horror Business, Teenagers From Mars, and Vampira are some of the better songs on the cd. Songs such as London Dungeon, Ghouls Night Out, Mommy Can I Go Out And Kill Tonight, and Die Die My Darling just plain rip. This is a good cd but I wouldn't spend alot of money on it so try to find it cheap.

greatest greatest hits album
this is the best collection of Danzig-era misfits material. This is a great starting place for anyone interested, in fact static age might be better, as long as you don't get american psycho or famous monsters first. It was Danzig's band after all.

One Of The Greatest Bands Ever. Period.
How could anyone resist the Misfits. It's nearly immposible to not become unhealthily addicted to this band. Their sound is an ultra-catchy and fun, yet dark and heavy Ramones like punk song, but the lyrics about abusing household substances and brain surgery are replaced by those that reach into much darker territory. The music isn't depressing or gloomy like most music that people call dark is. The legendary lead singer Glenn Danzig, sounds like a punk rock Elvis from hell of types, that belts out vocals and "Whoooooooa's" like no other pubk vocalist. The music and the lyrics are ussually harsh and abbrasive, but they allways drop into a melodic section in the chorus that almost makes the song sound like a love song, and a damn scary one at that. The lyrics can be extremely offensive and gruesome, but nothing that will really make a hardened punk listener flinch, it's just not a band to listen to with your parents in the room.

Though this is a compillation, don't think of it as the ussual unjustifying and lacking compilation types that hardcore fans bash mercilessly, this provides a beyond excellent introduction and overview of the bands career with Danzig. They have a strange but highly entertaining tendancy to write about B-level horror films, which is on a lighter note than the songs about sexual abuse, serial killers, and generally songs about obbsesivly mutilating people.

Though you may be even better off getting Danzig's two essential works with the band "Walk Among Us" and "Static Age", this has the best of both worlds. There are a few obviuos classics missing like "Last Caress", "We Are 138", "Nike-a-Go-Go" and others, there is pretty much the best of both albums here, and most of those missing were included into "Collection 2". There isn't a whole lot from "Walk Among Us" on here, but what is on here, is some of the best stuff on the album. "Where Eagles Dare", "Teenagers From Mars", and almost anything else from that album is CLASSIC.

Well, I'm not sure what else to say besides that if you've never heard this band before, you need to hear them any way you can. This is a best bet for newbies, just avoid their stuff wiht Micheal Graves, who is currently disgracing the bands reputation. ... Read more

Album Description

With an impressive string of releases behind them and worldwide record sales closing in on two million, Sweden's Millencolin are back. "Kingwood" incorporates the driving melodies of their last album, "Home From Home" and looks back to the classic punk snarl of "Pennybridge Pioneers". "They've got massive, harmonious songs...in the classic tradition of The Descendents and Dag Nasty"--Kerrang. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Awesome
I really like Millencolin but Home From Home was...bad. There were like 4 good songs on there. But there was potential and that's why I got Kingwood and man is it an amazing cd. The songs actually sound different from eachother and they're just really catchy and much more punk than Home From Home. I really like every song on here the best are probably "Supernova" or "Novo"

another good album from Millencolin
This album is another pretty good attempt from millencolin. Like most of their albums, most if not all the songs are enjoyable to listen to and vary from fun songs to deep songs successfully

The track opens with 4 very decent songs, the second and third being very catchy with a pop punk hook that could entertain even the most elitist punk. These songs remind me of 'botanic mistress' where songs start off great and slowly peter out towards the end.

The only bad song on the album is track 9, im not sure what its trying to be, musically, but it sounds like a b side offspring reject.

Ray is another catchy song but with a weaker chorus. It falls down because the song tries to include too much attitude with the lyrics.

However the rest of the album doesnt fail to dissapoint. Millencolin, despite claiming theyve gone more punk than rock, have not left behind the greatness of songs like 'no cigar' and 'montego' for sellout punky songs. The songs at the end have genuine emotion and good lyrics, which hopefully will appeal to both punk and rock fans.

Good, but no cigar
Well, to me, this one for sure wasint there best, but still very good. I felt that after PennyBridge, they started to lose a little bit of touch. But there still very good and still my favorite band. So if you have time and money, do yourself a favor and buy this album, but buy penny bridge before, because it is much better.

millencolin finally returns
This CD is amazing. Great song structure and melodies. Lyrics are also some of the best I've heard from any rock band in years. This is quality stuff, whether you like Millencolin or not. Buy it now!

great return to form
I have to start by saying I was let down by Home From Home in a big way.It just felt to me like it was lacking in quality songs.Kingwood erases those disappointments by rocking hard from start to finish with catchy-as-hell songs and Nikola's best lyrics yet.Obviously they're still Nikola's lyrics so they're going to be a bit goofy, but they're from the heart and I think they're his most personal yet (aside from his solo album maybe).There's a couple fast tunes that remind me of the good old days, but the midtempo songs are not lacking in energy either.All around it's a great effort and although I can't put it in the same class as For Monkeys or Life on a Plate (yet, anyway), it is an excellent album and I whole-heartedly recommend it. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

What the hell is this? Though the two-record sprawl of London Calling--with its exploratory mutations of reggae, rockabilly, and even disco--proved that the Clash weren't content to lie fallow in a punk-rock ghetto, nothing prepares you for Sandinista's messy melange. For 36 tracks (the Clash originally released this as a three-record set for not much more than the price of one), the band tackles everything in sight, including waltz, gospel, disco, children's ditties, funk, reggae, dub, delicate instrumentals, psychedelic explorations--hell, they even play a Clash rocker or two. Though many have said there is a single great album hidden among the three here, it's the pure chutzpah of Sandinista that makes it such a particular pleasure and a brain drain at the same time. It's the document of a band that can do anything and tries to do everything. It's the glorious sound of failure. And if that ain't the Clash, what is? --Tod Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (115)

Best of the Clash, best of 80s, best of rock
Why I called it the best of rock? It is among 30 or 40 rock masterpieces that I know. Among them it is the longest, offering more brilliant songs than any other one. Sometimes songs from other album are not poorer, but their number is less. Notice: all the poorest songs of Sandinista are collected on the 1st disk. Don't be fooled, listen more! The 2nd and the 3rd disks are almost perfect.

List of masterpiece songs (my edition): Magnificient Seven; Junco Partner (+ its reprise Version Pardner); Something About England (+ its reprise Mensforth Hill); Crooked Beat (+Junkie Slip); One More Time (+One More Dub); Lightning Strikes; Corner Soul; If Music Could Talk (+Living In Fame); Equilizer; Call Up; Washington Bullets(+Silicone On Sapphire); Broadway; Charlie Don't Surf; Street Parade; Version City; Shepherds Delight.

The Leader, Somebody Got Murdered are the poorest. In comparison with other ones. The rest are quite good, good and very good.

And the last note. IMHO cult of the London Calling is the kind of mass psychosis.

quite good...
I think there are a few weak songs here, and there might be a tidge more mucking about than is really necessary, but there are also some true classics. The Call-Up is utterly brilliant--perhaps my favourite Clash song, it's powerful, haunting, and entirely gorgeous. One More Time isn't far off; I even like the dub version, although I think it was a mistake to put it right after the original version. Somebody Got Murdered, Lightning Strikes (Not Once But Twice), Police On My Back, The Equaliser, Ivan Meets GI Joe, and Washington Bullets are also great. Hell, even the gospel number The Sound of Sinners, which sounds like a very, very bad idea on paper, turns out to be quite good.

As I said before, it's not perfect--some of the songs, especially on the second disc, kind of blend together, and it also features two of the greatest travesties ever perpetrated upon mankind; i.e., a little girl mangling Guns of Brixton (at the end of Broadway) and the--gack--*children's choir* version of Career Opportunities. Still, it's a great album in all. The Clash were easily punk's most significant band, and this does a fine job of showing why.

it's sounds like early BAD to me.
this is my favorite clash album of all time. only thing was, it was on eight track. man, i hated that freakin (clunk clunk) right in the middle of a song you were really digging. can't wait to hear it on cd. if you like this you'll love Big Audio Dynamite. pura vida, steve

The nadir
When I think back on the first time I heard this album, I remember saying to myself, "That's it. It's truly over. Punk, Clash, everything is gone". This gruesome, indulgent, unnecessary and plain awful album was the nail in the Clash's coffin, as far as I was concerned. Somewhere in all these tracks is a decent e.p., if you remember those. "The Magnificent Seven", "Washington Bullets", "The Call Up" are okay tunes. If I could find three or four others, maybe there would be an e.p. On the other hand, just looking back at the songlist on this album is depressing me over 20 years later.

5 Stars for its Conception, despite the Mixed Results
Anytime you hear anyone talking about the greatest album in rock history with at least a dozen songs that they can't bear to listen to, you should immediately think of the Clash's masterpiece of musical diversity, "Sandinista!". Those who are only familiar with this band through the remarkable "London Calling" or their commercial breakthrough "Combat Rock" will undoubtedly be perplexed by the stupefying array of musical directions taken during this two CD set from 1980.

No matter what you think as a listener, the stylistic mélange has a definite purpose: to show the universality of fundamental human concerns about oppression, violence, poverty, and despair, and also the universality of music itself, as an expression of these concerns. As The Only Band That Matters, the Clash's main strength has always been their songwriting: indignant, sardonic, but always heartfelt in their concern for the downtrodden. Anthems such as "Magnificent Seven", "Up In Heaven", "Police on My Back", and "The Call Up" are equal to anything in the band's oeuvre, and still serve to remind us of the ideals that once made rock music seem relevant. And sure it's tempting to skip over the more off-the-wall selections (some of which foreshadow the coming of so-called "world music" and some of which are just plain annoying), but that's taking the easy way out, and at this point in their career, the Clash just wasn't ready to do that. Perhaps we shouldn't either.

But the simple fact is that most listeners today are less interested in the band's politics than in the music itself, and that's where the album's diversity can be problematic. How many of us can honestly say that we're strongly connected to all the various musical styles that the Clash attempt over the course of these disks? To this reviewer's ears, the rock and funk tracks still stand up very well, but what is to be made of the band's forays into dub, Irish folk music, calypso, the minuet, cocktail jazz, etc.? Whether you can hang with these tracks or not, it's hard not to admire the sheer audacity of it all, but that doesn't mean you'll want to listen to every song whenever you put on this CD. But despite the presence of material you might never want to hear again, the good stuff on this album is too great to ignore. I've found that an 80-minute CD is enough to hold all the real winners on this album, plus enough of the better oddities (not every experiment is a failure) to preserve the flavor of the complete work.

Now more than ever, we mustn't forget that there's a whole world of people suffering out there, and what diminishes them diminishes us, because we're all living in the same global village. This multifarious work of musical art is a powerful reminder of their plight. And ours. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A two-for-one combo of the first two Big Star albums (they only recorded three). Heard side by side, #1 Record and Radio City only add further testament to Big Star's seminal greatness. On the first album, Chris Bell and Alex Chilton share songwriting credit, though each brings a remarkably different sensibility to the band: Bell creates pure pop nuggets ("Feel") while Chilton swaggers with reckless melancholy ("Ballad of El Goodo," "Thirteen."). After Bell's departure, Chilton took control of the helm for Radio City, and what a ride it is. While not abandoning Bell's penchant for pop, Radio City careens wildly through some of the most exhilarating music ever created, from the rave-up opener, "O My Soul," to the pure pop masterpiece "September Girls" to the whimsical ditty "I'm in Love with a Girl." It's too bad that Big Star didn't create more albums, but thank God they made the ones they did. --Tod Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Incredibly Fresh Music
Great hooks, jangly guitars, beautiful harmonies ... the quintessence of power-pop. Big Star, more so than many of its contemporaries (e.g., the Raspberries and Badfinger), has defined the genre in the two amazing albums comprising this disc.

On #1 Record, there's the inevitable Lennon/McCartney comparison between Alex Chilton and Chris Bell ... Chilton the bluesy, cynic and Bell the sycophant of sweet melody. It works almost as well as Macca and Dr. O'Boogie. These two guys play off one another in a psychological and visceral game of "can you top this?" For me, #1 Record is the better of the two albums since I'm a sucker for power-pop in its purest form.

Radio City finds Big Star sans Chris Bell (for the most part) due to manic depressive illness. Accordingly, the record is more aggressive and steeped in the blues than its predecessor since it's Alex Chilton's baby. The British bent that Chris Bell brought to the band is somewhat reduced (but does not disappear altogether) in favor of a more "American" sound. This makes it an extremely interesting musical document since one hears the beginnings of a hybrid sound that had yet to be understood or even defined at the time. One might even say it was "experimental" for its era. The result, in both cases, is music that sounds as fresh today as when it was recorded.

The fact that Big Star didn't receive the fame it deserved is yet another black mark on the music industry (and there are a plethora of them given its current, sad state)... distribution conflicts and lack of promotion doomed the band to failure even before they got started. It's a shame, really. While they might have been so much more than they were, what they left us in recorded form is a testament to their indomitable will to create.

Outside of the Beatles, this is Power-Pop heaven!
#1 Record/Radio City are the first two albums by Memphis, Tennessee Power-Pop group Big Star combined on one CD; and an awesome CD it is! There is an abundance of A-level songs here: "September Gurls", "Feel", "Back Of A Car", "My Life Is Right", "You Get What You Deserve", "In The Street", "Thirteen", and "The Ballad Of El Goodo".

Chris Bell and Alex Chilton both demonstrate considerable genius as songwriters and vocalists. The two singer-songwriters have somewhat different personalities, but they compliment each other well. Bell has a little more of a fragile sounding voice and songwriting persona while Chilton has a more swaggering persona and a scruffier voice. Drummer Jody Stephens also plays a huge role in the band with his Keith Moon style drumming very prominent in most of the songs.

Chilton's "September Gurls" and "You Get What You Deserve"; and Bell's "My Life Is Right" are the most memorable songs here in my opinion though several others are close in quality, and none of the 24 songs are bad.

If your a fan of Beatlesque pop you should check this out!

They'll Show You Somehow
Anyone familiar with the mid-sixties pre-psychedlic Beatles is no doubt going to get a kick out of this stuff, especially given that one of its main singer-songwriters, Alex Chilton sings so much differently than he had in the Box Tops. Never the conformist, Chilton actually walked off the stage of a Box Tops gig saying he didn't want to be controlled as the sixties came to a close with so many creative artists making an impact. Later in the seventies, when questioned by a Long Island Radio jock about making "anachronistic music" and what his career had become, Alex summed it up with a curt "pretty scummy". Before this revelation, Big Star blessed the few with #1 Record, a culmination of the very best both he and a spaced out Memphis Anglophile named Chris Bell could muster in the way of perfectly crafted songs. While progressive rock became snottier, more lugubrious and about all that would play on FM radio, Big Star made a record of melodic sheen (In the Street, India Song, Ballad of El Goodo), gloriously juxtaposing sentiment in the lovliest of adolescent ballads, Thirteen, followed by the nuclear holocaustic Dont Lie to Me. It is there where #1 Record is fully realized. They perfected the experiments by earlier similar bands like the Nazz, Raspberries and Badfinger by making the acoustic guitars sound that much more earnest and crisp and making their rockers snarl that much louder. They even address their apparently deep spirituality in El Goodo, My Life Is Right, Try Again and Watch the Sunrise without the clockwork zealot righteousness found in most clergical music. They capture genuine and desperate human conflict of not being holier than thou. With Bell's tortured spirituality coming unglued as the second side of the record came to an end, chronicled on Try again and ST 100/6, Big Star ends their one perfect Pop rock masterpiece on a forboding note.
To make matters more interesting, they actually make there next record Radio City better by making it more haphazard and slightly deranged. Given that their next and last record Third/Sister lovers is basically down to Chilton falling to pieces, we have the 2nd record, in subsequent listens, sound like the last gasp for sanity with loads of sinister slop creeping its way in to their pop. While the Beatles melted into psychedlia, Big Star chose a more downward spiral in Radio City attributed in large part to booze and narcotics rather than hallucinogens. Chris Bell had minimal imput and was out of the group to cope with drugs, depression and suicide, while Alex continued to chronicle their personal mess. One gets an inebriated feel from the rollicking stop-start number O' My Soul and the crunchy She's a Mover, then descend into an almost completely bottomed out feel of the Third Album with Daisy Glaze, only to watch it explode as if the song was Stairway to Heaven with a Mandrax prescription. The best cuts on Radio City are the closest to #1 Record. Both Back of A Car and September Gurls have a candid sexual tension in the lyrics and some of the most perfect melodies and hooks committed to rock n'roll. The very moment when Chilton sings "OOOh when she makes love to me!", on September Gurls and launches into an orgasmic jangling guitar run is pop perfection. These two records combined for an affordable must buy for anyone with a rudimentary understanding of popular music. With virtually no distribution by their original label Ardent, many who own this treasure may have otherwise never heard it. Now it's your chance to do the right thing when you go to the record store to buy Hoobastank, the Calling or Ashlee Simpson; get this record instead and while you're at it, buy those other acts a copy. Chances are the ones responsible for grooming these acts may have been trying to replicate Big Star's craft ever since. Oh that's right, Big Star didn't have a stylist. But they had a need to paint their hearts on anyone's ear who heard them instead of their nails by someone making 6 figures to do it. They didn't really need it, they were Big Star!

white dwarf music
when i first heard this music, i was so excited. here, then, was the greatest rock 'n' roll band of them all. maybe not the best hard rock band, or the best pop rock band, but as far as rock 'n' roll went, who could top this? it was genuine, simple, catchy, anthemic, well-produced-but-not-overly-produced...but just a few years later, i never EVER listen to it anymore. i realize now that what impressed me so much was the purity of it. a purity that, let's face it, could also be called "middle-of-the-road". it's TOO simple, TOO catchy. there's just not enough here to keep me coming back. it's predictable, and that's a shame, because in a lot of ways, this was a great band. they just didn't have many great songs...

big star
i have lived in memphis tn.for many years when i first heard of big star about 1985 they were all ready mythical band.i seeked out jody stephens who works for ardent records today i called him and my jounery with big star began,i attented thier first reunion in columbia mo.in 1993 with john hour and ken stringfellow along with jody and alex it's was some experience ill never for get it seek out the live lp on zoo recoreds might be avaiable on amazon.com?
there is rumor that the show was video taped along with 5 songs from that show that was never released sound board quality.
anyhow any one thinking of this lp should but it and enjoy one of the greatest bands ever.i have all the big star stuff in my car it is a fresh today as it was when it was written.the song watch the sunrise beautiful song most don't know that there is a alternative to that song called country morn.written by chris bell,all instro sound beautifull seek out back of a car magazine
the second issue has a felxy disc of that song worth seeking out.
so allll enjoy lay back listen t oa wonderfull band once you listen you will be hooked forever!!!
by the way big star is mixing a new lp right now first in 25 years should be great and rumor is that the orginal bass player(andy hummel)might be playing on a few tracks now if only chris were here.by the way chris has a lp on zoo records also solo stuff look for it amazon .com might still carry it
enjoy all ... Read more

Amazon.com

Minutemen's Double Nickels on the Dime is a masterwork of American indie rock, a sprawling, 42-song explosion of terse, revolutionary rock & roll. Rifling through a kind of lurching punk-funk, this San Pedro, California, trio poses philosophical questions, mocks love-song clichés and Michael Jackson, covers CCR and Van Halen, and gets drunk on "Jesus and Tequila"--all of it brought to life by the jazzy, popping bass of Mike Watt; the rifle-shot fills of drummer George Hurley, and the staccato guitar and impassioned cries of the late D. Boon, whose voice will forever insist: "No hope? See, that's what gives me guts." --David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Just Wake Up!
Strap this on and get yer brains blown back!! The hottest album of the 80's with absolutely no rivals. I found this as a young teen and thought it looked cool. I had no idea what it was. My first thought was that they were just bad musicians with bad haircuts. For some reason, I stuck with this record, though at the time it was way over my head. I could not stop listening to it nonetheless, and just figured I was a weird-o. Almost 20 years later, my lord does this stand up! This is an absolute must for anyone between the ages of 16-40. Gritty, heavy, and oh-so jazzy. PURE POWER!

As an adult, the first thing that you notice about these cats is that they are smarter than you. They are also much, much braver. Minutemen fearlessly burn through country, folk, funk, punk, jazz, latin, rock, disco and will bust your as* in about 30 seconds flat. I still have no idea how a bunch of YOUNG(!) jitterbugs made this record. This is probably the greatest album ever recorded. 100% raw from tip-to-tail. All burners. One of the those seriously RARE records you can just put on, front to back, with no dry spots.

This D. Boon guy is so sensational words fail me. He wrote songs that shaped my life. His voice, lyrics and playing set a tone for my youth. I used to gaze at the album art all night doing shots of Popov. I couldnt figure out who this guy was. His voice was pretty awful, his guitar-work was sloppy as all get-out, and best of all, he was really fat & sweaty.....how did his sausage fingers play those blazing scales & leads?? Holmes would rock-out till the wheels fell off, and probably got paid about 50 bucks to make this masterpiece. What I am trying to say here is that this was the most righteous dude to ever play music. An unbelievable loss. Thank you, D. Boon. Words are not enough.

As young bucks, my brother, cousin & I used to spin the grooves off this joint. It was the "coin of the realm" and we knew every phrase, chord, and line on it. Nobody we knew had even heard of Minutemen, so we just had to sack-up and form our own little squad. We were so absorbed in this thing, it wasnt even worth trying to turn some other 15 year-old on to it. It just didnt translate. We literally idolized these guys. The outfits alone were so terrific it made your head spin.

If you found your way to this album review, I IMPLORE you to buy this cd, and before it arrives, go out and buy the vinyl (and a turntable if you have to) as well. Then buy every other album you can find by Minutemen. This CD has been chopped up to make it fit on one disk, and many tracks are faded out early, to my huge disappointment. YOU NEED THIS FOR YOUR CAR, though, dont get me wrong! You absolutely HAVE to have this record on vinyl to experience it properly. The liner notes/artwork really add spice to it. DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS.....nuts&sorbe

The only album you really need!
I bought the LP in 1985 and fell in love; already had PROJECT MERSH, but it barely prepared me for DOUBLE NICKELS ON THE DIME. I agree with the politics--not everybody does. You'd have to be tone deaf, though, not to hear the pure superiority of these 3 guys. Mike Watt alone just makes me want to pound my head on the floor in amazement. He and George are even ahead of Foxton and Buckler in the early-80s rhythm section sweepstakes, and if you know those names you know what I mean. But D. was the front man and he put it over the top, with guitar, vocals, and lyrics. They covered every base except maybe the old fashioned love song. The only downside here is the limitation to the CD version. The LP is still in print, still sounds flawless, and has all the songs. The pictures are bigger too! The price of a good second-hand turntable is justified to get the whole package, so make amazon.com stock the LP, and get it. My personal CDs are copies of that same old 17 year old LP, and I'm luckier than you are. I still remember the feeling I had when I heard about D. and I still can't believe this was supposed to be an answer to Husker Du's double album, and the Minutemen didn't even need a 14 minute instrumental to pad it out. Better than EXILE ON MAIN ST., better than THE BLANTON-WEBSTER BAND, better than THE SUN SESSIONS, better than PIANO QUINTET IN F MINOR OPUS 34. It's better than ROCKET TO RUSSIA!! If you don't understand, you lose.

no.1
nothing compares to this...... Song after song of one minute funk-punk-jazzy brilliance.If anyones heard anything like "toadies" these days i have to be notififed!

One of the Best Records of All Time! Jam Econo!
The Minutemen were an amazing trio from San Pedro, CA. They took rock, jazz, blues and punk, deconstructed it and put it back together again in the most wonderful ways. Though most Minutemen songs were brief, each one is a satisfying composition that will leave you hungry for more. Musically, The Minutemen were like a well-oiled machine. Drummer George Hurley absolutely has to be the tightest drummer I ever witnessed live. Bassist Mike Watt truly is one with his bass. To hear his mastery over the instrument, you can only assume he came out of the womb with it! Singer/guitarist D. Boon's heartfelt, thoughtful lyrics and his commitment to the musical ideals he believed in have always served as an inspiration to me in my own musical endeavors. His honesty, integrity and imagination really helped me to realize what punk rock really meant. D. Boon never seemed like a guitar hero to me. He seemed like an older brother who took you under his wing, imparted words of wisdom upon you and gave you the idea that you were free to listen to anything you wanted, achieve anything you wanted or be anything you wanted to be. D. Boon's senseless, tragic death (he was killed in a car accident) was an unbelievable loss. God bless D. Boon!

This imaginative masterpiece was recorded in a relatively short period of time and features 43 cuts (45 on the original vinyl LP) that range in style from punk to country to funk to pretty much all points in-between and they cover such wild stylistic ground so effortlessly! Not one track on the album is a throwaway or a disappointment! Some of my favorite tracks here include "Jesus & Tequila", "This Ain't No Picnic", "Glory of Man" and "#1 Hit Song" but rest assured, every track is a winner and your particular favorites will probably differ from mine and from anyone else who holds this record near to their heart. Trust me, if you are debating buying this, do so now! This record cannot mean so much to so many people if it wasn't good!

First and Last Review
This album stands alone as the most innovative, independent, truely punk spirited made. How do I know this? I was there. It's interesting to hear reviews from younger folks as they try and disseminate this album and compare it to their "vast" knowledge of what they consider punk. Punk, as most of us here know, doesn't exist anymore, in either music or spirit. It came and went. What is considered punk nowadays is but a marketing ploy. Korn? Gimme a break. Borrowed bass lines from Mike Watt. Loudness is not punk. Screaming is not punk. Speed is not punk. Angry words are not punk. Not selling albums is not punk. Punk is an archeological artifact. So no more present tense talk about it, OK? Just put this one on the turntable, sit back and listen to 1984......car engines and all. ... Read more