Amazon.com

Just as Green Day aped the Ramones, their contemporaries in this Southern California punk quartet aspired to be the Clash. But also like Green Day, Rancid's fresh approach and excellent songs (including the ska-punk MTV hit "Time Bomb" and the anthemic "Roots Radicals") rose far above tribute-band level. And poet Jim Carroll (The Basketball Diaries) adds spoken-word stream-of-consciousness to the dour "Junkyman." While 19 songs makes this 1995 CD drag on a bit too long, Wolves is evidence of punk rock's relevance a full two decades after the Sex Pistols. --Steve Knopper ... Read more

Reviews (214)

A VERY , VERY GOOD PUNK ALBUM
Until the first 12 songs , this one was headed for a full 5 stars. But the last pieces somewhat lack the consistency of the first two thirds of the album .

Nevertheless , I will highly recommend this one , particularly for those interested in punk rock , and most particularly those interested in knowing what is punk rock NOW , twenty-some years after the Sex Pistols , Clash , Damned and Ramones first stormed into the musical scene , creating a musical and social earthquake of unimagined and gigantic proportions .

Rancid is , no doubt , a rightful heir to those bands , as a matter of fact their Clash influences show everywhere throughout the album , but this is not something to be ashamed of , on the contrary they pick where the Clash left and follow the same line , but they sound fresh , not just a replica .

Probably most people will only know "Time bomb" since MTV aired the video somewhat frequently a few years ago . A good song indeed , but a few others match this one : particularly "Olympia , WA" , "Junkie man" ,"The 11th. hour" , "Ruby Soho" and the hidden gem "Journey to the end of the East Bay" .

All in all , a good CD , highly recommendable . Rancid is a honest , down-to-earth band with their feet standing firmly in the punk rock foundations , but not limited to nostalgia .

This was my first Rancid experience . I plan to buy one or more CDÂ's from them , since I believe itÂ's well worth it .

Would've been 3 if it wasn't rancid
I give this CD 3.5 stars. I didn't know whether to put 3 or 4, but seeing as it was my beloved Rancid, I decided on 4. I love Rancid, and I love all of their albums, except this one, which I just LIKE. Don't get me wrong . . . I have played this album repeatedly since I got it, but there are a few songs I always skip (particularly the HORRIBLE Maxwell Murder, which doesn't even sound like Rancid), whereas with the other albums, there is not a single bad track. The album in general though, is good - quite fast paced, REAL punk, with some good ska thrown in too. As Wicked, The War's End, and Roots Radicals are probably the best tracks. I can also appreciate Ruby Soho, although it sounds a little bit more commercial (but not poppy) than the usual Rancid. So, you should buy Out Come The Wolves, but buy Rancid's other albums first.

i wont get sick of this for a long time
this is a good album for youger people just getting into rancid.
when i got this album i listened to it so many times and i didnt get sick of it like i normally would. It is melodic and has good choruses.there is some great bass playing also. best songs are junkie man back to olympia and journey to the end.

joe-bob
this cd is so awsome i almost crap my pants i think about listening to it!!!!!!1 when listen to it i feel more sex than before. i want rancid to make 4 or 5 more cds that sound just like it!!!!!11

good but as punk as they can be
rancid is a cool band but this album made them seem like there fading away but we can still listen 2 10 or 11 good songs on this album ... Read more

Amazon.com

Three Japanese gals with tenuous command of the English language but a definite knowledge of good ol' garage trash & roll. Unlike many of their retro cohorts who recreate the sound and feel of '60s psych pop and punk, the 5.6.7.8's romp through '50s-styled raves with panache. What they lack in vocals they make up for in musical proficiency. All six tunes are outstanding. --Adem Tepedelen ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Crazy Fun Surf/Garage Rock
I realize how wrong this sounds, but for many years rock has suffered badly from a lack of total stupidity. Think about it (yes, I also see the irony in analyzing the importance of stupidity in American music). In the early days, rock was mindless to the point of incoherence - and it was fun. Where have you gone, Wooly Bully? Come back, Louie Louie (but only the versions where you can't tell what they're saying). Alas, Surfin Bird ("B-B-B-Bird, bird, bird. Bird is the word") has flown. The poetry of "A wop bop a lu bop, a lop bam boom" - who writes that for us now? Nowadays, rockers are just not willing to get that stupid. Blame Dylan, if you must, but the fun-o-meter has been running on empty for years.

Well, after seeing The 5.6.7.8's performance in Kill Bill, Vol 1, I am thrilled that our long national nightmare is over. In lieu of domestic incoherence, we can now revel in the linguistic and cultural confusion that have made Japanese horror movies almost as hysterically funny as the English translations of electronics product manuals. In The 5.6.7.8's, we have a female Japanese power trio attempting to recycle the Ronettes hair-do's and matching dresses circa 1962, surf guitar, ambiance from Shindig, and lyrics that I truly hope they cannot even remotely comprehend. Not that most of these lyrics are comprehensible in any known language.

Take the title cut of this all-too-short EP, "Bomb The Twist." When they scream "C'mon everybody, Bomb the Twist!" it is at once impossible and irrelevant to know whether the band's intentions are to celebrate the Twist, destroy it, dance it with extreme enthusiasm, or whether we are hearing blissful randomness from folks who don't speak the language but enjoy how the words sound (personally, I believe "all of the above" is the correct answer). Totally rock & roll. This may just be the most anarchic fun possible in under three minutes time.

The obvious choice for a band like this is to cover nonsense songs from back in the day, and this EP features the old chestnut "Woo Hoo," the Rock-A-Teens' one hit wonder re-made famous by The 5.6.7.8's performance in Kill Bill. Since the only lyrics consist of "woo" and "hoo," it is universal, international, meaningless and incoherent. There is no angst in woo, nor any in hoo. Especially not with the chirpy delivery here. And the lyrical content is even lower in "Jane in the Jungle," which sounds about exactly like you'd expect from the title. Jungle noises, whoops and guitars. Speaking of guitars, consider "Guitar Date," in which we learn that when you date a Japanese girl, you should bring your guitar - that's all these girls seem to remember.

Not everything here works. The remake of The Coasters "Three Cool Cats" (now gender-altered to "Three Cool Chicks") shows The 5.6.7.8's are much better at Dick Dale and the Kingsmen than Gene Vincent. Similarly, "Dream Boy" indicates that tough girls should leave the swooning poodle skirt stuff to Leslie Gore. But the other cuts are devastating, and despite frequent comments that The 5.6.7.8's are "primitive," the lead guitarist has all the chops needed for this genre and the drummer is terrific. Fun, fun, fun.

Refreshing
Thanx again Quentin. When you think you heard it all he comes up with the 5,6,7,8's. Who? Well Kill Bill did it for me. So whenever you feel bored with todays or for that matter any music listen to "Guitar Date". That's what it's all about.

Just a lot of fun.
"Woo Hoo" pretty much sums up the album. Although I am very familure with the J-Pop scene, I had never run across this group before Kill Bill. But I am so happy that they were included in the movie. There music just brings a smile to your face when you hear it.

Woo Hoo!
Bomb the Twist is fifteen minutes of fun with "Three Cool Chicks". The 5, 6, 7, 8's bring it with six tracks that are very hard to rank by favorites. If I had to pick three favorites on the CD, I'd have to say the fiery title track, "Bomb the Twist", followed by "Dream Boy" and "Guitar Date".

When I got the CD, I was thrilled to find out that "Woo Hoo" was on the CD. I bought the CD right after I saw "Kill Bill", and they played "Woo Hoo" in the restaurant scene in that movie. I can't get enough of "Woo Hoo" or the 5, 6, 7, 8's. I'm here to pick up another CD tonite.

Three cool chicks...
Is this a great album?...No. Is it a fun album?...Yes!!!. I discovered the 5,6,7,8's while browsing music here at Amazon.com. I started out with their more recent CD "Teenage Mojo Workout" and liked it enough to purchase this one. Their English isn't the best but I kind of like it that way...it adds a unique flavor to the music. Instrumentally they are sound and capture the sound of 50's style rock. My favorite cuts on this CD are Bomb the Twist, Three Cool Chicks, and Dream Boy. These girls sing and play their heart out and I appreciate it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Gang of Four went disco, Mission of Burma went deaf--and the Clash? Well, the Clash just went, but Fugazi have managed to escape the pitfalls that befell their predecessors. In fact, the Washington D.C. band formed by Minor Threat's Ian MacKaye and Insurrection's Guy Piccotto may well have become the world's most reliable source of no-sellout noise-pop. 13 Songs brings together the two 1989 EPs that first introduced the group's unique hybrid of hardcore, funk, and art-rock. And while Fugazi's music has since grown in sophistication, fan favorites such as "Waiting Room" and "Margin Walker" are early indicators that something decent can come out of our nation's capital. --Bill Forman ... Read more

Reviews (51)

The introduction of post-hardcore.
Fugazi is the fusion of two great 80's bands--the legendary straightedge hardcore act Minor Threat (led by Ian McKaye) and Rites Of Spring (fronted by Guy Piccoto). The result is perhaps one of the most original bands out there.

Fugazi has a pretty unique sound, and describing them is difficult. Are they hardcore, like Minor Threat? Not really, though they lean that way at times (especially on In On The Kill Taker). In 13 Songs, one can hear strong dub and art-rock influences along with their punk ethos. The band shows mastery of dynamics, using a wide variety of tempos and delivery. The lyrics take on similar topics as Minor Threat, but tend to be deeper and more abstract. So, what is Fugazi? I'd say simply "great."

13 Songs is grafted together from two EPs, but still feels coherent like it was recorded in one sitting. Although the material presented here is not as sophisticated as their later stuff, this is one hell of an awesome debut and possibly their most consistent effort ever. Waiting Room, Bulldog Front, Burning, Margin Walker, And The Same, Provisional, and Promises are all Fugazi standards, and the rest of this album is solid with lots of rocking basslines, great shared vocals from Ian and Guy, and sheets of angry guitar.

In short, this is punk for the thinking man. I highly recommend it, along with later albums Repeater, In On The Kill Taker, and The Argument.

What alternative really means
The term "alternative" should be used to describe music like this. Rather than being used on anything with distorted guitars, it should describe music that is actually alternative and different from what other people are doing. Well, that is EXACTLY what Fugazi is. 13 Songs is a strange, fascinating ride you won't regret taking.

If you are a fan of Minor Threat, you'll probably be checking this CD out because Ian McKaye is Fugazi's frontman. That's how I heard about Fugazi anyways. But don't buy this thinking it'll harcore punk in the Minor Threat vein - it's not. It's something totally different. While there is without a doubt a punk sound to it, it's not really a punk album. Fugazi is really hard to describe: just buy it. It's good.

The lyrics can be a little strange. Many say they are insightful but unfortunately I think some of them are saying that because they have no idea what they mean. The lyrics of Fugazi don't make their points as blatantly as Minor Threat did (compare a song like "Out of Step" to "Provisional"). The music is catchy and quite funky on a lot of songs, but with punk bite to spare.

To close, buy 13 Songs. It's one of the better CDs of real alternative you can buy. The highlights include "Waiting Room", "Suggestion", "Margin Walker", "And the Same", "Burning Too", and "Promises." Don't miss out on Fugazi.

Old school
My friend burnt me this album from her cd collection, and when I saw them, I knew this guys would be good. This cd is awsome, a pure classic. If you like bands like Minor Threat then this is the cd for you. Every song is awsome

If I were Gay, I'd totally do Ian McKaye
Ian McKaye is god. I mean lets face it. He's done more for humanity than Jesus, Muhammad or any of those fakers. He totally rules. Minor Threat rocked, Ian has maintained integrity in the scummy world that is the music business, plus Dischord Records was cool for about 3 years.

13 Songs extended His greatness back in '90. Absolutely no one sounded quite like them. They had great songs like "Waiting Room", "Bad Mouth", and "Burning Too". 13 Songs has the best Fugazi song of them all, "Suggestion". I tend to perfer the songs that Ian sings, than Guy's. Don't feel sorry for Guy because he's kind of like Jesus.

and don't worry what the other people see it's nothing
amazing, incredible... i absolutely love this cd. and yes the quote in the title is from Repeater, not this album. . . ian mackaye is incredible.. tho u may not like fugazi just based on liking minor threat. fugazi really sounds nothing like minor threat, other than ian's singing, which is awesome. every song on this cd's great. it has taken me months to fully appreciate this cd so dont give up on it after just one listen, because eventually most likely u will see the wonder of this cd. waiting room, bad mouth, suggestion, margin walker, and the same, burning too, provisional, lockdown, and promises are my favorite songs. Basicaly the entire cd is my favorite songs. I also own repeater and killtaker and love them as well, but for anyone new to fugazi i would recommend buying this album first, you won't be disappointed.... one of the best albums of the century support dischord records ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Like a futuristic Of Montreal, perhaps even better...
The twisted pop tunes that dance from mind-boggling hook to mind-boggling hook within seconds, the dually hilarious and morbid lyrics, the energy, the synths... my God, if a debut album were ever to set insurmountable expectations, this is it. Perhaps the most shamelessly fun band since Of Montreal, The Unicorns' (who are, in fact, of Montreal) debut is the kind of danceable pop album that is deep enough to keep an indie geek fascinated for months while also being accessible enough for your ailing grandmother not to complain about that god awful racket coming from Fraust's room. It's an elated frenzy of sugary death, guaranteed to rot your teeth and your flesh, without giving you a second to catch your breath. Now, of course, I realize all Amazon customer reviews are hyperbolic nonsense, and yes, I realize that only people with glowing opinions even bother to write them... but trust me, this album is sure to knock your socks off (or at least jostle them forcefully).

Cheeky and Irreverent
Maybe the rap rock reviewer was onto something. Maybe the author had an inside joke he had to tell and didn't care if the rest of us got it. In that case the reviewer accurately summed the spirit of WWCOHWWG. Musically the album is the farthest thing from rap rock. But it's also pretty far from traditional pop with its shifting song structures and playful use of multiple instruments that creates a sound that harkens back to Pavement (ala Slanted and Enchanted). Actually, take Pavement of 1992 replace the slacker pose with a cheeky Canadian sense of humor, replace fuzz and distortion with a synthesizer you'd get the Unicorns.
That aside...My theory is there was a car accident in Montreal we never heard about. One where the Ween tour van sideswiped the Pavement tour van and these three guys were the only witnesses.

quirky indie fun
Everyone I've played this album for has laughed at least once. The music, the lyrics, its ridiculious- and in a good way. The songs are catchy and entertaining, the lyrics are smart, and their general attitude will leave you wondering what just happened.

Blow your head on the turn of the fan
If you don't have this album yet, you are behind the times. No, really. This is one of the best new groups I've heard in a long time. I've had this since it came out in March and I play it all the time still, even despite my shor attention span. Funny, laugh-out-loud lyrics, and great music that's for sure not going to bore you. Guitars, synthesizers, even a flute! I say, William, clap your hands now!! This will be a cult classic. Stay away if you are mainstream.

pretty damn good
I just found out who the Unicorns were a couple of days ago, and they are catchy as hell. The songs are humorous, but the vocals and the melodies, as well as the catchy drum beats sort of make this band a unique result. Some songs are beautiful, and if you would delete the lyrics, you'd think this band was dead serious, and not singing about ghosts. I love it. ... Read more

Album Description

With her instinct for melody, lyrics and deep-sinking emotional hooks, and having already opened for the likes of David Gray and Ed Harcourt, Rachael Yamagata has started a ground swell of anticipation for her debut 'ep'.Produced by Malcolm Burn (of EmmyLou Harris, Bob Dylan, and Patti Smith fame), the 'ep' reveals an emotional vulnerability that has drawn comparisons to the likes of Fiona Apple, Norah Jones and Sarah McLachlan - yet Rachael Yamagata is truly an artist in her own right. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Simplicity
A smoky voice and lovelorn songs are the heart of Rachael Yamagata's debut EP, a promising mix of vulnerable jazzy-pop with a hint of blues. Yamagata may be compared to established singers like Norah Jones or Fiona Apple, but the flavor of her songs is all its own.

Yamagata starts off on a strong note with the sad, cello-laden "Collide," before shifting to the catchier "Known For Years" and the fast-paced "Worn Me Down" ("Worn me down to my knees/I did anything to please/But you can't stop thinking about her"). Rounding it off is the melancholy "Reason Why" and slow-moving "Would You Please." (There's also a hidden track, the meditative "These Girls")

Love lost, love worn out or love that doesn't work seem to be the themes of "EP." Yamagata describes the feelings that lead to a breakup, being replaced in her lover's affections, and finally parting itself ("We can hang our heads down as we skip the goodbyes"). No angry-grrl stuff here, but a mature respect and reflection.

Yamagata blends blues and pop, with a bit of good funk and a touch of classical; cello, rhythm, keyboard and bass form an effective backdrop. The plaintive lyrics stir your emotions without being whiny or self-pitying. Don't expect her to bash or blame -- instead she sings "Would you please let me slide a few words/under your door/the first three say 'I love you'/the last five 'but I can't no more.'" Her throaty, smoky voice is the centerpiece of the album, and she can carry the emotion as well as the notes.

Slow and meditative, "EP" whets the appetite for Yamagata's full-length debut later this year. A rare talent.

BRAVO RACHAEL!!! - A new artist worth listening to!
Rachael Yamagata is like a breath of fresh air in this cluttered year that has been 2003. This has not been a great year for music, so when someone new like Rachael comes along, everyone should perk up and take listen! Rachael is not new to my ears. As a Chicago resident, I've heard Rachael's music for several years now, and it's finaly great to have it released on a national level, despite the brief e.p. format (her first full-length disc is due next spring). Rachael has a smoky, bluesy voice that wraps itself around a song. Her songs are personal odes that are insantly memorable and any of the six tracks included here could become radio hits. "Worn Me Down," which was recently included on the "Charmed" soundtrack, as well as "Collide" appear to be the best bets, and the fantastic hidden track "These Girls" shows Rachael at her vocal peak, belting out the song like a re-incarnated Janis Joplin. Here's hoping the media grabs onto this lady and embrace her like they did last year to Norah Jones - she's more than deserving.I didn't rate this five stars mainly due to the fact that it is an e.p. and that it is missing Rachael's greatest song, the beautiful "Under My Skin," which, hopefully, she saved for her full-length. For the un-initiated, pick this disc up! You'll love it, particually if you're a fan of contemporary female singer/songwriters like Fiona Apple, Sarah McLachlan, and Norah Jones.

sounds familiar
I just cannot waste any more time listening to these singers that sound like everyone else. Take song 3 off this album, nice but Sinaed Oconnor has done this sound time and again and the last time I wanted to hear it before I never listened again was like 1993. Nice voice and I know she's trying but can someone please come up with something original?

SHORT BUT SWEET
the only wrong thing about this cd, is that is not an album,but an e.p. But a very good small album to start with.i just recently heard her live on KCRW and she sounds amazing live and she does on this album. my favorite track from the album has to be collide, but they are all great songs. at times though she sounds a little like sarah mclachlan[worn me down],but a great artist in her own right.i can't wait for here full length album.

Peaceful, Surreal, Honest
I was introduced to Rachael by a friend in Maryland, and have recently brought her back to Kentucky for my friends to hear. I love her writing, and in concert, she is amazing, amazing, amazing!!! I have urged all my friends to buy her stuff (support your singer songwriter!!! Buy, don't burn!)... She is a definite soul sister and I will be listening to this disk for many more days to come. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Of all the downtrodden intellectuals turning skate-punk into emo, Dashboard Confessional's Christopher Carrabba is by far the most bruised. With just an acoustic guitar and some choice words, the Ben Folds sound-alike turns the concept of the love song on its head with The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most's torrent of poetic abuse aimed at girls who've taken advantage of his good nature. From "Saints and Sailors" ("This apartment is starving for an argument / Anything at all to break the silence") to "The Good Fight" ("I claimed you as my only hope and watched the floor as you retreated") to "Screaming Infidelities" ("So kiss me hard because this will be the last time I let you"), Carrabba is unapologetically bitter. Yet while his love life may be a tragic mess, the pure cathartic joy he derives from putting the ladies in question back in their place--evident from his venomous acoustic attacks--is unmistakable, infectious, and fantastically liberating. Wallowing in self-pity has seldom been so much fun. --Dan Gennoe ... Read more

Reviews (239)

Acoustic Sounds You Fear The Most
Grab a blender. Mix in 2 parts Green Day, 1 part Indigo Girls, 1 teaspoon James Taylor, and 3 parts Robert Smith of the Cure. Hit puree for 5 minutes and walah...you've just mixed you up a strong batch of Dashboard Confessional. Be warned though, this may be one case where the sum of the parts is not equal to the whole. The acoustic format eventually wears on you and Chris Carrabba's voice cracks when he shouts his "emo" lyrics at the top of his lungs.

I bought this CD after hearing these guys in a MTV2 unplugged concert. The kids were all caught up in the music singing every lyric like a group of Boy and Girl Scouts sitting around a campfire. There is also a video out there with the Dashboard Confessionals street performing in San Marco's Square in Venice and it was equally engaging. From the performances, I though the musicianship was above average, especially the drummer. However, the acoustic format really isn't the preferred choice for showing off a drummer's skill, but on "Places You Have Come to Fear the Most" the skill does show through from time to time. If it wasn't for the drummer (who is that guy anyway) this CD probably would have garnered 2 stars.

Some of the songs here are enjoyable and I have no doubt that Chris Cabbarra has an audience of disaffected teens out there wanting to go punk acoustic but not wanting to go to far in the punk world. It's just that imagine the things that were important to you as a teen being put to acoustic strumming and being shouted at the top of one's lungs with a voice that cracks at that decibel level...sometimes it comes off as 90210 angst that becomes difficult to listen to. If you are a teen and want some campfire punk, go get this. If you aren't I would warn you away. Catch the drummer on the MTV2 unplugged segment and see if you aren't equally impressed.

My favorite singer-songwriter/arist/band/whatever.
Song breakdown:

1 - The Brilliant Dance - 5/5 - Some of the best lyrics ever written.

2 - Screaming Infidelities - 4.5/5 - His best known song. The Swiss Army version is better though.

3 - The Best Deceptions - 4.5/5 - Very, very, very good chorus.

4 - This Ruined Puzzle - 3/5 - Weakest song on the CD. The lyrics themselves are fantastic... but musically, it's a bit underwhelming. Still, by no means a bad song.

5 - Saints & Sailors - 3.5/5 - My friends love it. I dislike the way Chris delivers his vocals. It's a pretty good song, still, but... not my favorite by a long shot.

6 - The Good Fight - 4/5 - Great.

7 - Standard Lines - 5/5 - My favorite song ever. It's very simplly done, just 2 verses and 2 shots at the chorus, but the quitar is so intricate and it's beautiful beyond words.

8 - Again I Go Unnoticed - 4/5 - Swiss Army version was much better. Backing instruments take away in this song... not add.

9 - The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most - 5/5 - My second favorite song ever. When Chris starts screaming the chorus about 2 minutes into the song, I get chills down my spine.

10 - This Bitter Pill - 5/5 - Very, very well done. The emotional breakdowns during the chorus really sound like Chris is going to totally ravage his voice to beyond complexity.

Overall: Not as good as The Swiss Army Romance, but still an excellent release from my favorite music-spawning entity. Go buy all Dashboard releases. They're ALL good.

Let the bad-girlfriend slamming begin
I can't even begin to describe how liberating it is to listen to a CD like this. Lead singer Chris Carabba is a lyrical genius whose talents probably derived from a lot of heartbreak. Sometimes, emotionally damaging situations bring out the best in us. Armed with his acoustic guitar, he tells tales of girls who break hearts and the guys who endure the pain. During the emotional choruses of many of his songs, he strokes the guitar with so much anger and pain that you can feel it. The best song on the cd is EASILY The Best Deceptions. Listening to the lyrics is like following a story. The song is about an ex-girlfriend he broke up with, but who he still hears about. When the chorus comes up and he screams "So Kiss me hard, cause this will be the last time that I'll let you", you can't help but feel the emotion.

Other noteworthy tracks are....
The Brilliant Dance

Screaming Infidelities---a very depressing song yet liberating.

This Ruined Puzzle--- The chorus where he sings "Does he ever get the girl", is well written.

The Good Fight.

A must buy for emo fans.

Just to break the silence
Browbeaten and fantastic, Chris Carrabba faces up the acoustic guitar with a punch. The first time I heard the screams of a heart broken man was on the stilled yet painful Screaming infidelities, Dashboard Confessional made an impressive entrance. It's hard to walk away from this CD, from the lonely Brilliant Dance to the treasured Good Fight, the confessions of a first kiss seems ever so lovely with the bitter cut of a wound. Underrated at first Dashboard is screaming their lungs to the top, the sadness that lays in between the words is simply worth the listen, simply worth the play, simply worth the buy.

You MUST buy this CD
I didn't really know a lot about Dashboard, but then I heard Screaming Infidelities on the radio and I couldn't get it out of my head. The CD is amazing, I don't think there is one song that I don't like. It is the perfect CD to put on when you are in a bad mood. He uses so much emotion when he sings it feels like you have been through what he has been through. You have to buy this! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Unlike the ever-experimenting Lambchop, to whom they are often compared, Calexico stick to their niche. Since Calexico don't spring as many stylistic surprises on us as the sprawling Nashville ensemble, their track record is also less erratic. While Feast of Wireis a bit quieter than its three full-length predecessors, it also fits neatly into an ever-impressive body of work. John Convertino and Joey Burns--the Tucson band's core--only confirm their status as folk storytellers, their songs as irreducibly American as Cormac McCarthy novels, and their trademark Southwestern, sun-baked Ennio Morricone sound continues to be ambitiously timeless. "Black Heart," for instance, begins like a Portishead outtake before swelling majestically. Even when they shuffle styles ("Close Behind" marries '60s western grace with assured melodic chops, and "Attack El Robot! Attack!" goes off in an almost Devo-like direction before smoothly segueing into the full-on mariachi extravaganza of "Across the Wire"), they retain an immediately identifiable personality. Calexico may not make headlines, but this album solidifies their standing as one of the most endearingly idiosyncratic bands on the American scene. --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Junkmedia ... Magazine Review
Joey Burns and John Covertino's Calexico was pretty much written off as a sun-baked side project until their sophomore release, The Black Light, appeared on the scene. Taking its cue from Cormac McCarthy's heat-warped perspectives of the American Southwest, the record was neon tumbleweed tequila music that floated above an undercurrent of violence with cinematic grace. It was a major step forward in defining the band's sound and served notice that they would not be following the spaghetti-western chuck wagon. Instead, the album celebrated the magically real convergence of culture that occurs in the borderlands, explicitly linking their name and physical geography to a musical one.

Calexico's third release, The Hot Rail, continued to expand on this formula. It was an album that unfolded with a filmic fluidity to reveal desert noir folk singers and Technicolor mariachi bands playing for pretty girls throwing flowers and men sharpening knives. Not surprisingly, it was their most successful record to date.

Feast of Wire may soon change that, as the band once again ups the ante by widening their scope of sound. Cool West Coast jazz, eerie string sections, and dub are added to the storytelling folk, mariachi horns, kitschy border ballads, and sun-cracked soundscapes that rounded out previous efforts. If that sounds like a handful, it's because it is. Lesser talents wouldn't be able to hold it all together, but Calexico seamlessly blends these disparate parts into one of their most satisfying listens yet.

Sure, with so much to hear and such a range of styles, the album can take a couple of listens before it starts to bloom. That said, after these requisite spins, one can't help but admire how smoothly Feast of Wire glides from track to track, style to style. As on past albums, the band does an excellent job sequencing the record by situating slower instrumental passages between the more traditional songs. These musical bridges help bind the album together and create a total listening experience that is becoming increasingly rare today. For example, after the Marty Robbins-influenced border ballad "Across the Wire," the band segues into "Dub Latina," a trippy, melodica laced instrumental which in turn flows into the rousing "Guero Canelo" with its speak and spell rapping and ebullient background singers. It's a heady mix, and though the three songs couldn't be more different, they end up making a wonderful suite within the record.

Likewise, the gothic, string-laden "Black Heart," which is unlike anything the band has done before, dissolves into pulsing synths at the beginning of "Pepita" before ushering in a multitude of beautifully picked acoustic guitars and a forlorn-sounding pedal steel. The disturbingly pretty pop song "Not Even Stevie Nicks ..." immediately follows, telling the tale of a man driving his car off a cliff and being found later, "in the motor." I guess if the Gold Dust Woman can't help, there's no point in thinking about tomorrow.

And while Feast of Wire continues to reveal new sounds at every turn, the most surprising track on the album comes near the end when the band falls into the cool jazz of "Crumble." It's wholly unexpected, approximating the sound of what Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain would have been like were it a collaboration with Charles Mingus. It's perfectly placed to knock out any last vestiges of resistance, leaving even the most hardened listener to break into a smile.

As the final track, "No Doze," slowly recedes with a moaning cello and static, it becomes crystal clear that Burns and Covertino threw the maps out the window long ago and are blazing their own trail through the musical desert. How could you not want to follow along behind?

-- Barin McGrath

Finally finding their feet....
While some of the previous reviews gush with overwhelming awe, others fault Burns and Convertino for over-emphasizing the mariachi influences and chicano-inspired cover-art. What I like about this album is that Calexico has taken those border influences and integrated them more fully adding hints and flavorings but never letting it overpower. I wouldn't take the disguntled AZ fan's quip so serious about using a mariachi band for back up as offensive except that it shows a niavete on the reviewer's part. If street-cred was so important the Rolling Stones, Los Lobos, Wilco, etc. would not have been allowed to do anything. Ever listened to Exile on Main St? Its a heavily influenced blues album but being honkies Mick and Keith should have hung it up then lest they get other ideas. Los Lobos is as divergent as any band but does being latino preclude them from playing rock and experimenting with their sound or should they have marginalized themselves to playing mariachi and ranchera music?

Feast of Wire shows Calexico growing sonically and finding their own musical voice without relying on their influences and musical tastes as heavily as before. The sign of a good band is one that continues to explore its roots and yet create its own sound from that history. Calexico is moving in that direction. This album is a marker for the next phase of Calexico. Fans of music and the band should take heart that Burns and Convertino are growing and showing greater musical depth with each release leaving us with hopes for future jems likes this.

Calexico became a prsonal theme
This album is so different and so diverse it will be like nothing you have ever heard before. Just when one track mellows you out the next track will take your breath away. This album should be illegal because it is so addicting. Calexico is the most innovative band I have heard in a long time. I turn everyone on to it.

A Sweeping Southwestern Soundscape
My first taste of Calexico was a song they did on a Lee Hazlewood tribute album. I was intrigued by their sound and decided to get one of their CDs to broaden my overview. For no particular reason, I settled on Feast of Wire.
There is a lot to like here, with a multitude of musical influences evident. Listening through, I swear at times I'm hearing Neil Young or Ennio Morricone. At other times, I hear the sounds of funk-soaked jazz soundtrack music a la Barry Adamson. And always around the corner one hears strains of the borderlands sounds that have come to be known as desert rock. Even the cover art is evocative of the southwestern frontier.
My favorite songs here are Sunken Waltz, Quattro, the Morricone-infused Close Behind, Dub Latina, Guero Canelo, and the Adamsonian soundtrack jazz of Crumble.
With Feast of Wire, Calexico offers a sweeping southwestern soundscape that will carry you far away from the cares of the day. I recommend this to anyone who is musically adventurous and has a taste for the borderlands in their blood.

For best results, see live
My first introduction to Calexico was seeing them playing live at Somerset House in London in the summer of 2003, and they were absolutely breathtaking. As with all live bands, the studio album is always something of a anticlimax, as it's almost impossible to recreate the atmosphere and rush of seeing them live. Still, it's a grower of an album and is a must for any respectable record collection. ... Read more

Album Description

This brilliant sixth album brings together all the elements you've loved in their past work, from the drone-guitarintensity of 'Methdrone' to the country psychedelia of'Metal Illness'. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Took a bit, but I love it
It took me a few weeks of listening to it to really get into this album, but I now love it. It really puts together alot of the elements of their past albums perfectly. My favorite song off of it at the time is "The Devil May Care (Mom & Dad Don't)". Every other song is good too, besides the last track which i rarely listen to. Great Cd by one of the best groups out there.

... out bliss
This CD opens up with the beginning of the Dandy Warhols' Come Down... and then veers off into a much more interesting and unexpected place. Tablas, a droning sitar, and industrial-sounding guitars and organs add a sinister touch. "This is Why You Love Me" is a pretty, Byrds-like tune. There is a definite eastern vibe to the CD, but not in a pretentious Kula Shaker-way. Some standouts: "Sue", "Servo", "Whoever You Are". And don't forget "Not if you were the Last Dandy on Earth" -a sarcastic ode to the band of Warhols.

It's a mad, mad world...
...and let's be thankful that the Brian Jonestown Massacre is around to provide the soundtrack. As of their latest full-length (Strung Out In Heaven), BJM is yet to repeat themselves stylistically, and Give It Back! stands out as the band's paen to all things good about mid-late 60s-inspired music. From the toe-tapping pop splendor of "This Is Why You Love Me" to the foot-stomping psychedelia of "Satellite" to the smarmy boogie of "Not If You Were The Last Dandy on Earth," Give It Back! doesn't disappoint.

Anyone looking for a polished, radio-friendly, "modern rock" product should look elsewhere, while anybody sick and tired of the glossy veneer of today's records should look no further. While not exactly "retro," the album is decidedly lo-fi. A must-have for any fan of the BJM, and a very high recommendation for anyone into a mixture of "drone," psychedelia and brit-pop, past and/or present.

This band is horrible.
Being the fan of the Rolling Stones I picked up this CD thinking it was something similar. Well they do try to emulate the stones sound but fail miserably. They have no originality or heart in their music who ever lets them make CDs should be forced to listen to it. If you buy this you are either a masochist or an idiot. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although Kings of Convenience are keen to play down any blatantly self-evident similarities to Nick Drake, Simon and Garfunkel, and Belle and Sebastian, the winsome and placidity-favoring Norwegian duo of Erlend Oye and Eirik Glambek Boe have probably already got the subway buskers of tomorrow lining up to lend an ear. Studentlike in appearance (one of them has a duffel coat and John Major specs) and unashamed to softly impart such nonrock lyrics as "put the kettle on" and "using The Guardian as a shield to cover my thighs against the rain," the weightless and airy acoustic guitar muse of Quiet Is the New Loud isn't a million miles from Radiohead's "Nice Dream" or Pink Floyd's "If" with a subliminal swish of bossa-nova rhythm. A contentedly purring cello, a plaintive touch of piano, and the muffled sound of a trumpet add necessary sonic depth, and the results are as pleasant and civilized as a little light conversation over tea in the drawing room. But what a shame they chose to name themselves after a lavatory. --Kevin Maidment ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Startlingly mellow must-have music
I've just come back from a Summer house in Norway identical to the fjord in the cover photo of this beautiful album. I'd heard about Kings of Convenience because of their widespread coverage in the UK where I normally live. But until a couple of days ago, I didn't realise they were Norwegian (doh!). These two geeky looking Simon and Garfunkel wannabees make the most exquisite, gentle, painful, whistful music I've heard in a very long time. 'Winning a battle...' is a perfect piece of acoustic pop that will become a classic. 'Singing softly to me' is a bossa-nova masterpiece. This is the record I'll be playing all Summer and giving to all my friends. This is what the phrase 'mood music' was invented for. Kings of Convenience are Norway's best invention since skiing.

Quiet is definitely the new loud
There is definitely a burgeoning scene coming out of the UK. Artists and bands like Badly Drawn Boy, Coldplay, Turin Brakes, and Travis are embracing folk music and incorporating it with pop and rock. Kings of Convience is the next band to come out with a cd filled with melodic folk/rock. A lot of reviewers has compared this band with the late artist Nick Drake which I can totally hear through out the entire cd.

To be perfectly honest, I really don't know what to make of this album so far. I have only listened to it twice. Compared to Turin Brakes, I much prefer Turin Brakes over Kings of Convience. I found this cd a bit too mellow for my tastes. Even Travis rocks out on a few songs on their latest album. Perhaps I just need to listen to "Quiet is the New Loud" a few more times to enjoy it more.

Beautiful. Sweet. The Best Cd of it's kind.
The only good thing that came out of a 1/2 hearted relationship that I had was hearing this cd. I could listen to it all day. This cd has bottled my emotions and let me revisit them again and again.

Kings of Emotion
You can always judge a CD by its first, second, and last songs. Quiet is the new loud? Well, I heard it loud and clear. These two guys can really use accoustic guitars and evocative lyrics to express such emotion. The cords will have you floored, especially on "I Don't Know What I Can Save You From" and "Parallel Lines".
Don't be afraid to buy this CD only to like a few songs...You will have the calming music haunting you, begging to be listened to again. And if 'Quiet' is not loud enough for you or you love 'Quiet' try 'Versus'. They remixed most of the songs to be sound more upbeat, putting you in a good mood while driving.

Simply amazing.
Modern Folk is always good...and what's even better is modern folk with those lovable European voices (Belle and Sebastian, Nick Drake, etc) that we all love. Good stuff. ... Read more

Album Description

Ted Leo And The Pharmacists' latest album "Shake The Sheets" is a triumph on nearly every level.Produced by Chris Shaw (Dashboard Confessional, Bob Dylan, Public Enemy) in New York City during the spring of 2004, it is informed by almost every political and cultural conversation happening in our world today, but presents the conversation with a message of hope and humility.

Ted is a special artist whose most recent full length, 2003's Hearts Of Oak, dominated critics' lists for the year, garnering glowing features and positve reviews in SPIN (9 out of 10), Rolling Stone (3 Stars), Alternative Press (5 out of 5), The New Yorker and Entertainment Weekly as well as tremendous support from the punk press and online music sites. His nearly incessant touring over the last three years has won him legions of fans around the world that are hotly anticipating his newest album. At College Radio, "Hearts Of Oak" peakedat # 7 on CMJ Top 200; # 8 on CMJ Core and was #2 most added. Oak also enjoyed 7 weeks of impressive commercial specialty radio play including specialty chart peaks of #1 on the FMQB Magazine Chart, #3 on the R&R Magazine Chart. The video for "Where Have All The Rudeboys Gone?" got numerous plays on MTV2 and Fuse and Ted Leo hosted an episode of MTV2's Subterranean. Ted Leo And The Pharmacists even performed on a 2003 episode of Late Night With Conan O'Brien.

With a fantastic producer and great studio (James Iha's Stratosphere in Manhattan), Ted was finally able to achieve the cleanest, biggest sound he has ever had. "Shake The Sheets" is his greatest work to date and surely the album to push him through to even bigger success. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

This Album Crushed My Mind
This is the album that put BlindSide on the map. At this point you either loved thenm to death or you hated their guts. No band goes from alternatve rock to hard core metal but this band managed to somehow pull it off and with style. From the crazy opening of the now classic "King of the Closet" to the beautifully structured epic "Nothing but Skin" this album mixed all the harmonic elements of their first album with a new sound that caught everyone by surprise. It's light years better than "Silence" and matched only by the sonic velocity of "About a Burning Fire". The bonus tracks are a real treat and the bonus cover art makes this one really worth getting. If you own the first release of this record(and its probably worn out by now) than you owe it to yourself to get this version.

Since this record BlindSide have moved on from the hardcore scene but you can still see the remnants of it in their new songs.

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.

Blindside's best gets better
"A Thought Crushed My Mind" has always been my favorite Blindside album.This rerelease has been beautifully remastered and is better than ever.The bonus songs are exellent stuff (sounding very punkish for Blindside).If you already own the first edition of this album, you need to buy this rerelease.The remastering alone makes it worth the 12 bucks (including shipping!), nevermind the extra songs.My only disappointment is that neither this disc nor the remastered selftitled disc contain the song "Sidewinder", which is on the original Swedish Day-Glo Records release of the selftitled album.That aside, I consider this to be the best Blindside album on the market to date.

Worth it for the bonus songs
This is still Blindside's best album, and the hardest. The bonus songs just make it that much better. They were recorded between "thought" and "silence" and were originally only available on a limited edition 7". If you are a Blindside fan, pick this up immediately! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This second solo release by the leader of The Sea and Cake is a perfectly rendered miniature. Not only do the eleven songs have the feel of table-top sized vignettes, but the entire set clocks in respectably under thirty-eight minutes. Near-tropical rhythms, coupled with frisky and layered strumming, give this album a feel more removed from the friendly urban architecture of his other work, both solo and with his band. A visual artist as well as a musician, the songs seem informed by a painter's eye, as Prekop works all areas of the canvas into a integrated whole. Working with the same small ensemble as previously, there's a casual surface to the proceeds that slowly reveal finely wrought writing and arrangements and unusual tunings. -- David Greenberger ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Just my style
This album is just my style.I must say that this is my first taste ever of Sam Prekop, so I didn't have any exposure to his earlier works to compare this to (I don't know if that's a good thing or not).Definitely good study music (or background music), but also equally good to listen to intently.However, I could see how this album may not suit everyone, as it's quite mellow.

Who's your prof?
I love the Sea and Cake. I really do, and I have ever since first hearing their unique, smooth, airy pop music. Which is why it pained me to pan S&C frontman Sam Prekop's first solo album, which was as flavorless and lightweight as a marshmallow eaten by a Novocained mouth.

Fortunately, Prekop has tightened up his solo sound in "Who's Your New Professor." There's more flavour, more intense sounds and fewer generic instrumentals. It's still way too mellow for its own good, but it also shows Prekop's music in a far better light. If only it had a little more heart.

Anyone who has heard his Sea and Cake work, and his solo debut, will know what to expect: mellow pop melodies, mostly played on guitar, with a bit of bossa nova. Prekop sings as if half in a very pleasant dream. His music itself brings to mind a nap on a warm summer day in a hammock, and listening to a guy next door playing the guitar.

Enough with the metaphors... on to the critique.

Prekop definitely has a gift for airy melodies and smooth-as-glass production, with bits of grit thrown in to keep it from feeling TOO airy. If smoothness were enough to carry an album all by itself, then "Who's Your Professor" would be a future classic. It's a pleasant listen, at least while you actually have it on.

What "Who's Your Professor" lacks is quirkiness. Except for his trademarked bossa nova edging, there really isn't much to make these songs memorable -- they're pretty and airy and relaxing, but then again, so are feathers. The ambient sound means that the music seems to just start when it begins, meanders for awhile, and stops when it ends.

The guitar playing and jazzy drumming add a pleasantly catchy note to some songs like "Little Bridges," but too often Prekop just sounds halfhearted, as if he's sleepwalking through the production. Fortunately his drowsy singing makes up for that somewhat; his vocals are soothing in themselves, and nobody does this sort of jazzy-ambient singing better.

But despite some pleasant instrumentation and lovely vocals, "Who's Your New Professor" lacks the punch and heart that it needs to be memorable. Pleasant while it lasts, invisible when it's done.

A Blanket of Red Wine
I've always found solo projects both interesting and rewarding after first hearing the subject's group offerings. Pointedly, they allow a glimpse into the construction of the larger vehicle.
In considering Sam Prekop one can discern the richly sown rhythms he offers his fellow band mates of the Sea and Cake (with Archer Prewitt weaving intricate pop melodies as John McEntire percussively brings them both together).
With Who's Your New Professor, he continues to prove his worth as a master craftsman, offering eleven tracks of material steeped in exotic, soothing tones. Both a visual and audio artist, Prekop's work here shows definitive maturity and timeliness.
With the first few bars of track one, Something, the listener is exposed to Prekop's signature vocal melodies and near Bossanova rhythms. From there, the album progresses naturally and seamlessly. Though equally as masterful as his previous solo work, Who's Your New Professor seems both tighter in construction and slightly more exploratory.
All in all, a beautiful addition to a Sunday drive, a relaxing evening at home, or a fine bottle of red wine.

let it be
The following reviews show where reviews go wrong.When you listen to music you might not disect it into peices to hear it better.It's malpractice.If you liked Sam Prekop before, then he won't disappoint you.His voice is smooth and his style is his own.Good for him and I hope he keeps making great music.

my last review was erased, but it still must be known
Pancake_Repairman should never be trusted in his reviews.I highly doubt that any part of this recording is "worthless".His lack of taste and actual knowledge is astonishing.He has been bitter ever since Pitchfork rejected his application to be a writer on their site.In retaliation, Pancake has bashed almost everything released in recent memory.4 stars may be a fair rating, but to say that any element of this record is "worthless" just shows Pancake making another stab at being "hip" and "musically relevant".He doesn't deserve ears. ... Read more

Album Description

"End of Love" finds this indie pop-rock band in tip-top form, at turns witty (no surprise) and empathetic A- Clem Snide, the musical vehicle for lyricist/singer/songwriter Eef Barzelay, is a group of art-pop revelers with old-school country & western leanings, noted for their dynamic, hard-to-classify records recalling the likes of Neil Young, Tom Waits and Jonathan Richman. The band has released four full-length albums, and will release its fifth - "End Of Love" - on February 22. 2005. "End of Love" utilizes noted musicians and friends Ben Perowsky (credits include the Lounge Lizards, Elysian Fields), Lara Meyerratken (Crooked Fingers), Paul Burch (Lambchop, Paul Burch and the WPA Ballclub), Tony Crow and Ben Martin (Lambchop), amongst the regulars in the Clem Snide troop : Pete Fitzpatrick, Brendan Fitzpatrick and Eric Paull. The record is the first Produced solely by Barzelay and is recorded by noted engineers Bryce Goggin (Pavement) and Mark Nevers (Calexico).

Clem Snide has previously performed on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and "The Late Late Show on CBS," amongst others. Clem Snide's fanbase is growing by its involvement with featured tracks on two high profile compilations. On "The Late Great Daniel Johnston" (Gammon) Clem Snide is featured among Tom Waits, Beck, Flaming Lips, Bright Eyes and Death Cab for Cutie. While "The Future Soundtrack for America" (Barsuk) again links Clem Snide with David Byrne, REM, They Might Be Giants and TheYeah Yeah Yeahs. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I Clem Snide I know and love has returned!
I first became aware of this band during their tour opening for Ben Folds, and subsequently purchased 2001's 'The Ghost Of Fasion,' which quickly became one of my favorite releases of the time. As with many fans, I was a bit disappointed with 'Soft Spot' upon it's release, but I'm happy to say they've bounced back quite nicely with 'End Of Love.'

This is an ideal starting point for potential fans, as it combines most of Clem Snide's best qualities into what I would call, if not their best, certainly their most accessible album. The title track, "Fill Me With Your Light," "Something Beautiful," "Made For TV Movie," and "Jews For Jesus Blues" are among the band's best songs ever, and the arrangements and production are wonderful throughout. There are usually a few songs I prefer to skip on Clem Snide albums, but 'End Of Love' is really very solid all the way through. In this regard, I will only say that I think most of the best material comes on the second half of the album.

Overall, a great return to form for Clem Snide! This will likely be one of my favorite releases this year.

Best Clem Snide in 4 years
While it was evident in Soft Spot that Eef Barzelay found something in his life that he was desperately missing while he was writing Clem Snide's first three albums, it was also fairly clear that a lot of intensity and drama wasn't present.Plain and simply put, it was the `happy album.' And as anybody that's ever listened to Clem Snide knows, you didn't buy Soft Spot because you were expecting three or four of the songs to be sub-three minute filler.

That is exactly the reason why listening to End of Love provided a sigh of relief-at least a slight one-that helped us realize if we can't ever get back to You Were a Diamond or Your Favorite Music, we at least have something worth our time as far as Clem Snide is concerned.

Granted we don't hear the harmonizing of Jason Glasser's cello and violin or the trademark three-four waltz time of so many of our Clem Snide favorites. But Eef has put together a worthy mixture of emotions, songwriting, and his left-handed lyrics that can have you laughing before you're done wiping away your "poignant tear."

There are a few tracks that echo past Clem Snide songs, including "Jews for Jesus Blues" and the melancholy "Made for TV Movie," but a lot combines new with the old, which is exactly what makes this album unique and acceptable. "When We Become" is possibly the most beautiful song written in the past year and a half.

Oh, and I heard some banjo in a track. And who doesn't like banjo?

Where is the Clem Snide I used to love?
Every artist changes, this I know.But in my mind, Clem Snide has been in a slow decline since The Ghost of Fashion, which continues with this album.The beautifully simple emotion that was felt so strongly on tracks like "Your Night to Shine," "The Dairy Queen," and "Your Favorite Music" just isn't as apparent, lost somewhere in the jumble of a new writing style that Eef Barzelay just hasn't quite figured out yet.Perhaps, as a person, Eef has found a certain happiness that wasn't there before, changing his emotional drive to writing.Time will tell where this transition will take the band.

Either way, the skill is still there, and I'm confident that Clem Snide will return to the consistancy of before, perhaps even at a higher level.Eef's ability to turn a phrase has not left, by any means.Tracks like "End of Love" and "Weird" have strong foundations and wordplay, but just don't seem to know what they are yet, and don't live up to the musical simplicity of their live counterparts.

For a true Clem Snide fan, this album is not to be missed, but it is not their best, not by any means.

their best yet.
this is my favorite album so far this year.

clem snide is one of those bands you happen across and feel left out.they have a bunch of albums already, and a string of tear-inducing tunes like "i love the unknown" and bit tv hit
"moment in the sun."songs that hold a special place in my heart.the other stuff has always been a good source of humor and sincerity in my music collection that's mostly more aggresive stuff.

this album however just holds together like nothing before it.it combines the puns, the sad parts, the poignancy, and the country influence scattered throughout their previous catalogue and throws it all together on this release to create the album they'll probably be remembered for (if they're remembered for anything).

jews for jesus blues will be a classic.it's the perfect clem snide tune.sad, but funny with a trace of cynicism.same goes for made for tv movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The 11 tracks of Chevelle's Point #1 pour out more passion in 42 minutes than most people will experience in an entire year.It is an album that will brand you.Not because of offense or unashamed shock tactics, but because the emotion offered batters into the soul and causes it to shudder in resonance with the writhing of the music.Applying simple and poetic reasoning, Pete Loeffler's lyrics exhibit the tension between life's paramount questions and heaven's inscrutable answers.The dualistic nature of his vocals (reminiscent of Tool's Maynard James Keenen) displays a trembling meekness that often abandons itself to full-throated roars of aggression.This meticulously rhythmic debut carries the fingerprints of Steve Albini's recording genius.The production is just raw enough to preserve the unfeigned vexation from which it was born, yet clean enough for each lashing expression to communicate its full fervor.Dynamics crest and fall as the storm-tossed melodies cut through a raging sea of edgy guitar and undulating drums.Leaving a curiously enjoyable lack of resolution, the weight of these songs beckons the listener to repeat play.It gets better every time.--Israel Button ... Read more

Reviews (111)

Great band, Awesome album, Weird CD case...
Warning: you will be blown away! This CD surprised me alot.The first song I heard was "Prove to You" onradio.sonicnet's Christian rock station. I loved it! So I looked into it here at Amazon.com, and fell in love with it! Tracks 1,2,3,4,6,7,9,10,11 are my faves - yes, all but two! This CD is packed with great lyrics and awesome guitars. Pete Loeffler has a great voice as well. It gets better every time you listen to it. In fact, I've listened to it for a week straight - all day every day - and I'm not tired of it! If you like hard rock, and are in quest for clean, non-offensive lyrics, Point#1 is for you. I know a lot of people have been saying it sounds similar to Tool but why does that make them a bad group? So what if they sound alike? I suggest you take this CD for a spin, and see what the fuss is about. As for the CD case, it's the most backwards thing I've ever seen. The cover is on the back, upside down. So you have to turn the CD upside down, and then flip it over to open it.

Awsome Cd
This CD is defintely one of the best CDS i own. It has great music by a band with great talent. I don't really care if Chevelle sounds like TOOL or not, it's just awsome:

OPEN: 5/5 - A great song to start with. Very catchy
POINT#1: 5/5 - Awsome song. Starts soft but then gets louder!
PROVE TO YOU - 5/5: Another awsome song. The vocals in the song are good.
MIA 5/5 -Another extremly awsome song. Catchy and fast. Too bad its so short.
SKEPTIC 4.5/5 - Awsome a 5, but not quite. This song is awsome to, but it don't like the part where it goes really soft.
ANTICIPATION - 5/5 - Another extremly great song on this cd. Fast and catchy
DOS - 4/5 - Soft and long, but not bad. It gets hardner near the end. Pretty good
LONG - 4/5 - Defintley not the best on this album. Reminds me of sma a little bit.
BLANK EARTH - 4/5 - Another pretty good song. Not the best, kinda strange, but catchy
SMA - Extremly fast. The riff is cool, but somewhat wierd at first listen. But great anyway. 4/5
PEER - 4.5/5 - The first part is really catchy, the harder part isnt to bad either.

FINAL Rating:
5 stars.

AWSOME CD!
Go get this album today. You'll wish you had if you dont

Good start
This CD only gets 4 stars because it is not as good as their sophomore effort, "Wonder What's Next". This CD just does not have the standout quality that their second album has. Their song writing is a little raw compared to their current sound. The unique mastermind Steve Albini, who also produced Nirvana's "In Utero", takes the reins on this album. His unique drum production is evident on Open/Point #1, the first track and the CD's best song. Chevelle fans will definitely want to pick this up.

amazing
Before Wonder Whats Next there was Point #1, somewhat softer than WWN but with all the right elements. Every track is good I stick in the cd in the car and listen it the whole way through never skippin a track. My favorite track off the cd is Blank Earth because its heavy and real soft then heavey real soft etc.

Some people are really f-n stupid.
(...)The band had this to say in an E! Online interview: "It's something that's probably going to follow us around forever and that's fine. It's pretty simple. We originally signed with a record company that was backed by Word (a Christian label housing John Tesh and Amy Grant), so the record (Point #1) was in Christian bookstores. It was really an accidental thing."

One reviewer said "I used to listen to ...Tool, but I don't anymore because of the lyrics, etc." Come on people, Religion should NOT keep you from listening to music that you love. In any way, you aren't doing any better because again, Chevelle isn't a Christian band! Might as well throw your CD out now... ... Read more

Album Description

The band's gently mournful economy of style is adorned by a cinematic breadth of instrumentation and by arrangements of rich depth. "Misery..." is a creative leap forward from their last album, "Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons". ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Defining Their Own Sound
Although they have taken a wide turn away from their previous material with their new album, Misery is a Butterfly, the band has finally managed to step completely out of the shadow of Sonic Youth and to solidify their identity as one with a wholly unique and defining sound.
Blonde Redhead is comprised of Italian twins Amedeo and Simone Pace, and Kazu Makino, who skipped out of Kyoto, Japan to arrive in the states during the early '90s. The group has put out several albums, including their self-titled debut Blonde Redhead, La Mia Vita Violenta, and Fake Can Be Just as Good. Their last release before Misery was Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons, which showcased maturation and a promise of good things to come. Well, kids, good things have come indeed.
Assumingly correlated with their switch from the label Smells Like Records to 4AD, the band has shed the beat up leather jacket of punk rock for a more gossamer cloak of floating strings, soft arpeggios, and ever-present synthesizers. But the softness isn't without an edge. Like smeared lipstick, the beauty comes with the tense, mildly dirty quality that's been present in Blonde Redhead's music since their beginning.
The first single off of the album is the first track, "Elephant Woman." Beatles-esque cello and rhythmic chamber melodies roll and waver behind Makino's signature plaintive vocals. Sweet and mysterious enough to put a knot in the belly, this track sets the album's tone from the beginning.
Other noteworthy tracks include "Maddening Cloud" and "Equus." Characterized by a head swaying beat and Rhodes-like keyboard melodies, "Maddening Cloud" again showcases the vocal talents and contemplative lyrics of Kazu. "Why did you kill that poor old man, Melody? She said, he was never good to me. She said, he was never kind to me."
"Equus," sung by both Amedeo and Kazu, starts off with muted breathing and punctuated bass, overlaid with an interesting psychedelic synth sequence. More sporadic and less ambient than most of the other tracks, this song provides a much needed change of pace towards the end of the album.
Constant qualities of Misery include simplistic percussion, a medium pace, melancholy instrumentation, tasteful strings that neither swell to the point of movie soundtrack obnoxiousness nor build to a shattering climax, and a (very) subtle reminiscence of the darker, late '80's/early '90's sound of groups as the Cocteau Twins (also on 4ad), early Cure, and even a touch of Legendary Pink Dots.
While many of the tracks on this album sound similar to each other, and the element of "rock" is barely there, this album is sure to please both old and new fans alike. Rest assured, Blonde Redhead are no posers.

4AD's finest new players
The music we love stands for the people who have created it . We collect articles about them , we try to somehow get to know them - we become hooked on their style and personallities . With that in mind Blonde Redhead are an instantly interesting group both visually and musically . One can't help but wonder what it's like to hang out with two twin Italian brothers and their japanese singer who create moody , raw rock music for the few .

On their newest offering " Misery Is A Butterfly " , their first with 4AD the band presents a tracklist full of melancholic guitar playing and dark-room melodies . There's a poisonous quality about Kazu's purr while Amedeo Pace's singing is rather neurotic but it all fits wonderfully well in this cd . Blonde Redhead have been around for many years so many older fans argued about their new softer , more atmospheric side but on tracks like " Magic Mountain " , " Falling Man " and " Elephant Woman " you'll clearly experience a band at the peak of their powers .

minor keys and splendid butterflies
According to an interview with BR in a recent issue of Magnet, some critics and fans deplored the loss of "noisy guitars" on this new album. Needless to say, this alludes to tiresome refrains like "selling out." Why are some people opposed to change, and creative change more specifically is beyond my comprehension. To me, Butterfly is not so much a rupture with the past, but a somehow organic development, the continuation of an exploration started on Lemons with the cover of Serge Gainsbourg's Slogan. Butterfly also bares the unmistakable BR signature: beautiful and lingering vocal arrangements, the minor melancholic keys, the complex melodic trajectories. It transports me back in time, to the sophisticated Euro-pop of the seventies, namely that of Ennio Moricone (here the Italian heritage is important :) ) and again Serge Gainsburg.
I introduced a number of friends to this album (yes, in this order) and they are already ordering from the back catalogue...
Butterfly is a great companion to any situation of life. Listen to it, you'll understand what I mean...

PS: They are playing the SIREN FESTIVAL in NYC in July for FREE!!

Gorgeous misery...
My musical love affair with Blonde Redhead started after hearing one song on an indie college radio station... Since then I picked up this cd and there is no disappointment whatsoever on the whole... "Doll Is Mine" is my favorite track... What can I say, to me, their instrumentation, lyrics and vocals are perfection... If you're a fan of downtempo music - pick this one up for sure - Savannah Skye...

Blonde Redhead - Misery is a Butterfly
Sto ascoltando (in continuo repeat) il nuovo disco dei Blonde Redhead.
Il primo ascolto può essere shockante per chiunque abbia letto una loro
biografia. Blonde Redhead, nati alla corte dei Sonic Youth, tra la bambagia
della Touch&Go dei Fugazi, appaiono in poche parole come un gruppo NOISE
ROCK.
Le origini italiane dei due fratelli Amedeo e Simone Pace, membri
fondatori, ce li hanno sempre resi simpatici e i loro contatti col 'grande
parterre' del noise newyourkese li ha fin dall'inizio presentati come una
delle formazioni noise più interessanti degli anni 90.
Già con "Melodie of certain damaged lemons", il precedente album, però era
evidente che il gruppo dei gemelli Pace avesse bisogno di dirigersi in
direzioni anche diverse. Canzoni come "Hated because of great qualities",
"In particular" e "Love despite of great faults" lasciavano intravedere un
futuro del trio su atmosfere più pacate fatte di accordi lenti, arpeggi di
chitarre e suoni acustici.

Che quelle premonizioni portassero però a "Misery is a butterfly" è davvero
molto di più di quanto ci aspettassimo.
Il disco porta come prima grande sorpresa il marchio distributore. Dopo
otto anni passati con Touch&Go, adesso il gruppo ha firmato con 4AD.
La storica etichetta inglese famosa per i fasti della stagione più
raffinata del dark degli anni 80 (Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Bauhaus ecc...) ma che non si è nemmeno mai negata la possibilità
di sperimentare in ambiti più rockettari (Pixies, Throwing
Muses...) o Dance (i M/A/R/R/S di
Pump Up Th Volume) era forse la più adatta a pubblicare e distribuire un
album come questo.
"Misery is a Butterfly" è un disco magnifico. Dolce e romantico con momenti
di sublime pop come l'iniziale "Elephant Woman" (anche su singolo) o
l'eccellente "Magic Mountain" sorretta da un'ossatura esile e claudicante
che ricorda un organetto da fiera ma che in realtà cela un'arrangiamento
impeccabile.
Le voce di Kazu Makino e di Amedeo Pace, entrambe con quel punto
out-of-tune che le rende uniche, sono questa volta, ancora più dolci. Gli
echi 80's di "Madedding Clouds" giocano sull'ottima vena melodica dei
compositori e la canzone, che sfocia in un intervallo psichedelico prima
del minuto finale, è un bellissimo esempio di quanto il pop possa avere
caratteristiche non solo dignitose ma addirittura nobili.
Sono gli archi a farla da padrone, a volte qualche velo di elettronica (non
immaginatevi nulla di troppo anni-ottanta, comunque).. ma le chitarre sono
comunque ancora fondamentali, così come la ritmica sempre superbamente
sorretta dalla batteria di Simone e dal basso di Kazu. Ci sono momenti
molto affini tra loro che che danno al disco una connotazione di
omogeneità e mai di ripetitività o noia. Il sontuoso duetto di "Pink Love"
appare come un eccitante e nervoso gioco di prestigio che si destreggia
tra fuochi, lame, fiabe e pene d'amore. La canzone del titolo è evocativa.
L'amore descritto in ogni brano è sottile e delicato, va coltivato per non
correre il rischio di lasciarlo sfuggire.
Insomma. Un disco sublime da sentire per placare l'anima e per sorridere.
Malgrado la mestizia che spesso lo pervade.
Un disco da non perdere che, malgrado la grande distribuzione, ci appare
come il capitolo più intimista di Blonde Redhead...
Il bello di questo disco è un po' questo: ne riconosciamo gli artefici e ci
entususiasma per i grandi passi avanti fatti da una band pronta per
abbandonare i circuiti dell'underground ed entrare ufficialmente (e di
diritto) nel mondo dei grandi del rock. ... Read more

Album Description

The remastered version of Pavement's seminal debut. 2 CDs, 48 tracks , 23 unreleased recordings , 8 unreleased songs . The complete "Slanted" recording sessions along with the contemporary "Watery, Domestic" EP, B-sides, compilation tracks, outtakes, two Peel sessions and a complete live concert.

Simultaneous release with "Slow Century" double DVD chronicling the band's entire career. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Great re-issue!
Pavement's seminal debut has been re-released in one of the best moves in Matador Records history. A sixty-page booklet packed with photos, interviews, and great notes from the band is enough to accompany every listen. As for the new material featured here, let it be known that none of bonus tracks are at all throw-aways. Each track is essential listening for anyone who has enjoyed "Slanted and Enchanted" in its original format. The full live concert on the "Watery, Domestic" disc is especialy nice, with surprisingly good sound quality.

Listening to "Slanted and Enchanted: Deluxe and Redux" shows a new light on Pavement. More than a decade after its original release, it still sounds fresh and original. The same can not be said of any Sonic Youth or Pixies album. This album was the blueprint which all art-school noise bands followed for the next decade, but no one can duplicate the intensity, the songwriting, or the overall free-form attitude that Malkmus & Co. laid down. Songs like "Summer Babe" and "No Life Singed Her" show just how intense they could get at times, but never obnoxiously so. "Here", the album's best track begins quietly and introspectively, but eventually builds into a screeching monument.

Since 1992, indie music has changed a great deal, yet "Slanted and Enchanted" remains as important as it was the day of its release. Perhaps Pavement were ahead of their time, but they were so at the perfect moment.

Gotta get it
Run out and buy this on principle alone. This is the Sgt. Pepper's of the 90's (or Revolver, or White Album, or whatever). On a personal note, I credit this album alone for my introduction and long-standing love affair with indie music. I'm sure most people reading this remember the first time they heard it too, sitting there with your jaws on the floor. It is that good, the hype is real.

Anyway, Matador, one of the premier indie labels in the country, has finally released the remastered disc including live footage and unreleased tracks. I believe it's to celebrate S&E's 10th anniversiary. The studio album itself remains revolutionary, even upon it's 5,000th listening. It might be ten years old, but each track still reaffirms everything that is wrong with commercial radio and its cohorts. I'll take Steve Malkmus' lyrical obscurity over just about anything out there. The live versions are pure fun, a nostalgiac trip back to the days when grunge was king. Of course, if you like Pavement, you probably laughed at anyone wearing flanel, but I guess that's half the enjoyment in reliving their old, live shows. Summer Babe is still the best song ever to sing along to.

This disc should be to music fans what combat boots are to Marines - standard issue.

Hmmm...HAH!!!
ok, this band is not that good.
Plain and Simple.
They sound like Beck trying to Cover Weezer songs!
Whoever said that they are the 90's version of Sgt. Pepper or any Beatles CD is a MORON because this band has no talent compared to the beatles. They have some talent, but not enough to impress me. I must say that some of their tunes are catchy but other than that they are average underground to me.
Also, Contuid for Sale sounds like Primus, but in this case, not in a good way.
If you really want the 90's version of SGT. Pepper, it's RadioHead...look at their transformation from songs like "creep" to "Motion Picture SOundtrack." Anyways, yeah, Pavement is just another band that making weird music that doesnt sound good, and attracting alot of emo kids and underground kids to it...just Go listen to The Beatles, or Radio Head or Coldplay or even Dave Matthews Band if your looking for talent...

Pavement Deluxe!
Pavement was the reigning indie band of the 1990s, with their vibrant rock and Stephen Malkmus's deliciously strange lyrics. And at the 10th anniversary of debut "Slanted and Enchanted"'s release, devoted fans were rewarded with "Slanted and Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe," with a wealth of live tracks, new tracks, B-sides and more.

The original recording itself is a masterful creation: its includes the whooping "Life Singed Her," intricate "Trigger Cut/Wounded-Kite At :17," droning "In the Mouth of a Desert," gently poppy "Zürich Is Stained" and jangling, shimmering "Loretta's Scars," before wrapping up with the solid acoustic "Our Singer."

But no sooner has the rat-a-tat percussion of "Our Singer" faded out than the new stuff begins: The "Slanted Sessions," which include the droning "Mercy Snack: The Laundromat," the catchy rocker "Baptist Blacktick," a rawer, rougher alternate mix of "Here," and the shimmery indie "Nothing Ever Happens" (which sounds a bit like the Beatles). The first disc fades out with the John Peel Session #1 -- which has never been released before -- four fuzzy, solid renditions of their songs.

The second disc is almost as good, kicking off with the Watery, Domestic tracks: the ear-tingling feedback that opens "Texas Never Whispers," the sweeping "Frontwards," and the poppy "Shoot the Singer (1 Sick Verse)." The Watery Sessions are on a somewhat grimmer note with the melancholy "Greenlander," the gothic-sounding "Sue Me Jack," and the drizzly "So Stark (You're A Skyscraper)."

A second John Peel session -- also never before released -- which starts off on a grey, drizzly note but builds up to the muffled shrieks and roars of "List of Dorms." Finally, the second disc rounds off to a live performance at London's Brixton Academy in late 1992: A surprisingly clear, sharp-sounding rendition of their songs -- you can almost feel the energy crackling from Malkmus's voice.

And accompanying the two discs of music is a thick little booklet the size of a skinny CD jewel case. It doesn't really provide many new insights into the songs themselves, but it does give a look into where the guys from Pavement were before rocketing to indie-godhood. It looks like a bunch of notes pasted together, especially with some scrawled lyrics in the middle of it, written in marker with lines crossed out.

Pavement is one of those wonderful bands that have a subtle influence on many of the bands who come after them, such as, for example, Weezer. Their fuzzy, roiling guitar was offset by creative flourishes that can make your heart bleed and your ears tingle. And don't be deceived by the seeming simplicity of these songs -- under the fuzzy guitar and machine-gun percussion are outstanding melodies.

Pavement may be gone, but it's not forgotten. And "Slanted and Enchanted: Luxe and Reduxe" is among the best rereleases I've seen yet, with its overwhelming wealth of extras and bonuses. Vibrant and timeless -- and the rarities and B-sides make it even better.

Possibly the best band ever.
Do yourself a favor and buy any Pavement record. Slanted and Enchanted should be your first purchase. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With a name designed to shock, and song titles like "Oh Shit?" and "Orgasm Addict" the Buzzcocks were proud proponents of British late-'70s punk rock. But in retrospect, it's easier to see what else they accomplished--some of the catchiest, most provocative pop singles ever. Pete Shelley expressed heartbreak and frustration ("Ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with?" goes one catchy chorus) without falling victim to lovey-dovey cliches. This definitive 1979 collection nicely captures the Manchester quartet's tight melodies, economic writing and appropriately fast pace.--Steve Knopper ... Read more

Reviews (47)

For the fans...
After hearing "What Do I Get?" in a Toyota Rav4 commercial, I absolutely fell in love with it and spent about a year searching for it. I didn't know who it was by, and when I finally found the Buzzcocks album it was on, I realized I'd never heard of them. Funny, because at the time I was a die-hard Sex Pistols fan and they're in a similar league, but I has a rather novice punk fan (I was only 12), and the band was unfamiliar to me. When I brought the CD home and listened to it, my heart rejoiced at hearing that snotty, high-powered pop punk anthem in full...I guarantee that any old school punk-listener will find What Do I Get? very good. There are a few other good songs on this compilation, like "Orgasm Addict," "Everybody's Happy Nowadays," and "Autonomy." Otherwise, the music begins to turn into a poppy mass of British drivel. Considering the low price, it is worth it to buy the album, but there is a considerable amount of filler material. I just hope you're into the strangely familiar-sounding "Everybody's..." or the schoolboy-horny "Orgasm Addict"...and to bring back that warm fuzzy punky feeling you got when you saw that car ad, turn "What Do I Get?" up to full blast and repeat, repeat, repeat.

What Do YOU Get? This NOW!!
I was just remembering how I wore out my original vinyl copy of this incredible collection from Pete Shelley and the hilariously named "Buzzcocks.".............. I had first heard "What Do I Get" when watching a program on TV with British bands. Needless to say, I ran to the store for my copy of "Singles Going Steady." .............There are non-stop power pop punk classics throughout this compilation. "Ever Fallen In Love", "Everybody's Happy Nowadays", and the long great closing cut "Something's Gone Wrong Again" are songs that get me moving even when I'm tired! There is not one bad cut here. I'd say this CD is like a shot of musical adrenaline. It pounds, it surges, and it makes you want to dance and smile as you listen. ............ After aquiring this release, I bought, "A Different Kind Of Tension" too. It's a continuation of that great rip-roaring guitar pop-punk melody laden music. More about THAT CD in another review... ............. If you are a fan of late 70's punk, todays alternative, or plain old guitar pop with catchy hooks, you should definitely catch THIS "Buzz" too.

Call it what you want, it's still great music.
If you want to know how truly varied punk is, listen to this album, followed by Black Flag's Damaged, bearing in mind that both albums are part of the same genre. The effect is something that no ammount of halucinogenic drugs can reproduce.
But nevermind all that. Singles Going Steady truly is a rare album, a collection of melodic, radio-friendly pop tunes that can still be considered punk classics, and rightfully so. The sixteen songs all have intense appeal, in a sort of singing-along, get-stuck-in-your-head-all-day kind of way (One of my worst work experiences was when I went into the office with "Orgasm Addict" lodged in the ol' cranium.) The tracks can all be considered rock standards, with rapid-fire guitar chords and a powerhouse drum beat, all of which sweeps you up into a flurry and brings a smile to your face. The songs are all delivered with a punky sort of tounge-in-cheeck humor, mixed with ironic cynisism ("Everybody's happy nowadays."). The energy of "Ever Fallen In Love" is irrisistable (though I can't imagine why anyone would want to resist it), and I challange you to listin to the chanting, anthemic chorus of "I Don't Mind" and not jump to your feet and start singing along. Well... maybe that's just me.
"Orgasm Addict" is a real pleasure (sorry), a rapid-fire two-minute lightning bolt of a rocker, backed by high speed guitars and a rockin' bass line, not to mention some of the all around greatest song lyrics ever, especially when you consider that it was realesed in 1979 ("You get in a heat/ You get in a sulk/ But you still keep on beating your meet to pulp/ Yeah you're an OR-GASM addict!")

Which brings me to my next point (how convenient). Pete Shelly sure knows how to write. Sophomoric lyrics of the afformentioned song aside, Shelly's words are powerful, introspective, and love-lorn ("Ever falln in love with somebody you shouldn't have fallen in love with?"). They perfectly capture the feelings of teenage angst without being whiny. This makes the songs surprisingly honest, and allows listiners to identify with the permenently blue lead singer. I guess this means that the Buzzcocks sacrifice a ton of punk credentials for that, but does it really matter? If the music is enjoyable, then what's the harm in a bit of genre-bending?

Hard-core punkers dismiss the Buzzcocks as being insufficiently punk, comparing them to the shi*ty "pop-punk" bands of today. What they fail to realize is that Shelly and Co can write good, entertaining songs, while Good (bad) Charolette and Simple Plan cannot (The 90's pop-punk scene has got to be one of the bigest musical disasters since Bette Midler. If I hear another whiny pre-pubescent "punker" whine about some girl just because Blink one-eighty-what-the-hell-ever did it, I'm gonna explode. But I digress). In fact, if you really want, you don't have to call the Buzzcocks punk. Call them rock, call them pop, call them whatever the hell you want, just ENJOY the MUSIC.

what do you get?
Is this emo punk? (Does that even exist?) Pete Shelley's voice combines vulnerbility and...um, cockiness at the same time, which is a tempting combination. Its funny-sad. It defies labels. Plus, you don't hear too many orgasming guys in music nowadays. I heard "What do I get?" during Ghost World and was throughly disappointed it wasn't on the sound track. I couldn't get the song out of my head, so I got this cd and have no regrets.

Plus, they just included a really mediocre remake of "ever fallen in love?" in the new shrek movie. Hear just how much better the original is.

Standout songs: What do I get, ever fallen in love, everybody's happy nowadays

Funny Voices+Catchy Hooks=Classic!
Buzzcocks, Sex Pistols, it all was the same to me when I was younger. Fast rock with annoying British accents. Now I love this stuff...Weird. Every now and then you come across that guy that tells you "You're not punk untill you listen to (fill in the blank with any punk group before Green Day)" Sometimes those guys can get annoying, but they do have a valid point. The Buzzcocks took the pop-punk sense of The Ramones and made it perverted. "Orgasm Addict?" Heh, heh. Don't act like you don't remember where your mind was at age 15. The other great one, "What do I get," sums up my love life. I want a nice, funny, normal girl...But what do I get get? Man, you don't wanna know what I get. I get some scary chicks. Heh, heh. Now I'm getting personal. This is a good cd. My gripe is that the sound is HORRIBLE! I mean, that cheap sound is cool to an extent but if I didn't have that sound system in my car, I'd be screwed. Plus I liked the less popular songs, but that's just me. But for the usual Buzzcocks fan, this is right up your alley. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Lyrically, the best.
Conor Oberst sure does have a way with words. His first release as Bright Eyes, "Letting Off the Happiness", leaves you wondering how a boy of 18 could be such an amazing poet. His latest album, "Lifted", may have carefully orchestrated music, with instruments ranging from tambourines to cellos, but "Letting Off the Happiness" is the album that reassures you Conor really does feel what he sings. He screams wildly and sings softly, telling of suicide, love, and even simply wanting sex. I have never heard another person put words together so beautifully as in "A Poetic Retelling of an Unfortunate Seduction" nor sound so sincere about poisoning oneself as in "Padriac My Prince". This album is truly a lyrical work of art, and even if you can't stand Conor's voice, you have to admit he's a better lyricist at the tender age of 18 than most of the world will ever be.

Conor is amazing and this CD proves it!
To start off, I must say that this is my first and only Bright Eyes album. I plan on getting many more because of it though.

To me, this album is a masterpiece. It is always interesting and entertaining to listen to and it's good enough to where you wont want to listen to anything except this album.

The secret without question lies within Conor's God-givin talent to write amazingly beautiful and sad songs. From what I hear, this CD is a good deal less depressing than some of his others but still, you get a heartbreaking story in nearly every song. He presents his stories in a way that I have never heard before, a way that never wears a song out. Not only can he write , he can also sing. I understand that many people can't take his voice but I feel it is absolutly perfect for what he is trying to do. His sparse screaming fits throughout this album help to contribute to the overall raw atmosphere of it as well.

The only problem I have with this is the extremely lo-fi recording. In many of the songs, one can tell that it could have been better. I especially don't understand the reason for putting 14 minutes-plus worth of blankness at the end of Tereza and Tomas. I do like the extra version of Contrast and Compare with only Conor on vocal after it but I see no need to leave a gap that long before disclosing the CD extra.

My last words of advise...Please people, Give Conor a chance. He is genius in terms of songwriting and he isn't a bad guitar player either. Look past the lo-fi sound and you will see this. every song is worth listening to especially IF Winter Ends, Padraic my Prince, June on the West Coast, and A Poetic Retelling of an Unfortunate Seduction. Just buy it and enjoy.

letting conor off the hook
what i said then: "i think this one is not quite so good as fevers and mirrors, which is a 19 year-old's masterpiece. he did this one when he was 17; not bad at all. it's good, but improvements were to come in the form of better lyrics and cleaner production."

not so sure about that anymore...while there is some great poetry on fevers, i don't think i've heard anything of his equal "june on the west coast" from this album. absolutely gorgeous love song. and the scratchy production here fits his strangled voice, better, too. makes his whining less so. in time, this album will be regarded as a naive masterpiece, a miracle of talent and desire and desperation.

a beautiful CD
Letting off the Happiness is really a beautiful work. This is early Bright Eyes, and many say that it's not as "acessible" as Fevers and Mirrors or Lifted, but I'd say either start here or with Lifted (I started with Fevers, and now that I've heard the other two CDs, it's my least favorite).

The songwriting on this is amazing, and though the arrangements are far less complex than those on the CDs that follow this, the songs are just as good (and sometimes a good deal better).

Some of my favorite Bright Eyes songs are on this CD, including the first track, If Winter Ends, and the seventh track, June on the West Coast, which is lovely in its simplicity (it seems to be just Conor Oberst and his guitar with minimal acompaniment. It's almost happy too, which in itself is unusual). The City has Sex is also outstanding.

Really, all of the songs on this CD are very good, and far more raw and immediate (and less polished) than the later stuff. If you like Bright Eyes or anything in this style- it's sort of folky, emotional indie- you'll have no problem listening to this the whole way through and you'll enjoy it all (once you've gotten used to Oberst's voice, which does take some listening).

One final note: I wish I could give this CD half a star less. Bright Eyes has a tendancy to either start or end songs with annoying static or speaking or... things that are not music. While it does not ultimately detract from the value of the songs, I find it incredibly annoying.

one of the best i have ever listened to
Conor Oberst is a genius. There is no doubt about that. Everything he writes and sings is so heartfelt, you can't help but relate with the guys problems. This album is one of the best I have ever listened to.

The first song, If Winter Ends, is one of my all time favorites. It's so passionate. As is the second song, Padric My Prince, about his brother who "drowned in a bath tub before he even learned how to talk." it's so brilliant and wonderful. Conor Oberst writes the most lovely, poetic things. YOu can't help but want to help the guy through hard times.

It's a great album! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

We always suspected they had it in them, but who knew Yo La Tengo would finally craft a record as wholeheartedly terrific as this? Fourteen years into their career as indie rock's low-key mainstays, the Hoboken, New Jersey, trio have arrived--and it's about time. It's as though simply by sticking around long enough and doing the same thing over and over while constantly refining and focusing Yo La have evolved from scattered, record-collecting eccentrics into the true classicists of '90s indie rock. Blending elements of what has illuminated Sonic Youth, Stereolab, Pavement, and My Bloody Valentine, they've long had a clear voice but never sounded so comfortable using it. Willfully eclectic husband-and-wife multi-instrumentalists Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley--with third member James McNew never sounding more permanent--have previously tended to alternate between their instincts to be a pop rock band and to serve as artsy noisemakers. On I Can Hear..., the group doesn't have to choose between songs and sounds. There's noise leaking out everywhere, but it's always under control. Even the most layered soundscapes--songs like "Autumn Sweater," "Sugarcube," or "Moby Octopad"--have unforgettable melodies, with fragile harmonies to boot. "We're an American Band" (not a Grand Funk cover) could be Simon and Garfunkel singing along to the Jesus and Mary Chain. And on tracks like "Shadows" or "My Little Corner of the World," where the melody consumes everything else, deceptively simple backdrops provide a less-is-more atmosphere. Just in time for indie rock to catch up with Yo La Tengo, Yo La Tengo has caught up with itself. --Roni Sarig ... Read more

Reviews (73)

Wow
I bought this album because of Spin magazine's rave review a few years back. I popped it in the car CD player and was amazed; I almost swerved off the road. The first tune, "Return to Hot Chicken" is an instrumental that makes me want to drift into the sky. "Autumn Sweater" is the kind of song I want to be writing when I'm old. I actually don't like "Little Honda" that much, but "Sugarcube", "Moby Octopad", and "Center of Gravity" more than make up for it. After "Little Honda", the disc gets real mellow, with an instrumental featuring crickets and a few short, whispered folky tunes. But the highlight of the disc for me is the 4th song, "Damage". Ira sounds so fragile in the verses, and when he and Georgia are harmonizing "ooh-wooh-ooh" in the chorus, my skin melts everytime. A Warning, however: don't buy this record expecting noisy early-Sonic Youth style songs; there is plenty of noise, but mellow noise. The album, on the whole, is pretty mellow. But the music is so beautiful, I can't imagine living without it.

America's best rock - mellow +loud +everything in between
From the opening notes of the first song, Yo La Tengo lures you into their state of mind - love and beauty and excitement and wonder and reflection. This album has it all, from the reverb drenched, peaceful yet moody Return to Hot Chicken, to Moby Octopad, a well crafted yo la rocker with suprise piano, to the fuzzy distortion blissful pop rocker with hyped up drums and cymbal crashes up the wazzoo Sugarcube, to the dark and haunting yet beautifully reflective Damage, and through the ever-building rave up wash of sonic ecstasy that is Deeper into movies, this CD is simply incomparable. Folk tunes, lounge music, sonic-youth inspired feedback washes, catchy yet intelligent love songs with kickin' beats, fuzzed out beach boys covers with distorted one-note guitar solos, and cricket riddled background ambience are seamlessly tied together with amazing craftsmanship and dedication and love. Amazing love songs are sung between married members of the band, and it's clear that these 3 (only 3!) people love what they do. The 13 minute "monster", and the "reward" that follows and the folky My Little Corner of the World are just an example of how much diversity these folks have got. I discovered this album in college with a little help from my buddy Logan, and have NEVER tired of it. Granted I'm not the best CD handler in the world, but i've bought four copies of this album for myself. Birthday gifts for people whose musical tastes i'm unsure of? This album right here. I've met only one person that let me play it for them who didn't absolutely fall in love with this album, and my brother is a big fan of creed and puddle of staind mudvayne limp bizkorn sound alikes with no originality. I mean, to each his own, but everyone should hear this album in it's entirety at least once. And if you don't like it, you can send it to me. Definately the Yo La album to start out with. A little long, perhaps? This cd is like a book you can't put down. The definitive road trip album. Very few people actually sit down and listen to an album like people used to, huddled around the radio to catch every bit of the story, but that's how i recomend your first visit to Yo La's realm of music.

One of the best albums...Ever.
I've had this CD for 5 years now and I still listen to it on a regular basis. There's a little something for everyone on this CD: Instrumentals, catchy pop, distortion, a cover of a Beach Boys tune, bossa nova, and a country song. This is Yo La Tengo's masterpiece and one of the best albums ever.

?
My friend wanted me to check out this group, so I listened to her entire album and wait...I didn't cause I fell asleep. This is a group that has very boring music, and downtempo isn't the word for it.They need to step it up or get stepped on.

Who's on first...
Pavement gets all the credit for creating the 90s indie rock sound, and I have to say Pavement is truly great. But I think people neglect the importance of Yo La Tengo. To me, they are the Velvet Underground of the 90s. Basically comprised of one couple and a few other musicians brought in as necessary, this band blends pop harmonies and a strong sense of melody with sonic dissonance and feedback. In some songs, you'd swear you were hearing a warmer, friendlier Sonic Youth. In others, the band sounds like folk-rockers from the 1960s. There's variety here, versatility, and creativity. Something missing from a lot of pop music these days. I recommend this one and "Fakebook," along with "Painful," as a good overall introduction to the Yo La Tengo sound. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The name "Brian Jonestown Massacre" may seem hokey, but it accurately sums up the band's aesthetic. Their key musical reference point is late Rolling Stones member Brian Jones, and their ramshackle, self-destructive vibe is all too reminiscent of Jim Jones, the Guyana cult overlord who killed himself and his congregation with poisoned vats of Kool-Aid. Strung Out in Heaven, the band's eighth release since 1995, is a retrodelic janglefest of Altamontian proportion. Blending the smarmy, drug-addled sonics of late-'60s Stones with the chime of the Byrds, the hooks of the Animals, and the monochromatic drone of Velvet Underground within their swirl of 12-string guitars, farfisa organs, and jaded vocals, Brian Jonestown Massacre cull some of the most head-spinning moments of '60s rock into a single, unified expression. But unified is the last word you'd use to describe their interband chemistry.Since they formed, they have been through nearly 60 members, and their live shows are as likely to end in a flurry of fists as a transcendent, stupefying jam. Savor them before they self-destruct. --Jon Wiederhorn ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Echos of Stones, Dylan and Who, but well done.
You can almost name the influences that seep through each song, but BJM does it so well, you can't care. The disc is vibrant and murky all at once. As far as comments on the recording style goes, it's all technique just as Beastie Boys use scrtaches and pops reminiscent of the true vinyl sound. BJM is a testament to the fact that true, raw rock & roll doesn't die. I recommend it heartily.

A great place to start for the uninitiated...
This album may not be a favorite (1997's Give It Back earns that distinction), but Strung Out In Heaven is the closest thing the Brian Jonestown Massacre have made to a "proper" commercial record, and it's a great place to start for the uninitiated. Sure, the case can be made that Strung Out is a little derivative, but the Brian Jonestown Massacre have never made any effort to hide their influences. Bob Dylan, the Spacemen 3, Syd Barrett, the VU and early Stones lurk around every part of this disk, but given the lack of appreciation most modern bands have for history, is that really such a band thing? Sit back and enjoy, there isn't a dull moment to be heard here...

it's not so easy to turn it on anymore
way back in the 1960's, you could plug in your 12-string fender and illuminate the world around you. As Duke said, "you could strike sparks anywhere." Today, not so much. But there remain those noble souls who are trying to rekindle the glory. This band puts out so many albums, but this one is the truest to capturing the sixties sound. Full of blurry-eyed optimism, songs like "let's Pretend that its summer" and "Lantern" discover new territory on a battlefield that was abandoned long ago.

Its worth a serious listen
I think this is a very satisfying mix of tunes with obvious links to the early Stones, as the band's name implies. The whole disc is good listening, although some of the tunes clearly stand out from the others.

Should have named this one Zero Inspiration
Believe the bad reviews. I've listened to a couple of earlier cds by this band and felt, despite their influences doing it much better, they were still an okay listen. This cd, however, has about the most consistently uninspired "melodies" of any I've ever heard-- and trust me, it wasn't their intention. You can tell that with these tracks, they basically came up with some music and then tried to come up with the song melody for it, and coming up wayyyy short.

Textbook examples of uninspired songwriting. Skip it.

By the way, listening to it did inspire me, however. I've heard bad cds before, but this was the first to inspire me to take the time to sign up for a yahoo account and submit a bad review. ... Read more