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One of the earliest things that we learned about Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart was that the duo had style. In their first few MTV videos, including "Sweet Dreams" and "Love Is a Stranger," they were just as notable for their androgynous suits and rubber utility coverall, as they were for their ice box synthetic dance beats. But as Eurythmics continued to churn out one hit after another, something else became refreshingly apparent: In the midst of all of the impersonal drum machines and frozen electronics, Lennox displayed both rhythm and soul. With a voice powerful enough to hold its own against genre queen Aretha Franklin ("Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves"), Lennox added another dimension to the haunting moodiness of "Who's That Girl" and "Here Comes the Rain Again." Changing personas and musical stylings with every release, Eurythmics blasted out horn-infused rockers ("Would I Lie to You"), country-fied twangers ("Thorn in My Side"), and melodic brilliance ("When Tomorrow Comes"). Greatest Hits captures the band's most inspired moments and justifies all of the original fuss. --Steve Gdula ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Sweet Dreams (are made of this)
If I had to name my favorite decade for music, it would have to be the '80s with all the new wave bands like Erasure, Depeche Mode, and the Eurythmics. Annie Lennox is definitely one of the greatest female vocalists I have ever heard. I was definitely offended when shock rocker Marilyn Manson massacred "Sweet Dreams (are made of this)". I absolutely loved Annie's androgynous look she had in her music videos like in "Sweet Dreams (are made of this)". Although I knew quite a few of the songs on this cd, there were quite a few songs that I wasn't really familiar like the guitar-driven "When Tomorrow Comes" which I immediately fell in love with, with both the melodies, guitar riffs, and the optimistic lyrics. "Thorn in My Side" is also another personal favorite track. That is one of those songs where I can't help but sing along to when I listen to the cd. I love the empowering lyrics of "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves", a timeless classic. Pairing Annie with another legendary singer Aretha Franklin was a brilliant idea. And of course I can't mention other faves such as "Here Comes the Rain Again" and "Missionary Man". There was not one song on this cd I did not skip over. This cd is simply a great collection of songs that made the '80s so great.

"Don't Ask Me Why", just get it.
Everytime I listen to "Eurythmics", I'm reminded of why they're one of the better groups of the 80's. They crafted some of the best pop songs, with a soul and style that not many others had. I'm amazed at how well some of these songs are put together. This includes the hits "Here Comes The Rain Again", "Would I Lie To You?", "Missionary Man", and the huge "Sweet Dreams (are made of this)". My favorites on here would have to be "Thorn In My Side", and the excellent "Love Is A Stranger". "There Must Be An Angel (playing with my heart)" is pretty great too. This whole disc is easy to play straight through. By the end of it, you just might find yourself wanting an orange crew-cut.

Greatest Hits (1991)
The Eurythmics were one of the best 80s synthesized pop bands ever. Their unique sound and style combined with Annie's soothing vocals were nothing short of amazing. In their short span of time, starting with their first album, In The Garden in 1981, they have proven themselves to be official Icons over our generation and the next. This greatest hits compilation is their way of showing just how amazing they were.

SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)
From the album Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (1982). First of all, this is not the album and single version, this is an extended version. The album and single version run to 3 and a half minutes, while this one runs to 4 minutes and 50 seconds. No matter which version they put on this compilation, this will always be one of their best songs. Although, the album is not all that impressive. If you buy Marilyn Manson's 1995 album Smells Like Children, you can hear his rendition of this song and it's unbelievable. I mean, it's not a gothic-heavy metal type song, but his rendition is incredible and it can also be heard in the 1999 remake House On Haunted Hill, starring Geoffrey Rush as Stephen Price, Famke Jansan as Evelyn Price, Ali Larter as Sara Wolfe, Taye Diggs as Eddie Baker, Bridgette Wilson as Melissa Marr, Peter Gallagher as Donald Blackburn, and Chris Kattan as Watson Prichett.

WHEN TOMORROW COMES
From the album Revenge (1986). This is another great song, with a great sound. This song originally came off of the album, Revenge (1986). That album, an amazing album I might add, also includes the 12" remix of this song as the bonus track.

HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN
From the album Touch (1983). The album and single version run up to 4 minutes and 50 seconds, while this one runs 13 seconds longer, making it a 5 minute and 3 second song. This is another classic hit. I recently seen the video on VH1 Classic's All Star Jams. It is a very strange video, but yet amazing, just like the song.

WHO'S THAT GIRL?
From the album Touch (1983). No, Madonna did not re-record this song in 1987. Madonna had a completely different song, only with the same title as this. But both are incredible.

WOULD I LIE TO YOU?
From the album Be Yourself Tonight (1985). The album, Be Yourself Tonight (1985), which is Eurythmics' fourth album, did not get as much recognition because of it's R&B sound. But the album did have three major singles and this is one of them, although, I don't really care for this song as much.

SISTERS ARE DOIN' IT FOR THEMSELVES (with Aretha Franklin)
From the album Be Yourself Tonight (1985). Now this is more like it. For years, I never knew who the other vocalist was, until about four years ago. I finally figured that the voice of the dueting vocalist belonged to Aretha Franklin. Although, I do not like Aretha Franklin, I do love this song. Somehow, I only like Aretha Franklin when she duets with other people, like this song, for example, and her duet with George Michael, which would be I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me). This is a classic song. Back in September of 1998, when the Spice Girls (when the lineup was left with Victoria 'Posh Spice Adams-Beckham, Emma 'Baby Spice' Bunton, Melanie B. 'Scary Spice' Brown, & Melanie C. 'Sporty Spice' Chisholm) toured Europe, they performed this song and their live version can be found on their US single, Good-Bye.

THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL (PLAYING WITH MY HEART)
From the album Be Yourself Tonight (1985). A lot better than Would I Lie To You?, but not as good as Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves.

MISSIONARY MAN
From the album Revenge (1986). The beginning is cut short, but still a great song. The video is creepy, but it's incredible.

DON'T ASK ME WHY
From the album We Too Are One (1989). An okay song.

I NEED A MAN
From the album Savage (1987). The album Savage (1987) is my favorite album from the Eurythmics and this is the only hit that made it onto this collection. There were many other great songs from that album like Beethoven (I Love To Listen To), You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart, Savage, I've Got A Lover (Back In Japan), Do You Want To Break Up?, etc. But this is a great song, with an incredible rock and roll beat.

LOVE IS A STRANGER
From the album Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (1982). A good song, but not as good as Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This).

THORN IN MY SIDE
From the album Revenge (1986). Another awesome song from the Revenge (1986) album. That acoustic guitar in the beginning sounds unbelievable.

THE KING & QUEEN OF AMERICA
From the album We Too Are One (1989). This is a great song to begin with and it certainly is much better than Don't Ask Me Why.

ANGEL
From the album We Too Are One (1989). A romantic ballad.

The Eurythmics have shown us that they were one of the best acts of the 80s. They tried to do it again in 1999, by releasing their tenth album, Peace, but it didn't get anywhere. But their older material will always have them remembered.

A rare "hits" antholgy that is actually essential
Throughout the eighties, Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox made consistently great songs and often great albums. Their main influence as Eurythmics was to prove that the genre that based itself primarily in electronics was not without a soul. By the time they evolved into the band that was recording their terrific "Be Yourself Tonight" album, they had transcended whatever limits the genre had initially imposed and began blending all sorts of styles.

That kind of stylistic cross cutting made for an amazing batch of singles. Even the breakthrough hit, "Sweet Dreams," holds up today, and there's a lot of soul to "Here Comes The Rain Again." By now, Annie had grown so much as a vocalist that she could hold her own with Aretha as a singer and Stevie Wonder as a musician, and Stewart had hit stride as a musician/composer/arranger. It was also amazing that, when the time came, Eurythmics could also rock as hard as the best of them ("Missionary Man," "Would I Lie To You").

Even the later stuff, like "Angel" and "Thorn In My Side" gave the duo plenty of room to expand their range. "Angel" is an obvious stepping stone to Annie's solo career, and even without the benefit of it actually being a huge "hit," belongs here. So what you finally receive is a hits package that flows evenly, doesn't skimp on the songs, doesn't contain any dregs, "bonus remixes" or annoying demos. An actual five star recommendable album from a band that rarely slouched on their full length recordings, and for that alone, worth getting.

Great 80's Duo
The Eurythmics are one of my favorite duos. Ever. They have those fun, catchy pop rhythms that only the 1980's could show ya. I never really heard of this band until I heard Marylin Manson's Sweet Dreams remake, and I liked that song when it was out, so I decided to get the original. They became one of my favorite bands. Get this, if you like 80's pop/rock or new wave. ... Read more

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Manchester's pivotal post-punk quartet offer a 16-track opus that skips obscurities and early material in favor of their greatest singles. Highlights include "Blue Monday," "Thieves Like Us" and "The Perfect Kiss" and sparkling Stephen Hague remixes of "True Faith" and "Bizarre Love Triangle." --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (47)

The Best of New Order? Not Exactly.
Putting together a single disc anthology of the best of New Order would be a difficult undertaking in any circumstances. The band had no easily identifiable hits, and many of their most popular songs were dance mixes (like "Bizare Love Triange") radically different from the original versions that appeared on the original albums.

Having said all of that, "The Best of New Order" is still a strangely programmed attempt. One of their most popular dance tracks, "Blue Monday" is not even included. Also left out are other first rate songs like "Love Vigilantes" and "All Day Long." And yet, strangely, the CD contains three tracks from their last and weakest CD (before their recent reunion) "Republic." Other oddities are included, like an updated version of the rare track "1963" from the B-sides disc of "Substance" and the previous non-CD released "Touched by the Hand of God," which is not one of their better songs.

Overall, this best of collection shows only intermittantly what made New Order the best-ever synthesizer rock band. Ardent fans may want it to fill in some missing gaps. But casual fans will be disserved by it. They should go with the far superior anthology "Substance" instead.

Goodish
Although a decent enough 'best of', this is patchy in comparison to the minimalist simplicity of 'Substance 1987'. Instead of simply compiling all the singles and b-sides from 1987 onwards (a process which would, admittedly, have resulted in a fairly short album), this is an odd overview of their career from 'Power, Corruption and Lies' onwards. It's nice to have 'World in Motion' on CD, and although fans might moan at the inclusion of remixed versions of 'True Faith', '1963' and 'Bizarre Love Triangle' the songs don't really suffer for it. On the other hand, it's criminal that either of the versions of 'Confusion' aren't on the CD, and quite why the excellent early singles 'Everything's Gone Green' or 'Temptation' have been omitted is a mystery. The ultra-obscure 'Murder' would have been nice to have, too. That said, it seems as if this compilation was intended as a way of introducing the group to non-fans, and as such it works very well - the songs from 'Technique' and 'Republic' haven't dated much, and sound fresh today. Furthermore, it must have been a way for London records to justify buying the group, as, after extricating them from the corpse of Factory records and releasing 'Republic', they promptly went on haitus.

The UK version has a slightly different track listing, omitting the first four songs from this US pressing. There's a companion-piece, 'The Rest of', which is fairly bad, and contains lots of undistinguished modern remixes of their old songs, most of which sound like totally new tracks.

the rest of..
this album doesn't even remotely do this band justice. The renditions of the songs they have selected are often weaker(i.e perfect kiss,blue monday,bizarre love triangle), because these are the radio versions, but no one is a buying the cd because they want the radio dammit, they want the best of new order. bottom line: great band, but this disc is waste of time. check out substance instead and wait patiently until someone actually compiles a real best of collection. Also note this album completely neglect power corruption, and lies, my favourite new order album and the turning point in their career.

Misleading Title
Fusing rock with dance, New Order has, for almost a quarter of a century, been producing music that has been a hit with the public, critics, and peers. New Order started out as Joy Division, part of that explosion in the United Kingdom in the late '70s early '80s that gave birth to experimental synthesizer-based acts like Gary Numan, The Human League, Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark, Depeche Mode, and Yaz.

New Order's Peter Hook's melodic bass and Bernard Sumner's unemotional singing--copied by the Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant?--and subtle lyrics help set this group apart from other artists. Their albums, for the most part, are stark in design, provide no pictures of the band members, and do not even mention their names. In the early part of their career, they rarely gave interviews--they preferred to let their music do the talking--gave short sets during their live performances--about an hour--and no encores. No wonder a mystique built up.

New Order can rock with the best as "Run 2" demonstrates; this is danceable, but you will get a better idea of the dance gods they have become with "Touched by the Hand of God" and "Blue Monday--88"--a shorter and different version of "Blue Monday" that is the biggest selling twelve-inch ever; these are three of New Order's best songs, but it is debatable whether the rest of the material on this album is among their best.

"World in Motion" is not in any of their studio albums, so it is a welcome addition here. "True Faith--94," "Bizarre Love Triangle--94," "1963--94," and "Round & Round--94" are pleasant but no huge improvement over the versions that appear in their studio albums and _Substance_. Similarly, "Fine Time," "The Perfect Kiss," and "Shell Shock" are shorter versions. "Regret," "Vanishing Point," and "World (Price of Love)" are, like the previously mentioned, all good songs, but, again, it is debatable whether they are New Order's best.

What happened to songs like "Dreams Never End," "Your Silent Face," "Love Vigilantes," the album version of "Sub-Culture," "Temptation," and "All the Way"? Other songs that should have been included would be a selection from "Age of Consent," "The Village," "586," "Ceremony," "Everything's Gone Green," "In a Lonely Place," "Mesh," "Hurt," and "Confused Instrumental." The early version of "586" on _The John Peel Sessions_ is also outstanding. If you have nothing by New Order, this is an excellent recording to get you familiar with the band's sound. Just do not think that you are getting anything close to their best.

If you like this recording, you should also buy their double-CD set, _Substance_. After that, buy, in this order, their albums, _Technique_, _Low-Life_, _Power, Corruption & Lies_, _Get Ready_, _Brotherhood_, and _The John Peel Sessions_. If you enjoy _Peel_, you may also want to buy Joy Division's _Closer_. Joy Division has a much different sound--darker and less melodic, less poppy, and less danceable.

Great Collection
When I bought this CD I was only familir with some of the New Order singles so I love this album mainly because this is where I heard the rest of the singles. For that fact I recommend this album but I'm not sure how the tracks compare to the album cuts since I'm not as familiar with their albums so I can't say if this is just a collection of the album versions of songs. Great collection though, highly recommended if you're new to this group. ... Read more

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Among the benefits of picking up the new Tears for Fears album--the band's first since 1989--maybe the least obvious is looking cool in front of friends. Flick it on over cocktails, say, and brows will furrow: Few would think to match the heaving, synth-heavy boys who lit up the '80s with "Head Over Heels" to this new material. Which is mostly a good thing. The vocals of lead singer Roland Orzabal, powered by some all-cylinders thing, still squash all traces of irony in their path, and there's a moodiness to the music, minus a lot of the old broodiness, that borders on the masterly. Yet the sound has changed completely. Old-school overproduction has fallen away in favor of real guitars, pounding pianos, and a melody-driven, Beatle-y sensibility. It's there on the title track and first single "Call Me Mellow," and only slightly eclipsed by something pleasantly Bacharach-ish on "Secret World." Everybody who loves a happy ending will find one here: Tears for Fears skirts the has-been trap impressively, translating years of experience into play-it-again, sophisticated modern pop worth paying attention to. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

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

Reviews (78)

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

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

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

skipping skip skip.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And, "Gloria" is still their finest song!

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

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

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

Reviews (25)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (9)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (32)

The Complete Singles Collection
This American compilation (not available in the UK or anywhere else other than as an import product) is the most complete singles collection on one CD. Unlike "Tears for Fears - Tears Roll Down - Greatest Hits", it also features songs which cannot be found on the duo's first three albums 'The Hurting', 'Songs from the Big Chair' and 'Sowing the Seeds of Love'.

The track listing is almost chronological to the singles released back in the eighties and nineties, and therefore gives the listener a chance to experience the way Tears For Fears changed its sound with the passing of time.

It is worth noting that this compilation is the only one that includes tracks from Tears For Fears 'Elemental' album -- 'Break it Down Again' and 'Goodnight Song'. 'Elemental' is in fact a solo album by singer/songwriter Roland Orzabal released after the duo 'split' in the early 90's. There are no tracks here from 'Raoul and the Kings of Spain', Tears For Fears's last album, and another solo project by Roland Orzabal. For the record, there is a new album (not another compilation, but a collection of new songs) due for release in April 2004 titled 'Everybody Loves a Happy Ending', featuring the original duo line up of Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal.

If you're looking for a solid collection than spans around fifteen years, then 'Shout: The Very Best of Tears for Fears' is the one to get.

Good collection from under-rated duo
Tears For Fears is the duo who crafted intelligent, tuneful pop songs back in the 1980's, riding the "new wave" sound of that era. The duo parted ways in the early 90's, and this is the first hits album to include Roland Orzabal's post breakup material recorded under the TFF name. Curt Smith has the more impressive voice, but Orzabal is also a solid vocalist, with his solo hit Break It Down Again a memorable track. This album fails to include anything from the 2nd Orzabal TFF solo album Raoul and The Kings of Spain, which had a few memorable tracks but was a commercial and chart flop. If you like Tears For Fears you might also want to get the last album and Elemental in addition to the hits collection.

Long Live Roland and Curt!
This is just an absolutely fantastic collection of music. Tears For Fears wrote some of the most beautuful tunes I've ever heard and this compilation puts all my favorites in one place. It is still a stunner to hear these tracks and I will never tire of songs like "Mad World", "I Believe", or "Shout".
...and the best part is, Roland and Curt are back! I found out recently that they have a new record coming (9/14/04) called "Everybody Loves A Happy Ending". Damn Right! Their 1st record back in like 15 years! It's a great to be a TFF Fan again.

Best of TFF
A great collection of Tears For Fears songs. I haven't heard any of their songs that weren't one of their big hits, but their greatest really were the very best. It was also helpful to read about their inspirations. Now that I know they used psychological theories to write their songs, the music makes even more sense.

Has a lame version of "Mothers Talk".
Has a lame version of "Mothers Talk". ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Best Cyndi Collection Yet
Sure, before you could buy the pricey imports, but "The Essential Cyndi Lauper" is much better than her previous American "hits" collections. It's not perfect, yet I think it's superior to "12 Deadly Cyns."

The big complaint was that for so long, american fans couldn't get "Good Enough" from "The goonies." Well, FINALLY it's included. Whether or not Cyndi likes the song, it's an 80's movie song classic and was a top 10 hit. Eight of Cyndi's top 10 hits are on here including the classic "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", "She Bop", "All Through the Night" and "Time After Time" frm her debut. all four of these were massive radio hits and still heard to this day. "True Colors" and "Change of Heart" were big hits off of her sophomore album. Her last top 10 single is included too from "A Night to Remember" which is "I Drove All Night" *recently Celine Dion did an amazing cover of it.* "Money Changes Everything" is graciously included also which didn't hit the top 10, but was still a big top 40 hit. The non-hits are also very worthy. "Hat Full of Stars" is gorgeous and "Sisters of Avalon" is very catchy.

So why 4 stars? As outstanding as this collection is, "What's Going On" *a top 10 hit from "True Colors"* was left off as was the minor hit "Hole In My Heart." These are minor gripes but would've really put it over the top. Still, it's a great hits collection and well worth the money. Cyndi is awesome.

Very solid Lauper collection, and finally, The Goonies!
When I heard that another Cyndi Lauper best-of album was going to be released, my first question was whether this new collection would measure up to her previous best-of collections, especially 12 Deadly Cyns...And Then Some. Well I can tell you that it certainly does. Essential Cyndi Lauper, in my opinion, comes the closest to being the ideal Cyndi collection available. But before I go on, I thought it would be helpful to first give a track listing (taken from her official website) since there doesn't seem to be one here:

1) Girls Just Want To Have Fun
2) Money Changes Everything
3) Who Let In The Rain
4) She Bop
5) Time After Time
6) I Drove All Night
7) Hat Full Of Stars
8) Change Of Heart
9) Sisters Of Avalon
10) All Through The Night
11) True Colors
12) When You Were Mine
13) Unhook The Stars
14) The Goonies 'R' Good Enough

The first thing I noticed about this collection is that it offers *all 6* of the smash hits from She's So Unusual. That alone is a major plus when it comes to a Cyndi Lauper collection. I would have liked to see "What's Going On" on this disc instead of "Change Of Heart," as I think that song better represents the True Colors album. But oh well, "True Colors" is here, and that's the biggest hit from her sophmore release. Yet again, only "I Drove All Night" is included from Cyndi's highly underrated A Night To Remember album. The powers-that-be still think that this song is the only worthy one off that album. But we know better, don't we?

Another thing worth mentioning about this collection is that it offers songs from both Hat Full Of Stars and Sisters Of Avalon. Whether you agree or disagree that the songs here representing those albums are the best selections, it's nice to see some songs from Cyndi's lesser-known (but still great) albums here.

And of course, my review wouldn't be complete without saying that "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" has FINALLY been included in an official domestic best-of collection. Until now, one had to spend quite a lot of money to get this song from the import collections or the (also pricy, not to mention hard to find) Goonies soundtrack. The inclusion of "The Goonies" here will surely make a lot of Cyndi fans quite pleased. I think it's a tragedy that "Hole In My Heart (All The Way To China)" is again not included in a Cyndi Lauper best-of compilation. If it had been, I would have given this album 5 stars without a second thought. So if you want that song, you'll need to find the Japanese version of 12 Deadly Cyns or A Night To Remember: it's a bonus track on both of those albums.

All in all though, this Cyndi Lauper collection doesn't disappoint and delivers. Highly recommended.

The Essential Cyndi Lauper (2003)
Cyndi Lauper has been another one of the most successful female solo artists of the early 80s. Her career started to take a fall with the release of 1989 album, A Night To Remember. After the unwanted failure of A Night To Remember (1989). In 1993, Cyndi released another album that failed entitled, Hat Full Of Stars.

In 2003, she was able to release, The Essential Cyndi Lauper, her second greatest hits compilation since Twelve Deadly Cyns ...And Then Some (1994). I definitely call it a must-have album.

GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN
From the album She's So Unusual (1983). I have loved this song since my years in middle school. I love it's fun-filled energy and I love it's crazed vibe. It's a classic all the way.

MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING
From the album She's So Unusual (1983). Another great song, but in my opinion, not among the best. I hope you know that it's true that money, in most ways, most certainly does change everything.

WHO LET IN THE RAIN
From the album Hat Full Of Stars (1993). The album Hat Full Of Stars (1993), as for I know, only had three songs I ever liked and they are That's What I Think, Hat Full Of Stars, and Who Let The Rain In. This is a moving ballad and I recommend that you all listen to it.

SHE BOP
From the album She's So Unusual (1983). I still can't get over the fact that this one talks about female masturbation. Nobody wagged their fingers at Cyndi for making a song like this, but if Madonna recorded this song, the critics and parents would have been down her throat. This is a great song. I remember watching Cyndi's Behind The Music on VH1. When they were talking about this track and all the controversey, Cyndi said that her mother called her up and said, "Is this song about... that?" I was laughing for days.

TIME AFTER TIME
From the album She's So Unusual (1983). I have always enjoyed this song because of its moving arrangements and vocal arrangements. Everytime I see Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow dance with Alan Cumming to this song in 'Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion', I cry after laughing so hard, even though they did a great job with the choreography. I know shouldn't be laughing because they danced so great, but it's just that they chose a romantic ballad that requires slow-dancing and they decided to use ballet as their dance.

I DROVE ALL NIGHT
From the album A Night To Remember (1989). This is one of the best songs I have heard from Cyndi Lauper and it came from the best album Cyndi Lauper has ever recorded, A Night To Remember. The album did not get the recognition it deserved, it is her best album by far.

HAT FULL OF STARS
From the album Hat Full Of Stars (1993). Another great song from the Hat Full Of Stars album. I knew from the moment I read the title that it would be a great song and I was right. I love it when I'm right.

CHANGE OF HEART
From the album True Colors (1986). This is one of the three songs from the True Colors (1986) album that I like. The True Colors (1986) album is not a favorite album of mine, all though I love the front and back covers of that album. This song has a great vibe to it and the lyrics are well-written. Cyndi's voice was amazing on this one to begin with, but The Bangles', who provided back-ups, vocals thicken Cyndi's voice, making her voice sound like it has more enthusiasm.

SISTERS OF AVALON
From the album Sisters Of Avalon (1997). This is a good song, but it's not like her original sound. If she decided to change her sound, she shouldn't have made it sound like this. I know she has the talent to better than this.

ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT
From the album She's So Unusual (1983). This is another song with a moving sound. The vocals are incredible, the music is incredible. Who would not love this song, except for people with no brains?

WHEN YOU WERE MINE
From the album She's So Unusual (1983). Although, this is a great song, I don't like the fact that it was originally done by Prince. I literally hate Prince with a passion. In my opinion, he's a great lyricist, but he and his music can go straight to hell because I can't stand him or his music.

TRUE COLORS
From the album True Colors (1986). The second of three songs I like from the True Colors (1986) album. The guitar arrangements are incredible.

UNHOOK THE STARS
From the album Sisters Of Avalon (1997). She did reinvent her sound for the Sisters Of Avalon (1997) album and not well at all. This is a song I always skip. I can't waste my time listening to a song that sounds like crap.

THE GOONIES 'R' GOOD ENOUGH
From the original motion picture & soundtrack The Goonies (1985). The Goonies has always been one of my favorite movies. The movie was filmed and released in 1985, the year that I was born. It's hard for me to believe that this movie is as old as I am and I still get a kick out of it. This song is amazing and Cyndi was the right choice to record it. The movie, original motion picture score, and this song all remind me of Wildwood, New Jersey. I don't know why, it just happened. This is one of the best songs from Cyndi Lauper and I'm happy to know that it was included in this incredible collection.

If you are a Cyndi Lauper fan, then you need to buy a copy of this collection. It's worth all the money you pay and you are guaranteed to be impressed.

What I Remember.
Most of my childhood was spent in the 1980s. I remember MTV when the music videos were largely nothing more than cheap backgrounds with the singers standing in front. I do remember that besides Madonna, Cyndi Lauper was one of the truly rememberable artist and one that used MTV and other new mediums to advance her career. I also remember that Cyndi Lauper showed up a lot on the WWF and that she had one of the few (though probably one of the best at the time) music videos I had ever seen on MTV, singing the song "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" from THE GOONIES.

With that said, I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of Cyndi Lauper. Nevertheless, she did make some really memorable songs that I remember from hearing from my childhood and this is the first album that contains all of them. My favorite songs on this album are:

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun"

"Money Changes Everything"

"Time After Time"

"True Colors"

"The Goonies 'R' Good Enough"

"Time After Time" and "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" were songs that I've been looking to have as part of my music collection for a long time and they are the reason I bought the album. Nevertheless, the other tunes on Essential are almost as good to listen to and make the investment more valuable. I've been told by Lauper fans that there are a few missing titles that should be on the album, but since I'm not a huge fan, The Essential Cyndi Lauper 'r' good enough for me.

one of the best!
A great cyndi lauper this is! I would dare to say it's even better than the 12 cyns one!

This is a must have! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The ill will that initially greeted Rattle and Hum--the follow-up to the band's massively successful Joshua Tree album--was due in large part to the bloated and self-important feature film that accompanied it, which showed the band as being simultaneously naive and pretentious as it "discovered" America. But as the film mercifully slips from memory, the music has remained, from the furious swirl of "Desire" and a clutch of live hits to insightful musical nods to heroes such as Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and Billie Holiday. Songs like "When Love Comes to Town," a supercharged blues duet with B.B. King, suggests the quartet knew more about America from listening to its music than Phil Joanou's unintentional mockumentary suggested. --Daniel Durchholz ... Read more

Reviews (83)

U2 with cowboy hats
Hey, check it out. Rattle and Hum (1988)was U2's (highlights) from the Joshua Tree Tour, new songs and singles. Whop-dee-doo!!!

Helter Skelter (live)- Uh, well... never been that big of Beatles fan. U2's version is great. 9/10

Van Diemen's Land- Who sings this, Edge? Does Bono play the guitar? PERFECT LENGTH!!! End is weird, but hey, this is a live album. I wonder if cowboys sing this. 10/10

Desire- Awesome, but so short. After the first 2 verses, things slooooooow down. 10/10

Hawkmoon 269- What's with the 269? Too simple and long for me. Ok, but enough with the freaks singing in the background. 8.5/10

All Along the Watchtower (live)- Bob Dylan wrote it? LAME!!! 4/10

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Live)- HOLY COW!! Live version with choir is much better than the original (as if that wasn't good enough?) 10/10

Freedom for my People- Don't bother skipping it, it's only :38 long 1/10

Sliver and Gold (live)- Good enough for middle song. 7/10

Pride (live)- HOLY another COW!!! This is the best version ever!!! So shut up! No, you can still talk. 10/10

Angel of Harlem- 2nd single, the bomb man. Sounds like an angel. 10/10

Love Rescue Me- The Blues- I don't think so? 4/10

Whe Love Comes to Town- Whatever happened to U2 music? Who wants to hear BB King and his guitar? 3/10

Heartland- To slow, never is too good. 6/10

God Part 2- Good rock I guess. 5/10

The Star Spangled Banner- JIMMI ROCKS!!! 10/10

Bullet the Bliue Sky (live)- Best version EVER dude!!! 10/10

All I Want is You- Good for the first 3 minutes. Edge's great. 10/10

U2 + American music = Great record
U2 were completely panned by the press and some hardcore U2 fans for 'Rattle & Hum' (1988), which is purported to be U2's ill-fated egocentric exploration into American music. Leaving pretentiousness in the eyes of the beholder, a lot of people liked this record, a mix of studio songs and live tracks from 'The Joshua Tree' tour and for good reason. Here's a song-by-song:

1. "Helter Skelter" [Live]. OK, the ego does get a bit out of hand here, but this is one of the standout cover tunes.

2. "Van Diemen's Land". The Edge takes vocals on this nice ode to the working man which is abruptly cut off in mid-verse.

3. "Desire". The first single, an obvious musical tribute to blues legend Bo Diddley, continues to be one of their most popular and infectious songs.

4. "Hawkmoon 269". Although there is some lyrical help from Bob Dylan, this is one of the studio tracks that really does not work.

5. "All Along the Watchtower" [Live]. An uninspired cover which is memorable only if you saw the movie.

6. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" [Live]. With embellishments by a real gospel choir, the song is performed the way it was meant to be.

7. "Freedom for My People". This is just a snippet of a street performer.

8. "Silver and Gold" [Live]. A great live version of a non-LP track, seethingly delivered by Bono toward an apathetic American audience.

9. "Pride (in the Name of Love)" [Live]. What live record would be complete without the consumate U2 anthem.

10. "Angel of Harlem". As one of the songs recorded at the historic Sun Studios, complete with a horn section, this lyrical ode to Billie Holiday is a U2 classic.

11. "Love Rescue Me". With the accompanyment of Bob Dylan, this one never really picks up.

12. "When Love Comes to Town". Although many U2 fans did not appreciate the prominent vocals and guitar of B.B. King, the lyrics are "fantastic" (as the King puts it in the movie), and if you love the blues . . .

13. "Heartland". You can almost see the Mississippi going by on this song, a mood piece which works much better than "Love Rescue Me".

14. "God Part II". A great rocker about contradiction and a lyrical and musical prequel to U2's "reinvention" in the 1990s.

15. "Bullet the Blue Sky" [Live]. With a recorded intro of Jimi Hendrix doing "Star Spangled Banner", this is the consumate version of this song.

16. "All I Want Is You". Although it seems a bit out of place on this record, this is simply one of the best U2 ballads ever.

More Massive Than It Seems
During the "Joshua Tree Tour", director Phil Joanou captured a massive amount of footage, to be sorted and used in a documentary about U2 and this tour. To quote Edge: "No one could really remember when it went from being this small project that we all knew what it was and could deal with it, to being this big thing, but at some point that shift occured." Indeed it did, and this documentary morphed into a massive project, resulting in a movie and eventual home video, and a new album, a double album of sorts, a mix of live material from the "Joshua Tree Tour" and brand new studio material.

As far as the live stuff is concerned, U2 are a phenomenal live band, so the live stuff is great. But some of the best live performances that were in the movie were left off the album(Streets, With Or Without You, Running..., and the powerful Sunday Bloody Sunday on the night of the Enniskillen bombing, featuring his now notorius 'f**k the revolution' speech). The best thing to come out of "Rattle And Hum" is the new material. 'All I Want Is You', 'Angel Of Harlem', and 'Desire' are classics, and are part of the live set to this day. The B.B. King collaberation, 'When Love Comes To Town' is a sore spot among U2 fans...some love it, some hate it, I think it's good but not great. Lesser-known gems from this record are 'Hawkmoon 269', 'Heartland', 'Love Rescue Me', and 'God Part II', and 'Van Dieman's Land', which is one of three songs in the U2 catalog to feature The Edge on lead vocals(the previous one was on "War" and entitled 'Seconds').

U2 recieved quite a bit of backlash when "Rattle And Hum" was released, labeled as arrogant and presumtious to put themselves in the rock pantheon of the Beatles and Dylan. It was clearly misunderstood by these critics though, as Bono later explained, 'We weren't saying we were up with those guys, we made that record as fans, that's why we put in a picture of us looking at their posters'(something like that). This is a must-have for any U2 fan. This was the last U2 release of the 80s. After this was released, and U2 concluded its "Joshua Tree" and "Lovetown" tours(Lovetown was simply a renamed last two legs of the "Joshua Tree Tour" in Australia and Ireland among other places), U2 found themselves actually bored of playing the same music every night, becoming, as drummer Larry Mullen Jr. put it, "a human jukebox". The band were united in this boredom and fatigue and general disenchantment with where they could possibly be headed, and they knew that had to make big changes, because they didn't have the joy and excitement required to make great music anymore. As Edge put it, much later during the "Elevation" tour, 'When you're on tour, it has to be unpredictable. As soon as it becomes comfortable, it's time to stop. And we learned that lesson on the Lovetown tour'.

So, at one of the last shows of 1989, in Dublin, Bono made his now famous speech, saying, 'This is just the end of something for, for U2. It's no big deal, we just have to go away for a while...and dream it all up again'. What that led to is for a different review. "Rattle And Hum" is a documentary of U2 on the path that would lead to the end of an era, and it shouldn't be missed.

U2's Energy is truly felt on this album!
More often than not, you can only tell what kind of band you are listening to by seeing them in concert or by listening to a live recording. Rattle and Hum is a recording of various concerts in the same tour of U2 in the 80's just after the Joshua Tree. the energy is incredable!
The first track starts out with the cheering of the croud. Then you hear Bono say "This is the song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles...we're stealing it back." And then Edge plays the opening riffs to Helter Skelter. The hole album is an experiance. If you are a new comer looking for a good taste of U2, or an old fan looking for somthing classic, but unique- this is the album you've been praying for! "F*ck the revolution!"~Bono

Mix of good and bad tunes.
I'm amazed how inconsistent this album is. Here you have one outstanding track (Heartland), some decent tracks (Angel of Harlem, Desire, All I Want Is You), a few mediocre tunes (When Love Comes To Town, Hawkmoon, God Pt. 2), and the rest is...plain crap, including poor live performances (a tuned down version of Pride, with no delay on guitar). Also why does Bono try to sound country in every song? You know what I mean, that frog in throat trick he employs. It sounds TERRIBLE. Two stars for being a double cd and ergo twice as expensive when instead it should have been separated into a live cd and a studio b-sides compilation. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Most artists who appeal to adult listeners tend to settle into a comfortable niche, but Lucinda Williams refuses to play it safe. Instead, her music stings like an open wound, as she continues to strip away the protective layers from her art's emotional core. Though Williams has long been prized for the naked honesty of her music, this collection is even rawer than its predecessors. From the down-and-dirty bar-band blues of "Atonement" to the Rolling Stones-style swagger of "Bleeding Fingers" to the tricky balance of debasement and transcendence in "Ventura," Williams leaves the nerve endings of her music exposed. With the band opting for first-take immediacy rather than polish, some of the most powerful material is also the neediest, as the singer addresses lovers who have disrespected her ("Righteously") or abandoned her ("Those Three Days," "Minneapolis"). Though her attempts at rap on "Sweet Side" and "American Dream" might cause diehard fans to wince, her willingness to take creative chances reaffirms her position at the vanguard of a rootsy progressivism that transcends musical category. Simply put, there's more Patti Smith in her than there is Patsy Cline. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (130)

Maybe a bit too honest for some¿
Yikes! Lucinda really split herself wide open on this one. As a huge fan of her self-titled and "Car Wheels..." releases, I struggled with the nakedness of "Essence" and grew to love it. Again, with this release, I had a hard time getting through it the first time, but it gets easier with each listen. The lyrics are sheer poetry, albeit dark, painful, poetry. And Lucinda's delivery makes them darker and even more painful. I think a first-time listener might be turned off if this were their first Lucinda Williams experience.

My favorite song on this release is "Righteously". As I've played it, several people have stopped by my cubicle and asked, "What are you listening to? That song rocks!" Almost stripped down musically, it has a wailing guitar and strong bass line that moves the song along. The last line is my favorite - - "Be my lover don't play no game, Just play me John Coltrane".

"Ventura" has a beautiful steel-guitar, wavy-feeling kind of sound. "Real Live Bleeding Fingers and Broken Guitar Strings" (great title!) sounds very Neil Young-ish to me. "Overtime" is classic heartbreak, almost Patsy Cline-ish...the simple drum work and the verby guitar along with the simple lyrics work beautifully well together.

In most of her songs, Lucinda doesn't subscribe to the pop structure of songwriting - - stanza, chorus, stanza, repeat chorus, etc. Instead the songs are more like poems with wonderful music accentuating them. I can never decide if Lucinda's vocals are a strength or a weakness...they are often rough and "hick-ish", but they do add a substantial amount of depth to the words. While I can imagine a "better" singer singing them, I realize the song would lose so much of its impact if it were slick and smooth.

I think Lucinda has come to terms with never hearing her music played on commercial radio stations across the country. Still, and admirably so, she refuses to sell out her themes and her musical style for the spoon-fed masses, and instead brings out a different kind of honesty, a different kind of love, a different kind of relationship, those not usually revealed or acknowledged in the mainstream. We're talking about abusive and drug-addicted, twisted and unhealthy relationships here. There's not very much warm and fuzzy going on. Proof that angst is a wonderful catalyst for art.

Damn Baby! - A True Cajun Angel
There's a reason why Time Magazine called Lucinda "America's Best Songwriter". She's honest,tortured and their is something sexy and dark about her voice and song writing. She's the girl your mom warned you about - but you couldn't help but following her down the road to ruin (then she'd write a song about you!). This album is not filled with the sugarcoated things on a Phil Collins or Micheal Bolton record. She talks about herion addiction, poverty, child abuse and love lost.

After the first cut, "Fruits of my Labor", I thought this is pretty good. Then, when Rightously kicked in, I said "Damn Baby!!". It's an incredible song, you feel jealous for the person it's written to! You gotta love a song that talks about John Coltrane. Real live Bleeding Fingers is another great track - the guitar work is very reminisant of Kieth Richards on "Exile on Mainstreet". "Those Three Days" is perfectly phrased. One of my favorite cuts is "Minneapolis", you can hear her pain. Lucinda maybe an acquired taste, like scotch, but pour me a glass - straight - and leave me the bottle. She's a poet, writing about real life. Like Dylan or Springsteen, just more honest and a sweet Lake Charles drawl. Buy the albums and don't miss her live!

Another TOP notch CD
Lucinda can do no wrong. With each album, Lucinda gets better and better. It makes my heart warm to see how wide Lucinda's following continues to grow. I miss you Lucy :) Remember B.Dalton in L.A.? LOL

Lucinda's great style mixed with a new sound
Everyone like to try new things, explore new interests and get out of the rut sometimes. Lucinda does that a bit on this CD. There are some Williams fans who may enjoy hearing her explore a new sound. I did not think it was "her". Like Johnny Cash singing Rap or Gene Simmons trying Gospel.

This music deals with anger, disallusionment, heartbreak and disappointment. I like that, oddly enough. What did not appeal to me was the style change for four songs - Righteously, Atonement , Sweet Side, American Dream. Just not the Lucinda Williams I have come to enjoy.

Still, she is free to try new things. If you want to see Lucinda explore new areas, you may like this work. I have always liked her more for her twangy blues sound and wish she had put forth her songs in that style.

I did enjoy the remaining songs.

This is still a good CD, just not her best.

Not her best
When they collect Lucinda's best work, there will be a few songs from this album. "Righteously," "Those Three Days," and "Real Live Bleeding Fingers and Broken Guitar Strings" all belong on a compilation. But Williams overreaches, and it can be painful at times. "Atonement" can be kindly called ill-advised, and many other tracks aren't up to her very high Car Wheels on a Gravel Road and self-titled standards. Maybe she really does need six years to make an album. ... Read more

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Collection of Blondie Hits that Accompanies the Band on their Winter 2002 Tour. This Disc Updates the Collection and Adds their Comeback #1 in the UK "Maria" to Make this the Most Up-to-date Blondie Set Ever Released. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Crystal clear hit sounds
This is the best Blondie hits compilation by far and the sound is crystal clear; the hits are not arranged chronologically however, which makes it impossible to chart the development of the band. But that doesn't matter - this collection demonstrates the band's versatility - compare their early punk-pop Rip Her To Shreds or X Offender with the hypnotic synthpop-disco of Heart Of Glass or Atomic! My favorites include the wistful I'm Always Touched and the bilingual Denis (a classic slice of sixties pop), as well as Tide Is High with its percolating reggae rhythm, plus Sunday Girl (more lovely 60's pop). In my opinion, their best albums are Parallel Lines and Plastic Letters, and these are well represented with 6 of these gorgeous 19 tracks. I wouldn't call this a "Best Of" since there are some album tracks that I like more than some of these hit songs. These include Fan Mail and Bermuda Triangle Blues from Plastic Letters and Fade Away And Radiate from Parallel Lines. But this was never intended to be anything else but a greatest hits collection and serves it purpose very well. It just goes to show that classy pop music is timeless, and Blondie always had that special something, whatever the style they chose to do it in.

For Blondie's Hits, This is the Place to Go
Over the past twenty years, there have been at least a couple dozen collections of Blondie's hits put on the market. However, only two of those compilations have given an effective overview of the group's career- THE BEST OF BLONDIE from 1981 and PLATINUM COLLECTION from 1994. But fortunately, this GREATEST HITS edition can also stand alongside those two retrospectives, rather than be buried among the other budget collections that have probably picked up plenty of dust over the years.

To put it bluntly, the title says it all- GREATEST HITS collects nineteen of the biggest hits Blondie has scored from 1976 to 1999. Besides including their biggest hits on both sides of the Atlantic- "Heart of Glass"; "Call Me"; "The Tide Is High"; "Rapture"- this collection also includes lesser-known US hits ("Dreaming," "One Way or Another," "Atomic"); songs that only became hits in the UK ("Sunday Girl," "(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear," "Maria") and standout album tracks ("X Offender," "Rip Her to Shreds", "In the Flesh"). So basically, every essential hit and album track that Blondie scored during their career is here (with the exception of the UK hit "War Child," which is barely a loss at all). Hardcore fans will likely have a personal favorite or two missing, but GREATEST HITS pretty much tells everything a casual fan needs to know about one of the greatest new wave bands.

If there is any complaint about this collection, it's that upon listening, it may seem that more than one group is being represented, for GREATEST HITS does not sum up all of Blondie's styles into one effective mix. That may actually be nitpicking, but casual fans should still consider purchasing THE BEST OF BLONDIE instead, for not only does it focus on the very best of Blondie (and for the record, everything from BEST OF BLONDIE is on GREATEST HITS), but its nonchronological sequencing actually works so that it showcases only one group- a group that was seemingly consistent. But if you want to get virtually every essential Blondie hit and album track on one collection, then you should purchase GREATEST HITS.

BLONDIE IS BLONDIE
It's undeniable that Blondie has to be one of the best band out there(diggin' many musical styles and territories a fine example to groups like NO DOUBT), her last single GOOD BOYS represents the band at their best if you haven't heard it. So without a question this new compilation includes all their charted hits and some exclusive favorites, it would be out of place to describe each song because the titles of the songs speak for themselves, HEART OF GLASS, ATOMIC, CALL ME, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER all classic songs of the late 70's early 80's, this is one of the best compilations of Blondie around today, + include here is their hit MARIA, not available in another GH package...so delightful Blondie will always be Blondie...a must have.

The Price of Admission
"Dreaming" is one of the best pop songs ever written and makes this CD worth purchasing. The rest is great, too.

A TRUE GEM!!!
There is no doubt about it, Blondie is the band that has redefined music in a whole other way! They have gone from pop to rock, from disco to jazz, from rap to punk, and they have even done country! Every song on this compilation deserves to be here!

THE SONGS
Dreaming- A mix of pop and Debbie Harry's voice can really make some sweet music!

Call Me- One of my favorites!!! Also the theme from American Gigolo. (which happened to be a great movie)

One Way Or Another- Truly a great ROCK N' ROLL SONG!

Heart Of Glass- A true gem!!! One of Debbie's finest songs.

The Tide Is High- A happy summertime beach song! FUN!!!

X Offender- Classic as always!!!

Hanging On The Telephone- A great punk-rock tune!

Rip Her To Shreds- Reminds me of some of the girls at my school.

Rapture- I think Debbie can rap!!!

Atomic- You can really dance to this one!!! Or at least I think so!!!

Picture This- A nice sweet song thats likeable.

In The Flesh- Sounds like something out of the 50s. But its a great song!!!

Denis- Gotta Love Denis!

(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear- Not my favorite, but I like it.

Union City Blue- A great vocal performance!!!

The Hardest Part- Loved It!!! She Can Sing!!!

Island Of Lost Souls- Catchy tune!

Sunday Girl- Love the French!

Maria- Another true pop gem!!!

Blondie is a band! (A great one I might add) And I am so glad they made such enjoyable music! Thanks!!! Peace Out!!!

Blondie Is: Debbie Harry
Chris Stein
Clem Burke
Jimmy Destri ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

A ghost, a band, a troubadour. Easily the strangest co-op project ever, and easily one of the finest and most evocative albums of the year. British socialist and folkie Billy Bragg was given unprecedented access to Woody Guthrie's unrecorded lyrics. Teaming up with alt-country band Wilco and quoting from more than 50 years of country, folk, and rock music, Billy and company bring Guthrie's politics, poetry, and morality to the end of the century and prove he's as necessary now as ever. --Tod Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (119)

I'd buy 10 cds to find this one.
I'd buy 10 cds to find this one! Billy Bragg and Wilco have created the feeling that Woody Guthrie is alive and well and enjoying a little rock and roll. Their use of Woody's lyrics with original music is still true to an evolving Woody if there could be one. The music grabs you emotionally, hard and holds you through each cut. It's riveting. The range is amazing from Woody in love with living cuts such as "Walt Whitman's Niece" to serious political tunes like "Eisler on the Go" that focus on the witch hunts of the '40s and '50s in a very human way. And then there's what could have been a children's song--"Hoodoo Voodoo." Who else but Billy Bragg with help from Nora Guthrie could have done this? The album is a real album. It's all there. You can feel Guthrie writing 1000 songs in twenty years and then spending the next twenty years trapped in a deteriorating body in a state hospital. Sadness but not desperation, Guthrie never gives! up. Bragg extends Woody's contribution by pulling music from the lyrics, many of them written after Woody realized he faced a horrifying disease. Whatever else you do, listen to Mermaid Avenue and love it!

Do you know how hard it is to JUST ADD LYRICS to music?
Especially if those lyrics are over 50 years old, practically poetry, and created by a master songwriter? Or put another way, imagine someone handing you the lyrics to a tune from "Nebraska" and saying, "OK, now just sing it real good." JESIS, I don't think so. And if that doesn't put this stellar effort by Bragg and Wilco into perspective, what more can I tell ya? [Eh, keep yer shorts on, there'll be another 3rd Blind Biscuit Korn Hole album out 'terrectly.] So i'm amazed they pulled it off? And with such interesting results -- there really is something here for all kinds of tastes: from the breadth of musical influences displayed [a bit of Dylan, Lennon, Garcia, the Band, it could on and on] to the lyrical content [from the personal to the political].

Essential? You'd have to agree.

Remember; this is not Woody's music.
This cd at least makes me wonder how Woody would've done it. I think the vocals would be edgier, and clearer,easier to understand and remember, even after one listening, as I can when listening to actual Guthrie recordings. Perhaps some of the sappier melodies here might have been a little harder, a little more manly, for lack of a better term. As for the choice of Bragg; I'd sooner have some digitalizing freak collect all of the appropriate Woody syllables, and put them back together into the 'new' material. Second choice, Dylan. Third choice, somebody who's not Billy Bragg.

4.5 Stars.... Masterful Mix of Guthrie Lyrics and New Music
Nora Guthrie, Woody's daughter, thought it might be fun to have new music set to Woody's "lost songs" (lyrics to which Woody had music set in his head, but he never published the music). Billy Bragg and Wilco may make a curious, or at least not a very obvious, choice for the task, but boy, are they up for it!

"Mermaid Avenue" (15 tracks, 49 min.) is a true collaboration between the artists. Some songs find Wilco's Jeff Tweedy at lead vocal, Bragg on others. Music on some tracks is written by Bragg, others by Tweedy/Bennett, yet others by Bragg/Wilco. While I'm a huge Wilco fan, I must admit that the Bragg-written songs are more coherent within the Guthrie legacy. Check out for example the sparse "Eisler On the Go", and "Another Man's Done Done" (with Tweedy on lead vocal). The best is "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key" (with Natalie Merchant on back vocals). Natalie also sings lead on "Birds and Ships". (So you really shouldn't be surprised by Natalie's fab collection of folk tunes "The House Carpenter's Daugther", issued independently last year).

In all, this is a terrific collection, which deservedly received a second volume as well. Recommended for fans of Billy Bragg, Wilco, Woddy Guthrie, and of course Bob Dylan.

I'll try to be brief, for a change
. . . If you are a Wilco fan and you don't have this album (and Vol. II), you should feel very silly, and buy this right now. It is absolutely sublime. ... Read more