Reviews (120)

Quality Offered Casually
Sometime in the middle of last year, Aimee Mann released her fourth studio solo album, Lost In Space. It kinda came out of nowhere, since I expected another big creative lapse between the modern work of art that was Bachelor No 2 and this; that record was the finest release of her career, and also the finest release of the new millenium. So Lost In Space, the followup, comes across as more unassuming. She brings new layers of music, new sublime sounds (whereas Bachelor No. 2 was more traditional piano and guitar) and she comes out with a nice, modest effort that nonetheless still stands out among the first of the pack. One of 2002's best albums.

The themes are still feelings of sadness, despair, and addiction. In a way, the "downs" feel more intense (Humpty Dumpty) than anything that was heart-wrenching in previous records. Also noticed in Aimee's work is that sometimes she adapts a counselor role in a song, designed for her listeners (in previous records songs like "Wise Up" or "You Do"); here it's "Real Bad News," which as its title implies is just such the case. No consolation offered. Reality is demure, some avenues just aren't open to some, and it's true. I give Aimee Mann kudos for being so straight-forward in her music, unafraid of criticism for it.

Songs I particularly liked: Pavlov's Bell, employing some of Aimee's accustomed brilliant metaphores, The Moth, and Invisible Ink, which have a very intergalactic impression based on the lazy, moon defying tone. This second song was featured in the prepostruous film, "Enough" starring the prepostruous superstar J-Lo. I ran across this on that film's soundtrack page. "The movie sucked, but there was this one song in the background that was so beautiful. I looked for the soundtrack, but it was just a score. I just tracked it down. It's Aimee Mann and it's on her CD "Lost In Space." It's here!

Lost In Space
Aimee Mann's fourth solo album (not counting the Magnolia soundtrack, which included four songs from her last release, 2000's Bachelor No. 2, as well as the Oscar-nominated "Save Me"), finds the talented singer-songwriter exploring many of the same concerns (isolation, thorny relationships, and the addictive drug called love) that defined her earlier work. The album's relatively subdued tone is set by the opening "Humpty Dumpty," highlighted by a sad guitar moan and the telling line "All the perfect drugs and superheroes/ Wouldn't be enough to bring me up to zero." Mann cleverly juxtaposes heroine and heroin on "High On Sunday 51," and navigates the emotional pitfalls of breaking off a close relationship on "This Is How It Goes," complimented by dour horns and sad strings. The sturdy, mid-tempo guitar rocker "Pavlov's Bell" adds a much-needed shot of adrenaline, just as things are slipping away into a wash of pills and forget-me-not dead romance tombstone engravings. All is not mirthless doubt, however. On "The Moth," Mann cannily observes, "don't care when he sees the flame/ He might get burned but he's in the game." Aimee Mann's keen observations into the mysteries of the human heart and artful translation of such insights into well-crafted songs serve her well on Lost in Space, where finding that delicate balance between faith and disappointment is a tricky yet rewarding proposition.

The peculiar beauty of depression-Lost In Space
From the opener to the closer it beomces apparent that Aimee Mann's "Lost In Space" is no joyride. This is, without a doubt, one of the most somber, sad and depressing albums I've ever heard. Her lazy yet meticulous style of singing and tone merge well with the harrowing music, spare and intricate instrumentation as well as the introspective and cryptic lyrics to create the fascinating study of depression, addiction and isolation. Aimee throws out lines like "You might think that things might change, but take my word, they won't" as if to say, so how does it make you feel, cause its sure killing me. She packs so much beautiful pain into these eleven songs it puts so many other albums to shame. Many times, one must wonder, can such a painful feeling as misery produce anything good? And the anwser is yes, Aimee Mann's "Lost In Space."

driving music for long lonely highways
ok, i'll admit it, the first thing that caught my attention was the very cool cover art (there's a lot more inside by the way) so I thought I'd give it a chance. It paid off in many ways. The songs all work on many levels and while you might not like all of them they all have something to say and take you through a naritive landscape by a very gifted artist.

If you're lost in space, at least you have good music...
Of all of Aimee Mann's solo albums, I find I keep returning to Lost In Space. Combining crafty lyrics, understated vocals, and moody, haunting instrumentals, Mann dares us to look through a window into a house of problematic characters. Each of the songs takes us into another room, each with it's own set of ghosts. Aimee has effectively gotten into the heads of imaginary people and taken us along with her. You'll find that when you get there, however,these people will have striking resemblances to some you already know--or even, sometimes, yourself.

Although short in length, you might find it hard to skip any of these songs. Each is an expertly crafted tale that fits nicely into the larger work--each song flowing into the next very smoothly. Nothing seems out of place or ill-fitting in this CD.

Overall, Aimee's song-writing skills shine on this album. The instrumentation is sublime with a heavy emphasis on acoustic guitar. The emotions are flawlessly conveyed by Aimee's unusual yet candid vocals. I would highly recommend this CD to anyone wanting to add quality music to their collection--you might be surprised by what you can find drifting in space. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Brendan Benson is the kind of guy who still sits by the AM radio late at night, spinning the tuning dial from one end to the other in a hopeless search for the perfect pop song. Little does he know he's considerably helped his own plight by making an album full of them. Unlucky in both love and money, the Detroit singer-songwriter has plenty to chew on with his third disc. Using wistful bubblegum melodies and crisp '60s harmonies, in tunes like "Feel Like Myself" and "Cold Hands (Warm Heart)" he lashes out at former lovers and A&R men with equal venom. "I always wind up screwed without a kiss," he hisses on the Phil Spector inspired "The Pledge." But, in the end the man who counts Jack White and Beck as devoted fans, knows impending success is the best payback. "Maybe I've been caught red-handed, making off like a lucky bandit/ This wasn't how I planned it," he gloats on the title track. It's really hard to argue. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (15)

I HEART BRENDAN BENSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I found out about Brendan because he was opening for Keane. I went into it having no idea who he was and the minute he started to play I was hooked! This guy knows how to rock! And what I really love is how he combines so many era-sounds to make awesome Music!!! Buy this cd, you will not be dissapointed!!

Am I Missing Something?
I saw Brendan Benson open for Keane last night. I mostly looked up the reviews on him because I was, quite frankly, appalled. My friends and I spent most of his set laughing at the stupidity of his lyrics. We assumed that he was someone Keane had brought in because the actual opener had cancelled at the last minute. When I checked online this morning and discovered that Benson has actually experienced some acclaim, I was very surprised. And Jack White likes him too? Why?

I very much feel like I am missing something here. Where's the appeal? Sure, Benson's cute, and his music is not innept, but we all agreed that he should pay someone else to write his lyrics for him. Perhaps Benson's music would be more listenable (at least for me) if his diction wasn't so good. Sadly, however, I could understand everything he sang, and he sounded like a complete idiot.

"Whenever you feel me slipping away, that's when you should hold me tight," makes me doubt Benson (or at least whoever he's impersonating in his songs) has never progressed beyond junior high school relationships. The rhyming is perhaps the worst part, and one person I was with suggested that perhaps its atrociousness stemmed from Benson's overreliance on a rhyming dictionary.

I don't doubt that Benson's previous albums have been better, and do not find him wholly untalented. However, as for last night, I have never been less impressed by a musical act in my entire life.

Benson finally reaches power pop nirvana
I feel compelled to write this review after reading Mr Otwell's savage mauling of this album.I don't like to criticise the opinion of others but I really must protest at someone who reckons that Benson has lost his ability to write good music.

The simple truth is that 'Alternative To Love' is a masterpiece.

I already own 'Lapalco' and 'One Mississippi' but I always felt that they were patchy affairs.One or two songs on either album hinted at Benson's talent but over all there were too many half tunes to contend with.

On 'Alternative To Love', Benson really gets it right.
The songs are more straight forward power pop than before.

Musical highlights are many.I especially love the title song 'Alternative To Love'.It's great to hear layer upon layer of harmonies and great guitar work.The harmonica solo is a big bonus as well.I also love 'Biggest Fan'.It's the work of a genius.The keyboard (I think it's a Moog or a Melletron ?) dominates the track.Other highlights for me would be 'Flesh And Bone'.It's a nice melancholic track. Benson achieves the right mix of sadness and joy.
Any non-believers out there should listen to 'I Feel Like Myself Again' to dispel any nagging doubts about this man's genius.This song is an anthem to the power pop generation.It's a song similar to 'Surprise' by Semisonic - an uplifting song about finding your confidence again.A wonderful wonderful optimistic track - everything a power pop song should be.

I was doing a bit of research on this album and I found out that Benson recorded the album and then handed the tapes over to the producer with the instruction to 'fill out' the sound.This was a masterstroke.The producer added keyboards, vocal dubs and other technical flourishes to give the album a fuller sound.

I wish more artists would take a leaf out of his book and do the same !

I believe that at the moment Benson is collaborating with his friend Jack White of The White Stripes on new material.I'm not expecting too much from this.I can't see how White's back to basic blues approach will blend in with Benson's intricate power pop.Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised....

Its really good
Brendan bensons new cd is really good, if you like brendans stuff you will dig it. Its not going to be another Lapalco, because if it was it would be very dissapointing to see that brendan isnt maturing as a musician. I mean, if he wrote another "Good to me" would we really be impressed?

"Between us" is defenatly my favorite song on the album, its so good it gave me chills when i heard it live. The albums awesome, and you should buy it, end of story.

Good framework...frustrating listen
Brendan Benson's 'Alternative To Love' is sort of a frustrating listen, in that you can see the framework of great songwriting that never really materializes.Songs like 'Alternative to Love' and 'Feel Like Myself' start off sounding like they're going to be great songs, then they sort of wander off into monotony.

There's solid enough pop craftsmanship to suggest Benson is ripe with talent, but result of this songwriting effort is unrewarding and banal.Really more accurate than a 3 is a 3.5 or so, but I just couldn't bring myself to round up to a four because so many of the songs sound like they could be made into great songs with just a slightly different approach to them.And the sometimes cringe-worthy lyrics clinched it as a 3. ... Read more

Reviews (188)

Aimee's better than ever
Somewhere at Interscope there is an executive who is feeling a little bit nervous right now as the public encounters the wonderful new music by Aimee Mann that her former label rejected. Okay, this album and the upcoming Bachelor #2 may tank, but then maybe the film and the promotion surrounding the film will expose CD buyers at long last to the brilliant talent of Aimee Mann. This record dispenses with the kitchen sink approach of her "I'm With Stupid" album for a more carefully arranged and slicker approach. It works well -- with a voice like Aimee's you need to construct the supporting instrumentation with great delicacy. A couple of the songs almost sound like Carpenters' arrangements - and I mean that as a huge compliment. Aimee's songs are better than ever -- especially "Deathly" and "You Do," but it's hard to pick favorites. Supertramp is represented on this soundtrack with two excellent oldies that comment nicely on the mood Aimee establishes here. It is a great album.

3.5 Stars
Had this been a collection of entirely Aimee Mann songs it would merit 5 stars. "Build That Wall," an instrumental "Nothing Is Good Enough," and especially "Save Me" (specially featured in the movie, just as it should be).. they're simply beautiful. I wasn't even surprised to learn that Magnolia the movie was based on Aimee's songs, and not vice versa. Everything fits perfectly.. right up until track 10. Her cover of Harry Nilsson's "One" isn't too good either, but it's easy enough to start at track 2 as I always do. It's easy to name a couple other groups that might have fit on the soundtrack without destroying the mood (and quality) of the album, but Supertramp?? Gabrielle? We get eight wonderfully crafted songs with Aimee's beautiful voice in top form, followed by two 70s 'hits' that should have quietly died, and a generic 90s pop song that no one will want to remember in a year or two. Jon Brion's closing track belongs with Aimee's material (why not have each of them contribute half the soundtrack?), but I normally end up hitting Stop after "Save Me" instead of skipping forward to the end. Hey, if you like Supertramp you may like the whole thing.. but the flow is still ruined. If you like Aimee it's still worth the price despite the nuisances. If you're not familiar with her (shame..) this is a good place to start.

Solemn
When you're alone in the dark, thinking in a solemn way, this might be the best album you could choose to listen to. Aimee Mann defines the music that is listened to by those of us who love the sad song. She is truely the bomb.

absolutely positively magnoliaoliagnifescent
This nice pure cd has all the qualities of a great hit. i especially enjoy number two. if you don't know what it is then maybe you should buy the stinking cd ok , and no i don not work for her record companie i just enjoy the songs. well i have to go caueses i ma goig otj og listen to her. jso by

Trust me, you'll need a black magic marker...
Trust me, you'll need a black magic marker. I'll explain in a minute.

Overall, this isn't Aimee's best collection of songs, but it does feature two must-have songs: "Deathly" and "Save Me". Many of the other selections are a bit of a departure from her style, and they come across as a frolic--swing beats, jazz motifs, bubble-gum pop, etc.--to be taken as a bit of tongue-in-cheek. As several reviewers have pointed out, the themes are depressing. Duh. In the liner notes, it's said that the entire Magnolia film was built around the rather nihilistic Aimee lyric: "Now that I've found you, would you object to never seeing each other again?" Personally, I love it.

About the magic marker...

Before you put in the CD, take a fat magic marker and draw a 1 centimeter line from the inside (hub) of the disc radially outward. This will effectively delete the four last songs so that you never have to endure them. They weren't written by Aimee, and they have no business being on this compilation at all. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

Elliott Smith's fourth solo album and major-label debut, XO, brings narrative detail and a wide range of emotion to an indie meld of '60s-style rock and folk-pop. Whether in the broken stateliness of "Waltz #2 (XO)," the Sgt. Pepper tribute of "Baby Britain," or the explosions of "Amity" and "Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands," Smith's melodic and arrangement senses give his vulnerable vocals and brilliant wordcraft the maximum effectiveness. XO is a watershed in singer/songwriter rock. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (120)

Truly Remarkable
I've never written a review, but...

This is such an amazing album, my review will surely fail to render a complete picture of it's brilliance. Having crafted a moving soundtrack for Good Will Hunting (with mostly pieces of either/or), he shows amazing range with this, his next project. Frank lyrics, acoustic-based arrangements and moving harmonies are the background for this album that continues to reveal new, subtle beauty. Smith reworks the waltz twice into current, beautiful ballads. More upbeat songs like Question Mark and Bled White still manage to convey a longing, restless energy that moves though these songs. The guitar work is solid--from a George Harrison inspired weeping solo on Oh Well, Okay, to the furious acoustic tempo of Tomorrow, Tomorrow, the album retains a certain calmness, but never bores. It is an absolute masterpiece and an album that will never get old! Truly sublime!

The most tragically under-rated musician ever
I listen to all the music that's popular now and it makes me sick to my stomach. How can people be listening to Simple Plan and Good Charlotte and other such horrible bands like them, when there is something as beautiful and as meaningful as this? Elliot Smith was a genius plain and simple. Every single song on this album is beautifully arranged and beautifully sung. I listen to this album almost every day and it just keeps getting better. Over all, this is Elliot's happiest sounding record in my opinion. He is joyful, almost jubilant at several moments. Lines that stand out to me are "I may not seem quite right, but I'm not f***ed not quite" and "Bottle up and go, I can make it outside, I'll get through" Which are just a cruel irony in light that he plunged a butcher knife into his heart. Several songs on here, however are almost unbearablely sad. Oh Well, Okay and Waltz #1 come to mind. One of Elliot's most valuable assets was his voice. He sounded like an angel. His is one of the few voices that can move me to tears no matter what he's saying. This album will change your life. Don't waste your time on the meaningless music you hear on the radio. Buy this.

Excellent
This is music at it's best. Elliott Smith is possibly the best songwriter ever, and XO a piece of evidence for this claim. Every song on this album was well written and played to perfection. I can't wait for his last release.

beautiful and honest. genius
I have never written a review online before but I have become so obsessed with this album that I feel complused to share it with everyone. This urge has recently grown to not only include my friends and aquaintences, but people I have never and will never meet. I want to run up to strangers on the street and tell them about it. Every song on the album is beautiful, and some if you are a sensitive type, will probobly make you cry. I'm not a sensitive type and some of these songs make me cry. It's that good. Honest, personal, simple and complex at the same time, beautifully composed, arranged, and sung. This is definitly my favorite album by Elliott Smith, though I really love figure 8 too. Basically you'll have to listen to it yourself, though like most good music, it takes a few times playing it before you'll really get into it.

Entrancing...
I first heard of Elliott Smith through my wonderful and talented friend who just so happened to be playing "Waltz # 1". At first I thought she and her awesome acoustic guitar playing sister wrote it but she recommended I check him out and I loved it. He is absolutely amazing and everyone needs to hear at least one of his songs before they die lol. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"So I'm a little left of center, I'm a little out of tune,"sings Michelle Branch on her debut album's "You Get Me." Well, maybe.Branch offers a well-produced pastiche of chiming and strummingguitars, hip-hop-lite beats, quiet-verse-to-louder-chorus templates,and positive thinking. At her best--"If She Only Knew," a propulsivelove note to an ex--she rivals the likes of Sixpence None the Richer as likable radio-aimed fare. Catchy and self-expressivewhile breaking absolutely no ground, Branch also echoes everyone from label-mate Alanis Morissetteto the solo Belinda Carlisle. She dies just a little in this crazy mixed-up world, escapes to hersecret garden for sunshine in the pouring rain, and ultimately findsher reflection getting clearer. The Spirit Room could be thenext bit of pop philosophy to dazzle mainstream audiences. --RickeyWright ... Read more

Reviews (615)

A Pleasant Surprise
I was a little skeptical when I bought this CD, but now I am extremely happy that I did. I heard Michelle's first single "Everywhere" on the radio and then saw an interview with her on TV. I really liked the song and thought that I might as well give the album a chance as it could be a breath of fresh air with all of the manufactured pop artists that are out there today. What really surprised me was that Michelle Branch actually wrote or co-wrote every song on this CD. At the age of 18, Michelle seems to be able to capture many of the emotions that I, and I'm sure many other people have felt growing into adulthood. Although I enjoy all of the songs, "Everywhere" and "All You Wanted" stick out to me. The feel of most of the album is a kind of folk rock sometimes bordering on country. Although I am not a country fan, I can listen to any of these songs without wanting to change the track number. I think that this girl has an amazing talent and I hope to hear more of her in the future.

No, it's not that piano chick.
I have avoided commercial radio for years, so the first I heard of the extremely cute Ms. Branch was on a Buffy the Vampire Slayer discussion group. Appearantly Joss Whedon (creative force behind the Greatest Show in Television History)is a big fan of her music. A few weeks later, there was a short, cute singer performing a sad song on Buffy ("Good Bye to You")while a couple of important characters left the show. I was impressed with the song and found out that it was performed by the same Michelle Branch. Hmmm.

I started watching Empty-Vee in the hopes of finding out more. After a few days, they finally showed a music video. Luckily, it happened to be for Michelle's song, "All You Wanted." I liked that, too, so I ordered the album.

She is very talented, with a pleasing voice. The songs are well crafted and enjoyable. It isn't as thoughty as Peter Gabriel, but it's much more intelligent than all of that modern aggressively cheerful music performed by people chosen for their ability to dance.

The only reason I didn't give it five stars is a matter of personal taste. I have a sensitive ear for pronunciation (lots of speech therapy to clear up a stammer), and a whole album of someone ending almost every word with a vowel (whether there's one there or not) got slightly irritating. I guess it's her Canadian background. I understand that they have funny accents in Canadia. Still, it sounds better than these low rent, white ... Oklahoma red neck accents I am surrounded with every day.

great pop cd
The album lives up to its purpose - a "breath of fresh
air in the midst of teen pop music"... so Michelle gets
credit for writing good songs at the age of 14...
I recently saw Michelle in concert and I could see why
people in their college/high school years enjoy her
music... it's very relatable to teens.
If you're looking for a teen who, in my opinion,
writes better lyrics... check out Vanessa Carlton,
Katy Rose, or Shelby Starner.

A Very Good Debut
Michelle Branch doesn't get enough respect. Although she has millions of fans who love her music, critics seem to love making rude remarks about her. One critic even made fun of her for being the least sexual pop star in years (like that's a bad thing). Well, that's their problem. Michelle Branch is a very talented young artist whose debut album sold millions of copies not because of massive marketing, but due to strong word of mouth. She gets compared to a lot of other young artists such as Avril Lavigne and Vanessa Carlton, but that isn't fair to any of those young women. Each one has their own style and deserve credit for that.

This is a very good album. The big hits off of the album still sound good today. "Everywhere" was and still is a great song. I remember the first time I heard "All You Wanted". I knew the song would be a hit because it was just so good, and although it was severely overplayed, it still holds up today. "Goodbye to You" is pretty good, but the version here isn't as good as the radio version or the version she sang at the end of the Tabula Rasa episode on Buffy (which is why I can't help but think of Tara and Willow each time I hear this song now).

As for the other songs, they are all pretty good. I think she could have had a lot more hits off of this album. I especially like "If Only She Knew". Some of the songs are a little poppy, but they are still good.

I recommend this album. It is a strong debut from an underappreciated artist. There are plenty of songs you can sing along to, and the songwriting is very good. You will be glad you gave her a chance.

ah...the spirit can u feel it?
this cd is beyond its time. her songs are heartfelt and sometimes teary. i own this cd and it is great. id rather is a really good track on the cd and also goodbye to you. buy this cd ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ben Harper makes elegant leaps from reggae to rock to folk to funk and back in his fifth studio album. The rootsy singer-songwriter with the silken tenor isn't merely genuflecting at the altar of his musical heroes, as here he shows more quirky imagination and inventive musicianship than on any of his earlier efforts. That said, "Diamonds on the Inside" is painted with the same brush that Bob Dylan used on "I Shall Be Released," but Harper adds his own Biblical aphorisms to make the song his own. Most of the songs display Harper's growth as a poet, as he ponders the dualities of life and love in tunes like the disturbing "Touch from Your Lust" and the disquietingly lyrical "Amen Omen." Harper is compelled to sing what is in his heart and to do what he can to make the world a better place. Witness the Marley-like "With My Own Two Hands." The only misstep on the whole disc is the overly humid orchestration of "When She Believes." --Jaan Uhelszki ... Read more

Reviews (115)

"When it's good it's oh so good.."
Soul, rock, funk, reggae, blues - Ben Harper's always basically stuck to the roots, but somehow made them sound fresh and vital all along. With Diamonds on the Inside he's branching out more than before, and even though there's basically nothing here we haven't all heard before, it's one tasty mix nonetheless. "Everything" and the title track are basically pop, as cheery and upbeat as you'd ever want to hear. "Touch From Your Lust" is the greasiest, sexiest R&B groove I've heard in a good long time. "When It's Good" and "Temporary Remedy" are burning grungy blues (of the acoustic and electric varieties respectively), while "Brown Eyed Blues" isn't; it's sunny reggae-fied funk instead, which gets topped only by (surprise surprise) "Bring The Funk" itself.

Lyrically this disc is filled with one predictable cliche after another, but that's probably not the point. Ben doesn't mind sharing his thoughts on making the world a better place, and you certainly don't need to wonder whether he loves Jesus, but if you don't mind such thoughts in small doses the lyrics here shouldn't become overbearing. What's clear throughout is that he's writing and singing straight from the heart. Countless people have sung about helping the world as Harper does on the opening track, but his performance is no less sincere because of it. Combine that with a set of strong songs as we have here and you've got a solid disc that'll appeal to all kinds of music fans across the board.

Occasionally the sound does seem a little well-trodden, which is why I leave off the fifth star. "With My Own Two Hands" is the kind of simple beat that's been used by every reggae artist since the dawn of time, and "Picture of Jesus" is buoyed by a beautiful African chant.. which I would have liked a lot more if it didn't seem lifted almost as-is from Paul Simon's "Homeless." But these are small quibbles, and Ben's virtuosity with a guitar (particularly when he's playing acoustic with a slide) makes for some wonderful moments throughout.

Many artists don't pull off this kind of variety in a decade, let alone an album, but Harper does; and for all the scope this disc covers, everything is still pulled off remarkably well. Roots rockers, don't hesitate to pick up Diamonds on the Inside if you're curious about the man (though not at the expense of Live From Mars). Whether you consider it essential or not, it's still a whole lotta fun.

Ben Harper does it again
I will start of by saying that this album is probably his third best, behind Fight For Your Mind and Will To Live. However, I consider those two albums to be among the best in my collection, so that 3rd place ranking doesn't really mean anything negative. The variety of genres that this album reaches, shows the amazing musicianship that Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals have. Lyrically this is yet another amazing piece of work by Ben. Bob Dylan and Paul Simon are the two best lyricists I have ever hear, but Ben Harper is in my top five. This album has a lot of songs dealing with spirituality/religion, as well as a love motif running throughout. People say that this is a more mainstream album when compare to Ben's other albums. I wouldn't say that it is more mainstream than Burn To Shine, in fact, it is less 'pop'. And, if this is the direction mainstream music is headed, then I'm all for the change. Peace.

Diamonds on every tune
Thank God for Mr. Harper. He keeps getting better and better and stronger and stronger. From the Reggae anthem of the first song, to the sheer beauty of the final song, everything on this album is brilliant. What a great, great band he has. They jam out and transition to acoustic so superbly. Harper is a complex, genius of a songwriter who weaves wonderful tapestries throughout.
His politics, his religion, his insights sparkle like the diamonds he mentions.
The world is a better place with Ben Harper in the musical firmament.

Ben Harper is on a higher plane.
Ben Harper is that unusual artist who is a kick-ass musician and also has an important message to impart. He never shies away from deep and difficult issues. And as far as I am concerned Ben is the only real rocker out there today. Few things feel as exhilarating as the end of a Harper & IC show when everyone has left the stage but Ben's steel guitar sits in the spotlight screaming and hollering like Hendrix on a good day. Gives me goose bumps thinking about it!

So that sets me up to say that I recommend this album because it is by Ben Harper which automatically puts it in the "must have" category.

But it's not my favorite Harper release. I can't get it out of my head that Ben has made a remake of an old Paul Simon release. "Diamonds on the inside" reminds me of "Diamonds on the soles of her shoes" and Ben even takes it to the point of using Ladysmith for backup vocals. The subject of diamonds and Africa is still as poignant as it was 20 years ago, even more so. Our happy diamonds are covered in the blood of African people. But I wish Ben had not followed so closely Simon's effort. Paul Simon is the king of insipidity while Harper is as eloquent as a really eloquent thing.

My rating of 3 stars is only relative to other Ben Harper releases. Measured against most recorded music today this CD would rate 9 out of 10 stars. Ben Harper is on a higher plane.

Mostly good stuff, worth the buy
This release is not as good of some of his old ones (Fight for your mind, burn to shine), but its worth whatever they expect you to pay for it. Here's the my rating for each song:

1) With My Own Two Hands- 8/10: Very reggae-ish. I usually don't like singles that much, but this one is pretty good. Down point- once you play it more than 5 times you will get sick of it.

2) When It's Good- 7/10: This one is average with a southern type feel to it (as much as Ben Harper could do at least). Nice tune that just might stick to your mind.

3) Diamonds on the Inside- 9/10: Again, I don't like singles that much, but I think this one is my favorite. Nice lyrics and a good beat.

4) Touch From Your Lust- 7/10: More of a slower rock one. I like the lyrics, very poetic.

5) When She Believes- 7/10: Slow with guitar- Average.

6) Brown Eyed Blues- 7/10: This one is a mix of blues and funk (as it might imply). This one is simply average, ok lyrics, ok beat.

7) Bring the Funk- 8/10: As you guessed, this one is funky. Somewhat reminds me of Prince, but this one will get stuck on your mind with those beats (although the lyrics are pathetic).

8) Everything- 10/10: I really do like this song because it's sort of empowering. It is acoustic with a nice strong beat.

9) Amen Omen- 11/10: This is the best song on the album. It is a has a nice guitar rhythym and awesome lyrics, but when they are put together it makes a perfect song.

10) Temporary Remedy- 9/10: This one of two rock songs on this album, and this is the more classic rock type. Great song.

11) So High So Low- 7/10: I don't like this song that much, but this is a perfect example of what a rock song by Ben should sound like.

12) Blessed to be a Witness- 10/10: A slower song again, but it is a beautiful song. The lyrics will make you feel what he feels when you hear this song.

13) Picture of Jesus- 7/10: The background lyrics kind of sound is african singing (at first it kind of sounded like the lion king to me, but not in a corny way). This song does grow on you though, and it's pretty good.

14) She's Only Happy in the Sun- 9/10: Mostly just a guitar and Ben in this one(theres a little drums). It is a nice simplistic song that is nice to listen to. ... Read more

Reviews (475)

Unmissable
When 1996's 'Tidal' came out, it was clear that its' young vocalist was no flash in the pan. Despite an overall sense of gloominess and woe-is-me, Apple's debut was regarded as exceptionally stunning, drawing accolades for its' unmissable single 'Criminal' and the magical 'Sleep to dream'. It was thus no surprise that people anticipated her follow up album with sky-high expectations of it. In 1999, Apple unveiled her second album, the curiously titled 'When the pawn hits the conflicts...'. The full title actually works out to a mini-poem of sorts, and one that makes LSD-ish sense upon repeated reading. ...Rarely have there been albums where every single song is an unrivalled gem, but this is one of them (non-believers, you'd have to actually buy this CD to know what I'm talking about). Now, both sides of the Atlantic have sung their praises of this album, and I still can't get enough of it, despite listening to the album in its entirety over - literally - more than a hundred times.

The opener, 'On the Bound' is a contradictory anthem of deep longing - despite the fierce independent tone of the title, we find Fiona wailing 'You're all I need' with a passion quite unseen since Sinead O'Connor's classic howls on 'Mandinka'. The second track 'To your love' is a grand ode to love, with the songstress apologising for her seeming indifference - 'Please forgive me for my distance' she whispers. This particular track is very effective, and frankly, its almost bewildering how Apple hasn't got the recognition and album sales that she so obviously deserves. Honestly, don't people know how to appreciate good music anymore? As if to reaffirm my bewilderment, the third, and perhaps most gutsy track on the album, simply floors you. "Limp" which was an official single release from the CD early in 2000 works on all levels - musically, instrumentally, and lyrically. Gripping stuff.

"Paper Bag" and "Love Ridden" are in the same vein as many of the songs on 'Tidal', though the production values and lyrics are far better. Its apparent that Apple has evolved tremendously as a singer and songwriter, and 'A Mistake', another of the album's I'm-gonna-be-me-and-no-one-else tracks is highly reflective of this fact. One thing thats true of 'When the Pawn' is that it keeps reaffirming the Angry Young Woman image more so than 'Tidal' and the listener can get weary of this after a point. At places, its Apple's stunning talents as a writer that retain your interest in the song and not the music (like 'Fast as You can' - perhaps the most commercial of all the songs on this CD), but in most others, its a combination of innovative music and sheer lyrical poetry that keep you hooked. The final songs on the album are 'Get Gone' and 'I know' - both sung about a lover who could have done better, and these are among the slower paced, deeper tracks on the set. Not that I'm complaining. Fiona has proved time and again that shes a true master of the Love Ballad, and what better time to show off this skill?

'When the Pawn' is an album that you come out of feeling light-headed and enriched - something I haven't felt since Tori Amos' 'Under the Pink'. On second thought, that particular album actually left me with a headache, but it broke new ground, which is something that Fiona has done here. What affected me most about this set is that it gets you in a way no other collection of songs has done through the last year. I've listened to Eminem, played my old Rolling Stones records again, and yes, even bought Spear's 'Oops...I did it again', but I haven't ever faced an album with such repeat value. I couldn't possibly recommend this album strongly enough, so all I'll say is : You'd better buy it to believe it. Its an absolute must-have.

Extraordinary
Because of her self-protective attitude and refusal to exploit her looks (the exception being the "Criminal" video), Fiona Apple's second album didn't get nearly the attention it deserved. "When the Pawn" shows lots of growth from her already remarkable debut "Tidal". This time multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion handles the production (taking over for Andrew Slater, who produced "Tidal") and the results are fantastic. Exotic instruments and percussion beautifully back up Fiona's husky, evocative alto and piano playing. Lyrically, her songwriting is even stronger (although even more dark). The album seems to be a self-portrait of a young woman trying to take responsibility for her own pain and pathos, and having trouble relating to others as a result. Standout tracks include "Limp" (which makes Alanis' "You Oughta Know" seem tame and contrived in comparison), "Fast as you Can" (a hyperkinetic warning to a would-be lover), "A Mistake" (an ode to the growth that comes from taking the wrong path) and "Paper Bag". It's been almost four years since this album now, and I'm hoping Fiona hasn't given up on the music industry. Because whether or not Fiona needs the attention of performing, we desperately need real talent like hers.

So much anger in such a little girl!
Fiona Apple is pissed off! And that passion comes through loud and clear on tracks like Limp and Get Gone. While most songwriters struggle to be melodic, eloquent, even coherant in their anger and angst, Apple plays these emotions as well as she does her piano.

On the whole this is slightly better than her first album, more exciting and rhythmically interesting, though there are few tracks as good as Tidal's Sullen Girl or Shadowboxer. If you've never bought this because you were afraid it wouldn't live up to Tidal, fear not. Just because none of the songs got that much airplay doesn't mean a thing. This is definitely no sophomore slump. All I want to know is when Apple will release a third album. She is easily one of the most gifted and exciting musicians working today, and a far cry from all the manufactured pop princesses like Britney, Christina, Jessica, Mandy, Hillary and the like. Fiona Apple is above all, writing from her gut and singing from the heart. Don't miss out, buy this today.

Mesmorising Sophomore Album
Fiona Apple rose to notoriaty with her 1996 debut album "Tidal" (released when she was all of 19 years old), and then took 3 1/2 years to release her second album in November, 1999. It was well worth the wait, and the album sounds as good now as it then, if not better.

"When the Pawn" (10 tracks, 42 min.) delivers on the promise of "Tidal" and then some! From the excellent opener "On the Pound", Fiona delivers one standout track after another, and shows how much her songwriting has matured from "Tidal". Although her music is very different from Tori Amos, spiritually they are both on the same page. I can't help but notice, though, that Matt Chamberlain, drummer and side-kick for Tori's albums, drums on most tracks here too. If one has to pick out standout tracks in the album (there are no weak tracks truly), I will pick the angry "Limp", the enthralling "Fast As You Can", and the pensive "The Way Things Are".

One thing that stands out is how much Fiona's lyrics have improved from her debut album. This despite the ridiculous album's full title (which is a 90 word poet). It's been more than 4 years since "When the Pawn" was released, but supposedly a new album is in the works for later this year. "When the Pawn" was released in late 99 and I called it one of the best of 2000 (see my annual "best of" lists) simply because I felt its impact wasn't felt until then. It still resonates with me now as it did then. Just magnificent!

A Standout Album
I impulsively bought this CD after having listened to Tidal over and over. I had heard "Fast as you Can" and "Limp" back when teen pop was all the rage, but they didn't make me want to go buy the album itself. Then again, I did buy the Pokemon soundtrack, so what did I know? Not a lot, since this CD is worth every penny in its price.

This album is great in every sense of the word. I don't regret buying this album for one second. This is the kind of album that doesn't draw comparisons to other artists. It makes other artists be compared to you, and it's the kind of album every artist dreams of making.

Fiona sounds like she's been doing this for years. Not only was she very young, but it would have been easy for her to give in and make the kind of pop music that was big at the time. She didn't and for that alone she deserves credit.

1)On the Bound: a great album opener. One of my favorite songs on the album.
2)To Your Love: a really good song. Very uptempo and fast.

3)Limp: another one of my favorites. This song is fierce and it makes you afraid to be the man who inspired this song.
4)Love Ridden: a slower song. It keeps the momentum going.
5)Paper Bag: a strange and very good song.
6)A Mistake: probably my favorite song on the album. Very honest and unique.
7)Fast As You Can: I love this song. I love the changes it makes tempo-wise.
8)The Way Things Are: another one of my favorites. She really nails this song.
9)Get Gone: I love the chorus. This has some of her most clever lyrics.
10)I Know: a great way to end a great album. Very slow and reflective.

So there you have it. I highly recommend this CD. Hopefully, her next album will be out soon. It will be hard to follow up this album, but I know Fiona can do it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jewel's debut album, Pieces of You, reveals a special voice--strong and focused on both the whispery verses and the hooky choruses. The recording also exposes an unfortunate tendency to present trite, hackneyed sentiments as if they were oracular visions from a young prophet to a jaded world. For the most part, Jewel sings to her own acoustic guitar accompaniment, but she has a lot more in common with, say, the Indigo Girls or Lisa Loeb than with Judy Collins or Nanci Griffith. Despite her soft soprano and pretty melodies, her songs have an iconoclastic edge which make her more of an unplugged alternative rocker than a folkie. Her songs too often betray their origins as written verse in their hard-to-sing meters, unmusical phrasing, and diary-like pronouncements. Nonetheless, a few numbers, such as "Morning Song" and "You Were Meant for Me," show a spark of humor about romance, and hint that Jewel may yet write songs worthy of her remarkable voice. --Geoffrey Himes ... Read more

Reviews (316)

Step aside bubblegum music, this is REAL music
Jewel Kilcher is the real deal. She writes and composes her own songs, she toured like crazy to get the word of her around the street, and she don't do none of this dancing nonsense, like say, BRITNEY

POY is a great album. It start starts off with my personal favorite Jewel song- "Who will save your soul", and the songs go on- making for easy listening, background music. Not only are there the hit songs- "Who will save your soul", "Foolish games", "You were meant for me", but there are also the songs with energy/life- "Little sister", "Morning song" and the old fashioned love songs- "Near you always", and "Painters".

POY is an album that you can tell was not put together by the best of people. Some of the songs are recorded in coffee places. And granted, I don't like all of the songs. "Painters" is just too slow(and at nearly 7 minutes, the time adds up!)and the title track just aren't to my liking. But Jewel's beautiful voice does make up for that.

An EDA and proud of it

Well, Well
I heard mixed review about this album. Being european I hadn't exactly being thinking about Jewel or her music for that matter
because the main buyers for this album were Americans. She though re-released this album back in 1997 when of course all the world bought it. I listened to the song Foolish Games and I thought Why not give it a try. This was it about 3 or 4 songs on here were actually good the rest is bla bla. I don't know but seeing this woman in interviews and live. It seems that she needs something really important to talk about. Well some of the lyrics are bit nice listening to. But this whole talk about her being this alternative sensation makes me wan't to scream. I mean this album hit top 5 and sold 11 milion copies in the USA alone and contained I believe 2 #1's . Although Alanis Morsette's Jagged Little Pill did that well too even better she wasn't just called a great alternative musician but a great mainstream too. I give it two stars for the singels and two other songs on the album.

Peices of You
I found this album buried in my parents CD collection and fell in love with it as soon as I turned it on. Deffinatly a moving and in depth album. Jewel stands back and takes a look at what we are doing wrong and the positive things we can change it with.

Save your soul: Nice beat deffinatly goes into the human mind and life explaing how we think and act and how we can change ourselves for our own benifit. 3/5

Peices of you: The lyrics are so simple ,yet if you think about it, are compelling. Its on how we judge people on how they look or what they do and how in the end they are not that different from us. 5/5

Little sister: More to the teen side of life on how we get addiced to like and comforment 2.5/5

Foolish games: Funny everyone seems to love this song. Its fine for me but not inspiring or anything. The melody is nice but...deffinatly I think not the best on the CD. I need moving lyrics and these just don't do it that deeply for me. 3.5/5

Near you always: Cute and simple explaining on how much she is in love and is afraid she can't let go. One of my favorites. 5/5

Painters: Not inspiring but beautifully written paired with absolutly beautiful music it make a tear jerker. One of my fav songs. Its a love story we all aspire for 5.5/5

Morning song: Fun and brings up the mood after painters. Its every lovers dream saterday morning. 5/5

Adrian: Simple and childish. It gives the illusion of that anyway. Another sad story on loves loaylty and streangth. 3/5

I'm sensitive: I personaly think this song is hilarious. I picture two 12 year old kids having a make-believe and deep conversation most adults have trouble with. 5/5

You were ment for me: Once again another popular one which is fine but not my favorite. Although I enjoy listening to it very much. Its soulful music and notes touch my heart almost physically. 4.5/5

Don't: Anxtious and shy and full of an underlying pain. I like the music more then the lyrics. 3.5/5

Daddy: No one likes this one cause its raw and emotional. I enjoy her ability to say how she feels and put pure emotion into her song and bring them to life in a way no one else can. How she sings show she is part of the song and not just singing it. 4.8/5

Angel standing by: Musicbox like, it floats above you like, well, an angel. Pure love and devotion echo in her lyrics and beautiful voice. 5/5

Amen:I like the tune and music, unfortunatly I can't understand all of the lyrics. I like parts of the song but I adore part of it as well. Its moving and deep and even though I can't understand its true meaning it still effects me. Her voice purity is shown in pure excellence here. 4/5

Fantastic Debut
I've always been a fan of Jewel, but until last year I didn't even own this album. I had Spirit, This Way, and 0304, but I never got around to getting this CD. I had heard that the big hits from this album didn't sound the same as they did on the radio. But after listening to 0304, I wanted to hear how Jewel sounded on her first CD. I'm not saying I didn't like the direction Jewel's music had taken, but that's something for another review. I bought this album and I have loved it ever since.

The production on this CD isn't top-notch. Many of the songs were recorded live, giving them a rougher feel than you'd expect. Having said that, I think it is that imperfectness that makes this such an enjoyable CD. Some of the music made today is too glossy for its own good, and it's nice to hear music that sounds like the artist is playing right there in front of you rather than making it sound perfect in the studio. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy that kind of music, but occasionally you want to hear music like this, and it doesn't get much better than this CD for acoustic music.

Some critics complain that Jewel's earnestness and sincerity makes her music unenjoyable. I feel that Jewel really means what she's saying on this album, and to me, that is enjoyable. You can tell she really feels the emotion in each and every song on this album.

As for the singles being remixed to appeal to a bigger audience, obviously that paid off because people continued to buy this album even after they heard that. Simply put, this is good music and it deserved to sell millions of copies. The other songs are also very good. Songs like "Painters" and "Adrian" tell stories that really move you, and others like "Little Sister", "Daddy", and the title track really make you think. Jewel sounds terrific on the hymn-like "Angel Standing By". Anyone who says she has a bad voice should listen to that song, because she sounds great and, yes, angelic on it.

I highly recommend this album. Jewel would go on to perfect and refine her sound, but to me, this is her best album because this is the one I listen to the most. Jewel has so far not enjoyed the kind of success she had with this album. Sometimes great CDs sell millions of copies, and this is definitely one of those cases.

A Gem of an Album
This album is truly a mixed bag. It has sweet 90's pop confections like "Morning Song", "Near You Always" and "I'm Sensitive", and then suddenly changes gears and moves into brutally honest and moody songs like "Pieces of You" and "Adrian". The real highlights of the album are definitely the darker ones, as they are the ones with the most substance. Some of the best are songs like "Painters", which has a subtle sadness to it, and never fails to bring a tear to your eye even after you've heard it 80 times. "Adrian" is a haunting little tale of a boy in a coma, but the song never seems to get old. I've had the album for years and this song always leaves me with a bit of a chill. The gems on this album are those songs that just irritate and disturb you a little bit. You find yourself thinking about them long after the song has ended. They make the album hypnotic, and when paired with cute fluff like "Don't", the album takes you on quite the emotional roller coaster, but a very pleasing one at that. From its gloomy material it seems like Jewel thought why not add some sickeningly sweet stuff to cool people down after an angry, gritty self-portrait like "Daddy"? There is a slight battle between the sweet and the sad, but basically in the end these songs balance each other out, making for a great album. This may be one of Jewel's best. It shows her versatility and showcases her poetic songwriting and great guitar work. She's brutally honest and morose and real, and it definitely showed that she had some amazing skill.

This is the reason why I couldn't believe my eyes when in the past year she had gone from being what felt like a real musician with opinions to a sweet pop-tart. She had never been a real teen idol, and for obvious reasons, her first albums being so mature. But last year, with her pop hit "Intuition" and her new image as a sweet, cosmopolitan, pop culture icon, she had become everything we were glad she wasn't when "Pieces of You" came out in '94. Thank god her songs are preserved on this album. It truly is great. ... Read more

Reviews (306)

Honest, powerful, beautiful, and meaningful
Although Little Earthquakes is Tori Amos' first CD, it is also her best. As much talent and innovation as she has shown in the years since this album was released, she has yet to re-achieve the well-nigh perfection of her initial offering. These songs utilize beautiful music, raw emotion, and lyrical poetry to address a wide array of issues, ranging from rape to relationships to religion. Tori's style is uniquely her own, and the contrasts between soft piano-playing and abrupt emotional outbursts of strident notes, instruments, and words are incredible. No one bares her soul through music as forcefully as Tori. This is best exemplified by the a cappella performance of "Me and a Gun," which deals with Amos' own experience of being raped. These songs are all about empowerment, courageously finding one's voice and taking control of one's life.

"Crucify" is probably the most recognizable song on the album. Its message is one of freedom; too often people restrict themselves out of the fear of being laughed at or judged unfavorably; and Tori preaches that you don't have to wallow in your self-guilt and suffering in order to achieve happiness. "Silent All These Years" suggests a life spent with an abusive or insensitive partner and the self-imposed exile and voicelessness such a relationship can lead to. "Winter" deals with standing on one's own two feet, believing in oneself, and bravely striking out in a world without your father's constant protection. "Mother" strikes a similar theme, evoking images of a caring mother pushing her child out of the nest and helping it begin a new life of its own. "Tear In Your Hand" is an anthem of self-discovery in which Tori tells the man who is leaving her for another woman that she is more fascinating and powerful than he has ever taken the time to realize. In "Little Earthquakes," Tori cries out for both life and pain, realizing that a full life by necessity includes both the good and the bad. "Girl" carries the message that you must be true to yourself, that if you live your whole life trying to please others and ignoring your own desires, you will go crazy. "China" explains how two people can gradually grow apart over time. "Happy Phantom" is a fun little jaunt in which Tori looks forward to forgetting her earthly troubles and becoming a ghost, but it ends on a more serious note about the limited lifespan of memory. The real prize of this CD is "Precious Things," an intensely emotional song hearkening back to days of unrequited crushes, cruel individuals, and adolescent pain; the message is that you must forget the painful memories of your past in order to become your true and ultimate self.

These songs may mean different things to other people, and it is almost impossible not to discover new hidden insights each time you listen to them. Tori Amos truly bears her soul for all to see on this CD, and we can all benefit ourselves as a result of her efforts. Tori Amos is a unique musician, and her music will not appeal to everyone, but this album is much more accessible, particularly lyrics-wise, than her later releases. As far as I am concerned, this is the greatest CD ever produced by any musician.

Debut Confessions From The Anti-Diva
Tori Amos delivered her stark confessional breakthrough, "Little Earthquakes", in 1991 to great critical acclaim. Now, almost ten years later, her major label debut retains all of its brooding minimalism without sounding dated or trite. The music has a spare, haunted quality similar to that of Suzanne Vega's first album and her lyrics speak of deep emotional scars created by personal trauma and lovesick heartbreak. Though it didn't sell as much as subsequent records, "Little Earthquakes" yielded several well-known singles, including "Crucify", "Girl" and "Silent All These Years". Each of the twelve songs are bound by a common thread- a woman's attempt to find and nurture her true identity, an identity that has been suppressed by the male-dominated heirarchy of social and sexual power. If Emily Dickinson were still alive today, one can imagine her sitting complacently, staring out of the room she never left at the world outside, and listening to "Little Earthquakes" as though it were her own diary turning into sound waves around her. Personal Favorites: The brutal self-examination exemplified in "Crucify" and the emotionally-charged breakup song, "Tear In Your Hand". Representative Lyrics: "She's been everybody else's girl/ Maybe someday she'll be her own" ("Girl"); "So you found a girl who thinks really deep thoughts/ What's so amazing about really deep thoughts/ Boy you best pray that I bleed real soon/ How's that thought for you?" ("Silent All These Years")

classic & amazing but slightly overrated.
on toris "debut" (disreguard YKTR) she makes a classic & breathtaking record that has won me over. & if you do notice i did give this albam 5 stars because that's definatly what it deserves.

but...

i don't understand why a lot of tori fans are so obbsessed with this one oppose to her ABSOULUTLY AMAZING later works such as boys for pele, chiorgirl, to venus & back, strange little girls, & scarlets walk.

i can understand why fans love under the pink so much (i do myself) because it is one of the most beautifully constructed records ever made. but little earthquakes falls kind of short is a lot of places although it's still amazing.
if i were introducing soemone to tori, this would not be the fisrt record i'd play for them. the first one i'd play would be chiorgirl & then under the pink.

don't think i'm bashing little earthquakes, because i'm not. its just that her later works are sooooooooooo good.

Tori is a piano goddess
'Little Earthquakes' is seriously one of the only albums I have come across that you can listen to start to finish every day without getting sick of it. It's brilliant, fresh and sexy all at once.

Crucify . an excellent opening track, beautiful lyrics, I especially like 'I got a bowling ball in my stomach, got a desert in my mouth...' excellent vocals.

Girl . a different pace, the vocals are amazing, the chorus shows off some of Tori's higher range.

Silent All These Years . slow song, beautiful lyrically.

Precious Things . one of the best piano driven songs, the beginning is haunting with Tori's rasped hushes. A story like song.

Winter . a nice slow song, peaceful and very beautiful, a visual song, it takes you through a wintery scenery.

Happy Phantom . takes on a different pace, if you have 'Scarlet's Walk', this reminds me a lot of 'Wednesday' in a ghostly way.

China . slow almost tragic like, I absolutely adore the lyrics.

Leather . starts off with one note piano key then Tori's sad/sarcastic/drooping vocals come in, the opening line hooks you: 'look I'm standing naked before you ... don't you want more than my sex'

Mother . my favourite song by Tori, ever. BEAUTIFUL, PERFECT.

Tear In Your Hand . 'maybe she's just pieces of me you've never seen' - perfect song.

Me And A Gun . sad, tragic story about rape, acapella, this song could bring anyone down.

Little Earthquakes . a nice ending, a slower song, beautiful lyrically, vocally and musically.

In all, this is a perfect album.

Impeccable and Goergous
This album is so beloved to me, so inextricably entwined with my personal mythology; with nostalgia, with memory, with years gone by, that I don't even know if I have the ability to review it objectively. As an independent entity, though, it is an extraordinary accomplishment, and contains most of the songs Tori Amos is known for and will be remembered for. Conversational, intimate, bitter, down to earth, yet soaringly poetic...all these descriptions encompass the breadth of these 12 debut songs. Highlights include "Silent All These Years," perhaps Amos's most famous song; the exquisite "Winter," the searing and vengeful "Precious Things," "Tear In Your Hand," and the title track, "Little Earthquakes." It is accurate to say that this is Amos's most accessible album (if indeed that definition is relevant to the nearly subconsciously channeled intricacy of her genius); contrast the obvious meanings of songs like "Leather" and "China" with the automatic-wrting poetics of "Mother." Most of Tori Amos's lyrics can, in fact, stand alone as poetry...most notably in the wrenching "Me And A Gun"...which is a phenomenon rare in music, a medium in which the power of the lyrics is usually only brought out by the accompanying power of vocals and instrumentals. But with lines like "Me and Jesus/a few years back/used to hang, and he said, 'it's your choice, babe...just remember, I don't think you'll be back in three days time...so you choose well" you can't go wrong. There's not enough I can say about this album. It's brilliant. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Recorded mildly better than his debut (Roman Candle on Cavity Search), the self-titled second solo album is one of the most understated and incredible albums to emerge from the indie-rock scene in the 1990s. With his nimble picking fingers behind him, Smith writes sad, little songs about drugs and romantic codependence that border on the obsessed. "Needle in the Hay" and "The White Lady Loves You More" are exemplary tunes that fuse the Beatles' pop sense with Neil Young's sense of doom. Lying in his own burned out basement, Smith can rough up the gentlest love song with a few salty words of choice. --Rob O'Connor ... Read more

Reviews (54)

Geronimo
It's PINK MOON with a needle in it's arm. Or imagine the whispery sordiness of "Sunday Morning" Lou Reed, only all on a lonely acoustic guitar. It even touches on the maudlin side of BIG STAR. And all without coming across as derivative. If you're a fan of any of the aformentioned, ELLIOTT SMITH is the perfect fix.

After hearing all his other albums, "Needle in the Hay" remains Smith at his haunting best. Lines like, "drink yourself into slo-mo/ made an angel in the snow" should make "Clementine" an all time favorite(as well as bring a smile to your kiss-less lips). Drug references abound & "The White Lady Loves You More" has to be one of the most heartbreaking songs about chemical dependency I've hever heard. "The Biggest Lie" is enough to make you play the whole thing over again. While not my first introduction to Elliott Smith, this one certainly left me with a lasting impression. Melancholy to say the least, but not enough to make you want to hang yourself in a garrett. A tourniquet for the soul, so to speak.

Elliott's Best
While Amazon[.com]'s reviews don't do the following statment justice, the self-titled "Elliott Smith" rarely gets the praise its successor "Either/Or" does. Strange, considering many of the followers of Mr. Smith prefer the dark and unique tone of Elliott, best embodied on this sophomore, (NOT SOPHOMORIC), solo release. A brilliant album, this record has what is unquestioningly the best in fingerpicking the accoustic-Elliott has to offer. Songs like "Southern Belle" and "Christian Brothers" are Elliott's finest in arangement, instrumentation and melody as Elliott finger-picks his way to musical ingeniousness. Intense, accoustic tracks and driving, serious lyrics are the halmark of this brilliant LP that often overshadow the amazing if tangential melodies it has to offer. Fans of other Elliott records of course must indulge in the record, and Elliott beginners won't fail if they start here.
Among Elliott's first 3 records, which fall largely under the "accoustic" label", here is the best one. Unfortunately, its lack of stand-out song and overall genius has relegated it to its weakest of Elliott LP's designation, (among "fans"). Believe not what you hear: those opinions stem from a well-guided but confused populous. Buy and enjoy "Elliott Smith."

Excellent!
This is pure Elliott Smith! I highly recommend this.

the most private album i've ever heard
it really is like elliott is playing just for you. on this album in particular, smith's voice is so warm and affecting you feel him holding your hand and so cool and hurt you WANT to hold his hand.

i love this record. i have for sometime. elliott smith was a fine musician and, from what i understand, a very fine, though lonely, person. either/or is his masterpiece, but every recording of his is something you want to hold on to as all your own. you'll love it with a ridiculous passion.

sleep well, elliott, your listeners miss you dearly.

Elliot Smith
If he had lived, his music would have just kept getting better. Some people call Either/Or Elliott Smith's best, but I must dissagree. This just might be the most wonderful thing I have ever heard. Every single song is great and wonderful. His voice is so soft and peaceful, I feel as if he is sitting next to me, and playing his guitar in a mini-private concert, just for me. I really love Elliott's music. Buy this album before you buy anything else by him. Rest In Peace, Man. ... Read more

Amazon.com

How can someone so unpredictable behave so predictably? Every time PJ Harvey releases something sophisticated and clean like 2000's Mercury Music Prize tipped Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea, it just about guarantees a contradictory follow-up album is around the bend. Her ambitious 1992 debut, Dry, inspired the bitter death rattle of Rid of Me. Her third offering, 1995's elegant To Bring You My Love, gave way to the stormy Is This Desire?. Harvey's sixth solo album, Uh Huh Her, doesn't disappoint. It's a nasty riposte to the success of its predecessor, built on grubby blues-punk riffs and the brooding, primal howl that Harvey uses when she wants to impersonate a she-wolf. Some of it seems disappointingly remedial ("The Letter," "Cat on the Wall"), but the best material ("The Desperate Kingdom of Love," "Who the Fuck?") just reconfirms that no matter how raw the British songwriter serves it up, the beauty of her work is undeniable. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (65)

..."Look what you're doing to me..."
I am constantly, constantly amazed by this woman. I can't put my finger on just one thing about her that makes her music so brilliant and captivating, its a swarm of things. This album is so beautiful. Its a total oppositve of her last labum, yet its just as compelling and seems even more personal. I think she's pouring herself out completely in these songs. On top of that, her voice is possibly the best its ever been- and that's just hard to grasp, considering she has one of the most powerful voice I have ever heard.

"The Life and Death of Mr. Badmouth" kicks it all up with a fantastic guitar riff and her raw, in-your-face words, and that amazing voice. I can't get this song out of my head. "Shame" is really beautiful, and her voice sounds almost child-like on a few of the tracks, like "The Pocket Knife" which is a song about someone lamenting the woes of getting married. Could be her, but who really knows...

I'd say my personal favorite tracks are "Its You", "The Desperate Kingdom of Love" and "the Darker Days of Me and Him" FOR NOW, but I just started listening more to the "Slow Drug" and I can't believe how amazing it is. PJ totally, completely delivered folks. Ignore all the bad reviews. This album is brilliant. Its a winner all the way.

Uh Huh Her ¿ The Unhappy Medium
PJ HARVEY"S MOST INTIMATE RECORD TO DATE.

"Uh Huh Her" PJ Harvey's follow up to the ultra-polished, almost glam "Stories From the City..." follows the loud/soft, lo-fi style, guitar-riffs-ripping-out-heart-strings of her earlier recordings to a certain extent. The first thing noticeably different about this record before even popping it into my CD player is that instead of photography by Maria Mochnacz the cover art and insert graces candid self-photographs by Polly herself. (Maria and Rob Ellis do the artwork) The main sound of the album is mainly a fusion of quasi-bluesy punk rock with a little sprinkling of folk and a smattering of ambiance for lack of better words. It sounds like it was made in a garage, it is raw, it is rough and it is essentially PJ Harvey updated for 2004. It may lack the smoothness and polish of her last album that won critical accolades, but there is something primal, precious and direct about it.

It has been my pleasure to listen to the musical evolution of PJ Harvey. Her lyrics are still minimal to a point, but much more coherent and lucid than they ever were before. Her voice is more trained, but still has the ability to be unhinged at the drop of a hat. She has the incredible gift of expressing and weaving any given emotion into her music to the point that the song is a core of something far more powerful and that few artists ever have that talent. It's obvious that she has lost her rose coloured glasses of unbridled optimism but she can no longer back track to the days of screaming at someone to measure her... Uh Huh Her is in the space between the two extremes.

Uh Huh Her is a transitional album. There is anger but twinged with more regret than absolute bitterness. It is a very introspective album and more about understanding and reclaiming herself than exorcising any blue-eyed demons.

I was very surprised to see all the negative reviews of this vibrant, painful, and darker album. It is very solid, not at all boring, and just another step in her evolution as musician. I for one know that this album will be in steady rotation in my CD player for quite some time.

The Life and Death of Mr. Badmouth - A great choice for the opening track. A rumble almost gleefully angry track.
Shame - Very hypnotic and darkly beautiful guitar ballad. A song I can listen to on repeat.
Who the F***? - Probably the best song on the album. Why? It just rocks.
Pocket Knife - Plaintive song about marriage and how fast time passes.
The Letter - Slightly ominous and appropriately luddite - full of caveman moans and vintage echo effects and heavy guitar.
The Slow Drug - Sparce lo-fi downtempo. Wistful.
No Child of Mine - Short and rough ballad.
Cat on the Wall - Reminds me of Sonic Youth for some reason! More experimental and flanged out. Layers of sound.
You Come Through - Chunky, melodic and hopeful.
It's You - Kind of punk karaoke sounding, it's a hang-over of a song, timid in parts and dull-edged licks.
The End - Simple instrumental that sounds like it should be in an indie soundtrack.
The Desperate Kingdom of Love - Somehow it sounds catharic for her, like a soothing balm. It reminds me of an understated hymn.
The Darker Days of Me & Him - Asian-inspired, ethereal voice, and regretful. Sort of a sonic ace bandage.

A very disappointing effort.
This is my 6th PJ Harvey cd. And it's probably my least favorite. I waited awhile before I wrote this review. I wanted to have a chance to listen to this cd many times and absorb it. I'd read many other reviews here that said the cd would grow on you after awhile, so I wanted to be fair before I wrote my opinion. I've probably heard it about 10-15 times now. And I think no more favorably of it now than I did when I first gave it a listen.
Let me start off by saying that if I were judging this cd on it's own merit, I would probably give it 3 stars. The first 5 songs here are nice (not great or that memorable though). The rest of the cd is just really a watered-down version of what this genious is capable of. BUT, I'm judging this cd in comparison with the rest of PJ Harvey's catalog, and it just doesn't stand up.
I know there are a lot of people out there who really like this cd, so maybe I'm missing something...but my honest opinion is that this is the weakest of her albums. I love PJ Harvey. I think To Bring You My Love is the best cd of the 90's--hands down. But Uh Huh Her doesn't even make a blip on my radar. It's forgettable and expendable. Too much filler and not enough substance.

Uh huh... huh?
One of the biggest problems with a brilliant early career is that everything after it gets compared unfavorably. So it is with "Uh Huh Her," the latest by now-legendary PJ Harvey. It's too light and soft in places, but midway through Harvey's deliciously abrasive rockers burst on through.

It starts off with "The Life and Death of Mr. Badmouth," an awkwardly ominous song followed by the poppier "Shame" and "Pocket Knife." But Harvey hits her stride with the hilarious, snarly "Who the F*ck?", the dirgelike "Letter," and the dizzy, staticky "Cat on the Wall." After a forgettable pair of ballads and befuddling track of seagull noises, Harvey closes the album on the steady "Darker Days of Me & Him."

Harvey is something of a rock legend now, with her rough wailing vocals and bluesy-punky-rocky riffs. In "Uh Huh Her," Harvey seems to be taking a different road -- her songs are somewhat poppier and less raw at times, but she proves she can still blow us away with her unpolished gems.

Harvey's voice changes from a rough howl, to a murmur in "Pocket Knife." She's pretty solid in either, but she sounds uneasy in the softer songs, like she isn't sure whether it's working or not. But she sticks close to the angst, anger, and the darker ponderings that she does well. And her solid riffs are just as versatile, ranging from mournful to vaguely folky.

When Harvey's writing is good, it's very very good. And when it's bad... well, it's mediocre. She manages a subtle, erotic longing in "Letter," where she sings, "Can't you see/In my handwriting/The curve Of my g?/The longing... Wet the envelope/Lick and lick it." On the other hand, there is the flaccid "Dancing in circles on the kitchen floor/I'll play this song 'til I can't take anymore." Okay, whatever.

PJ Harvey isn't in her best form in "Uh Huh Her," but she does produce some solid, memorable songs that earn the "repeat button." Spotty but worth checking out.

Worth The Wait
If I had to summarize this album in one word, that word would be "witty." If given a few extra words to throw around, I'd go so far as to describe this album as raw and defiant, yet tender in a don't-mess-around kinda way. That's the PJ whose return I've been awaiting. She took the best parts of Stories From The City, and brought it back to her Rid Of Me & To Bring You roots. She sings of lips tasting of poison and washing mouths out with soap and it hits me right in that part of me that loves all the things I know can destroy me. PJ Harvey is every girl. She's dirty, she's pure. She's tender, she's badass.
She taunts: "Wash it out, wash it out, wash it out"
She screeches: "I'm not like other girls; you can't straighten my curls"
In a brilliant letterwriting metaphor, she moans: "Wet the envelope, lick and lick it, Ohhhhhhhhhhh"

People have speculated that this is her breakup album to Vincent Gallo, but I don't know that for sure, and it really doesn't matter. Because in the end, anyone who's ever had to give up something meaningful can relate to the vulnerability and raw emotion displayed throughout this album. Only thing missing is a cameo by Thom Yorke :-) ... Read more

Reviews (77)

I can feel it in my bones...
his album is a hit-or-miss case. I have friends who can't stand it, and I have friends who love it and claim it in their Top 10 of all time. It's worth listening to just to see where you stand. There isn't much debate about whether or not Liz can sing...she can't. She had to take singing lessons for her latest album. So ignore her voice...its whining, its monotone, it cracks, and it sounds like she was singing in her garage. That's also one of the strong points to those people who loved this album so much. When Liz's voice cracks, its usually because of the emotion in it. That's generous, given she doesn't really show much emotion...but she does deliver angst, longing, despair, guilt, and a little raw hatred. Her lyrics are witty, yet sometimes simple, but what her voice fails to deilver, her words do. Take the warnings of parental advisory seriously...she doesn't edit her feelings at all. It took me a long time to love this album. The songs don't work the first, oh, let's say 10 or so times you hear them. But if you think you hear something in her style, then listen some more. Memorize the songs...because they will grow on you, and infect you, and take you over. This is an ideal album for someone who just got out of a relationship. It runs the full range of emotions about breaking up...longing, hope, anger, guilt, despair, anguish. But ultimately the real charm of this album lies in its simplicity...most of the songs feature Liz as the sole musician. The songs seem as if they were recorded by Liz, her guitar, and a tape recorder (and actually, most of the songs came right from the demo tape that got this album recorded). The production quality may disapoint those looking for a studio-hyped album with richly woven melodies. I personally thought that the power and the charm of the album came from the fact that it was nothing more than Liz, stripped down to nothing but herself and her guitar. You'll either love it or hate it. But those who love it never take it out of their CD players.

This CD changed my life.
I first saw Liz Phair perform in 1993 at Treno's in Urbana, Illinois. She was an opening act (along with the Coctails) for the now-defunct Urbana-based band Corndolly. At that time, Liz was singing and playing guitar in the middle of a room full of people; I couldn't hear her at all. Therefore, when I saw "Exile in Guyville" on the shelf at the record store, I figured I'd buy it just to see what I'd missed. From the first listen, I was hooked. It rarely left my CD player, and the tape I made for my car nearly wore out. That next academic year, I was working on my master's thesis. I was three months late submitting it for approval, and I blame the delay entirely on this album. Late at night, when I should have been working, I would play "Exile in Guyville" and absolutely disappear into the lyrics. Each of the songs stands well on its own, but together, they make up an album worth more than the sum of its parts. This CD truly is a work of genius.

A Truly "Mesmerizing" Album
What an absolutely wonderful album! I was afraid that I wouldn't like it at first, but from the opening notes of 6'1", I was hooked! Every song on here is a gem and hooks you, especially the opener, "Soap Star Joe," "Never Said," and "Stratford-on-Guy." MUCH better than her latest and completely the opposite of it. Word of warning: If you don't enjoy indie-type music, minimalist arrangements, garage-type production, or lyrics that actually make sense beyond the usual Britney Spears type stuff, then this one isn't for you.

All They Say It Is
What is wrong with America? Besides Bush and taxes, it's our country's taste in music. In 1993, an amazing album came out. It was Exile In Guyville. Despite the press and MTV both intervening to help this album, it only sold 296,000 copies. However, that's an amazing figure for an indie release. I think it should have sold 20 times as much. Liz Phair is the reason for Alanis (whom I LOVE) Jewel, and most recently, Avril Lavigne. My favorites are: 6'1, Dance Of The Seven Veils, Never Said, Flower, Gunshy and Stratford-On-Guy. I plan to buy Whip Smart in the next few days, but Exile In Guyville is amazing no matter what. No wonder it's considered one of the best albums ever made. I love her new songs, but I also love the folksy stuff that marks this album. Can't we love both? I think so. Critical acceptance is important, but Liz Phair has given me and a lot of other people reason to believe that she deserves more commercially. The amazing quality of this album says that. I think that had it been released in 1996 or 1997 at the height of the girl-in-rock movement, it would have sold more copies. But then she would have been accused of riding the wave. I prefer her as the brave fearless leader that started it all and got no credit, because it makes this album more special than it already is.

Almost a five...
I first gained interest in Liz after hearing the catchy(but overplayed)"Why Can't I?" on the radio. Then, I heard she used to be an indie rock queen, and after reading all of the five-star reviews on here, I decided to buy it. My first reaction was: What a monotone voice! I'm so dissapointed! But I started listening to the lyrics closer. I decided my money hadn't been wasted after all. The best songs are: Help Me Mary, Glory, Canary, Mesmerizing, #### and Run, Girls Girls Girls, Divorce Song, Flower, Johnny Sunshine, and Stratford-on Guy. "Never Said" seems to be a favorite of many people, but I find it mediocre. Take the Parental Advisory warning seriously, because she never edits her feelings. Sample Lyric: Every Time I See Your Face, I Get All Wet Between My Legs. But that can't mask the album's greatness. Buy It! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Elvis Costello kicked off his debut album with a formal device that would also serve his next two long-players well: the first thing you hear is his voice. That opening phrase--"Now that your picture's in the paper..."--was more than sneakily, if not intentionally, appropriate, since Costello was quickly declared the second coming. It's become de rigueur to dis the pub-rock backing of U.S. band Clover, but their work here is satisfactorily edgy; guitarist John McFee makes some of the arrangements with his wailingly articulate fills. The remastered Rhino reissue includes a full second disc of demos and rarities. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (27)

An Intro. to Costello
This is a quintessential Elvis Costello album. If you don't own an Elvis Costello album, then this album will be a great introduction. Every song is on here is catchy and stands on its own as a rock hit. Costello has a unique style unlike a lot of Rock, yet when listening to his songs I think that this is what Rock and Roll is about. With catchy lyrics and upbeat rhythms, My Aim is True will have you coming back to listen to it over and over again.

Opened my doors of perception
Scene One; A sixteen year old boy is happily sitting in suburban Detroit. The soundtrack to his life is what would later come to be known as Classic Rock Radio. There are rumors of punk rock and new wave from England, however these are not audible yet in the midwest. One Saturday evening, he sits down to watch SNL with special musical guest Elvis Costello. Snap! That was the sound of a dropping jaw breaking the coffee table as Mr. Costello (looking like an exhumed Buddy Holly) plays Radio Radio. Scene Two; Said boy brings home My Aim is True. His mind is blown. Every song sounds like a hit single. He is amazed. Maybe there are other unheard things out there like this. Epilogue; This album helped open my doors to Punk, New Wave, Reggae, Ska, Jazz, Blues, World Music, Country, well you get the idea. Thank you Mr. McManus. One classic album.

The Marking of an Arrival
"If he didn't exist, someone would try to invent him", read a promotional poster for Elvis Costello's 1977 debut. However, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, and to try to invent Elvis Costello would be like trying to invent Woody Allen, a personality whose singularity is on par with Elvis's. Elvis Costello was the angry young man par excellence, and if punk is all about attitude, then he certainly fit the bill (he was only 22 when the LP was released). My Aim is True also introduced a superb artist who could cover half a dozen styles (punk, rockabilly, reggae, Tin Pan Alley, new wave, singer/songwriter) and emotions (bitterness, anger, lust, ruefulness, whimsy, and musical inspiration) in an equal number of songs. Top that off with his moniker and unsettlingly warped Buddy Holly appearance, and you have the walking popular music museum that Costello is.

On My Aim is True - which must have come as a shock to his ex-office colleagues - his greatness manifests itself in about six tracks, five of which are undeniably brilliant, the other of which any individual listener can choose for him or herself. The other songs, while hardly mere filler, pale by comparison, and are perhaps ill-served by bare-bones production, slow tempos, and somewhat forced lyrics. The greatness of My Aim is True lies at least as much in the fact that it is the marking of an arrival as it does in the half-dozen truly great songs it contains.

On first listen, "Welcome to the Working Week" seems to start off the disc beautifully, and provide a great introduction to what makes Elvis tick. It is angry, bitter, and pithy (which is probably the single best and most oft-used word to describe his lyrics). However, one cannot be struck by the song's overly abrupt ending (a technique which can be effective, especially in punk, but isn't here), and the fact that the song doesn't make much sense and therefore fails to pack its potential lyrical punch (why is someone whose picture is in the paper being "rhythmically admired" being welcomed to the working week?). "Miracle Man" further reveals Elvis' lyrical abilities, and has that patented Elvis mix of bitterness and guilt, but is a bit ill-served by its matter-of-fact presentation (as are "Blame it on Cain" and "Less Than Zero," the latter of which was the first indication of what one critic called his "bizarre fascination with fascism"). "No Dancing," a chronicle of an eager-to-please, sex-starved nice guy (I wonder who?), is more pleasantly poppy, and is the best of the first four songs

Finally, at track five, we arrive at "Alison," the first undeniable indication of Elvis' talent. Here he is a singer-songwriter in the best sense of the term. Elvis packs all of what were to become his trademark emotions into this song, as he laments a lost love from whom he just can't keep the appropriate physical and emotional distance ("Sometimes I wish that I could stop you from talking" / "I can't stand to see you this way"). The singer of the song wants Alison back, but cannot accept her as she is now (and he probably shouldn't), but would gladly have her as she once was (and she might be just as happy to be that person again, too). This song should lay waste to any doubts that the first-time listener might have.

After "Alison," the CD alternates between truly undeniable brilliance and pleasant enough pop songs. In the latter category are the Tin Pan Alley ditties "Sneaky Feelings" and "Pay It Back," which are entertaining, but serve mainly to indicate Elvis' range, and may not impress listeners who appreciate the pithy Elvis. "Less Than Zero", the first line of which was immortalized by Elvis's first (and, for a very long time, only) Saturday Night Live appearance, might have worked better if it were a bit tighter, and played at a quicker tempo, while "Waiting for the End of the World" sounds more like a report than a song (although the guitar work is quite tasteful).

But don't let this frighten you away. The second half of the disc also treats the listener to four of the best songs Elvis ever recorded, which, in combination with "Alison", almost make pointing out the weaker moments of the disc sound like nit-picking. "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" sublimely reveals a kinder, gentler, whimsical Elvis, who seems to think he's good enough, smart enough, and possibly liked by non-existent entities. It also contains some of the best lyrics on the CD (eg, "I used to be disgusted, but now I try to be amused" / Oh, I said 'I'm so happy I could die'/She said 'drop dead' and left with another guy"). "Mystery Dance" reveals the sexually frustrated Elvis in an impossibly catchy one-and-a-half minute glory days of rock and roll song drenched in the attitude of punk. Hearing Elvis Costello sing "I'm not angry anymore" - in a quintessential Costello self-portrait - is like hearing a fish sing a song called "I'm Not Wet." And the disc's closer, the reggae-infected "Watching The Detectives", almost sounds out of place on My Aim is True, but it nicely foreshadows the greater sophistication of his future releases (but the soon-to-be-released single "Radio Radio" seems to belong on this album).

All things considered, Elvis emerged more or less fully formed on the finer moments of My Aim is True. The weaker songs, at the very least, indicate an amazing musical facility, while the stronger songs are strong not only by comparison to the others on the disc, but to any song released in 1977. The CD is less of a sign of things to come than a full-fledged revelation of a great musical talent and palpably unique personality. I do believe that he has better, or at least more consistent, albums (eg, This Year's Model, Armed Forces), but the best songs on this CD are at least as good as the best ones anywhere in his catalog. Still, the lesser songs do subtract a bit from the overall quality and momentum of the disc. Even if they are good enough songs, they are less impressive in a way that makes them seem unsatisfying and disappointing. But this can fade with repeated listenings, and My Aim is True is a fine place to start or to continue appreciating one of the best singer-songwriters of the past three decades.

(The bonus disc included with the Rhino re-issue is worth having not only for the alternate takes and live songs, but for the fascinating liner notes, penned by Elvis himself. All nine of the Ryko version bonus tracks are included, and the alternate versions of "No Action" and especially "Mystery Dance" - which is solo and all acoustic - are welcome additions. Live versions include those of "Less Than Zero" - with some interestingly different lyrics - and the David/Bacharach song "I Just Don't Know What to do With Myself". Several other tracks are presented in what are appropriately called "Honky Tonk demos," and showcase Elvis' lifelong enthrallment with country. Plus, lyrics to every song - bonus tracks too - are thrown in. So be sure to shell out the extra few bucks for the Rhino 2-disc set.)

World 's Introduction To E.C.
This album is a great beginning for any Elvis Costello collection. What can you say about this album that hasn't already been said. I feel that some of standout tracks here are:
"Watching the Detectives", "The angels want to wear{my red shoes} "lESS THAN ZERO" and "Blame it on cain". The only thing that's missing here is the full group of "the Attractions; instead it is the pub-rock backing of U.S. band"clover". I don't think some of the arrangements that guitarist John McFee made were the appropriate choices that he picked, for example: when E.C. and "the attractions" played together on later albums this sounded much better and more sonically intense. Therefore, I think this debut album is quite different than any other of his recordings. The deluxe 28 page booklet and the new liner notes are in my opinion a great addition to this Rhino record collection.

Perfection!
Simply put, one of the top 5 rock albums of all time! ... Read more

Reviews (111)

Howie Day Effortlessly Demonstrates His Enormous Talent
I accidently stumbled onto Howie Day's "Australia" and was very pleasantly surprised. I was so impressed with the entire CD and his interpretation of songs and his musicianship are well beyond his years. I also just saw Howie Day live in concert as an opening act for Tori Amos. I did not realize what a freakin' major talent he was until I saw him perform live. He is AMAZING. I don't believe I'm overstating when I say he is a musical genius. I've never seen anyone like Howie Day. He is a one-man band. In his live stage performances, Howie Day plays and sings a few bars and records it and plays it back. Then he overlays another few bars of his singing and playing. He does this several times, overlaying his tracks on top of one another. Therefore, he is able to have his own band or orchestra (often doing 4-6 tracks) and then singing live on top of his own arrangement. He does all this live and it's just an awesome sight. If you get the chance, don't miss the chance to see Howie Day live. If you don't get the chance, make sure you buy this CD. You will not regret it.

Welcome to the New World
With all the maturity of songwriters more than twice his age, Howie Day has managed to supersede the blase and create an album that transcends the ordinary. Having built a loyal fan base through extensive touring, mostly opening for bands in the New England Club scene, Day's rookie effort proves to be nothing less than extraordinary. Touching on universal subjects of love and loss, Day weaves a masterpiece of acoustic music, from the dark and mysterious "More you Understand" to the bright and on-point "Everything Else." Relying on live stand-bys, such as "Sorry, so sorry," "She says" and "Morning After" to tie the album together, Day provides enough insight into his live creativity without spoiling the conclusion. While far from a replete collection of Day's talents as an entertainer, one immediately gets the sense that as a solo act, Day has the potential to transcend the ordinary and rise above a tired and repetitive pop scene with his original takes and honest and unabashed approach to making music close to the heart. It isn't until the second and third time through Australia that one gets a full appreciation for the accomplishments of such a young talent. Sure to please and hard to ignore, Day's potential is limited only by his ability to stay true to his roots, which are respectfully admired in Australia without being plagiarized. Australia is an album crying for an encore performance, and with his young age, the music world can only hope that Howie Day continues to stay true to his form and create original and heartfelt songs that permeate the world around him.

Alive from the first
Mr. Day writes some of the greatest lyrics. I first heard him through a live version of "Ghost" and could not stop playing it.... still can't. He's unbelievable. If you like him, also try artists like Rachael Yamagata, John Mayer, Jeffrey Gaines, Will Hoge... Good stuff.

Excellent Album From A New Artist!
1. "Sorry So Sorry"- A great first single, however, some time is needed to get used to it if you are new to his style, 8/10
2. "She Says"- A ballad with emotional lyrics, definitely a favorite of mine 10/10
3. "Secret"- I love the lyrics in this tune! 9/10
4. "Slow Down"- Another favorite of mine, no doubt about it, 10/10
5. "Ghost"- The video is as equally haunting as the tune! 10/10
6. "Kristina"- I started off not liking this song, but it grew on me, and now I can say that it is one of my favorites 9/10
7. "Everything Else"- A great song, but some people may need some time to get used to it. 9/10
8. "More You Understand"- Another song with great lyrics 8/10
9. "Morning After"- 7/10
10. "Disco"- my favorite song off of this album, with its haunting melody and lyricism, this song could easily stay on "repeat" for hours! 10/10

Simply amazing
I own over 500 cds i recently went through my collection with a could couple friends, they wanted to know what I thought were the 10 best. This was in my top 10 this is a beatuiful and amazing album, Howie's latest release was good but didn't come close to being as amazing as Australia. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The story of Elliott Smith is well known now: Shy and reclusive indie rocker soars to a Hollywood soundstage and major-label contract. His fans gasped in collective horror when he took a bow at the 1998 Oscars, his hand clasped by Celine Dion. He seemed far too fragile to survive among the sharks and vultures on the corner of Hollywood and Vine. But as his subsequent albums XO and now Figure 8 show, Smith has weathered the spotlight successfully and is moving ahead with self-assured grace. The beauty of Figure 8 is that it encompasses Smith's musical virtues, from the stark and wispy tunes of his lo-fi beginnings on Roman Candle to the orchestrated, Beatlesesque pomp and circumstance of later work to the intimate and sometimes painful nature of his live shows. Figure 8's opener, "Son of Sam," is as good as anything Smith has ever crafted, its soaring melody buoyed with lush instrumentation and a tin-pan-alley piano romp. "Happiness" is vintage Smith, its lyrics belying the title. But best of all are "Everything Reminds Me of Her" and "Everything Means Nothing to Me," which capture the dichotomies of Smith's music. The first is a lovely, delicate little tune--just Smith's wavering voice, a plucked guitar, and the plaintive lyrics of unabashed longing. The second is a layered soundscape, heavily produced, with washes of music covering a repeated lyrical line. One is direct, naked, and honest; the other is slippery, distant, and rational. These are the yin and yang of Smith's music, and it's the friction between the two--or, more accurately, the wreckage from one obdurate truth bashing up against the other--that makes Figure 8 resonate with such devastating power. --Tod Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (125)

Giving Us Another Little Peek At His Growing Musical Arsenal
After a couple of listens, you get the feeling that Elliott Smith is still exploring the studio space, carefully mulling over his musical arsenal and pondering what he's going to spring on us next. FIGURE 8's sound is much fuller and much richer than on his previous efforts but before you read "fuller" as "overproduced" (which seems to be the growing complaint about FIGURE 8...), you'll be happy to know there's still plenty of quiet intimacy on FIGURE 8. After all, it's still what Elliott does best. Besides, Elliott's voice is so sweet sounding it gives even the more upbeat pop songs a delicate, fragile quality. And his lyrics are so introspective, you become convinced Smith became a musician solely for his own theraputic benefit. That is, until you realize everything he says applies to your life, too. It's a gift too many musicians THINK they have and few actually have.

Although I think a few songs here could have been trimmed ("Everything Means Nothing To Me," "Pretty Mary K," and the saloon-plinking piano of "In The Lost And Found" don't really grab me...), there's just a lot of great stuff here. Start with three genuinely great pop offerings: "Son Of Sam," "Wouldn't Mama Be Proud?," and my personal favorite song on the album, "Junk Bond Trader." Then there's "Stupidity Tries," which builds with such melodrama, you'd think it's a sweeping epic twice its actual length. For those of you who prefer a more contemplative Elliott Smith, there's "Easy Way Out," "I Better Be Quiet Now," and (another one of my favorites from FIGURE 8) the simple yet beautiful "Everything Reminds Me Of Her." It's just a sweeping, beautiful album that'll have you tapping your foot one moment and crying the next. Fantastic.

Brilliant - Very Elliottesque...
Elliott does it again. But boy, the people who hated XO are gonna be bummed. This makes XO look like Either/Or. I have to admit, the first few spins were a little strange - this album is very produced. Son of Sam sounds nothing like either the one on the Happiness single nor the one he's been doing live with the band for the last couple of years. This is like a ragtime-shuffle version. It took a while to get used to some of these sounds, but ultimately these are all great songs. A great song is a great song. This album is loaded with instant classics. Apparently, Elliott's gone as far as wants to go with the solo acoustic thing (although a lot of these songs sounded great solo acoustic on his latest tour) but the embellishments don't ruin the songs. This is not your typical I-don't-have-any-real-songs-so-I'll-cover-it-up-with-heavy-production scams. And forget all the critics spouting about this being Beatlesque or Big Staresque. Listening to this album reminds me of listening to, well, Elliott Smith. The melodies and harmonies are very reminiscent of .. Elliott Smith. In fact, this album is very Elliottesque. And very excellent.

brilliant and beautiful
Figure 8 is a soundscape of its own. Lushly and crisply produced, each song resonates in its own way. Many Elliott Smith fans feel that the sound encompassed by Figure 8 is of a lower integrity or quality than Elliott's earlier music, such as the famously "lo-fi" Roman Candle. Figure 8 shows Elliott crafting rich arrangements eerily reminiscent of the Beatles--especially the soaring penultimate track, "Can't Make A Sound". Elliott's voice is lush and startling on this album; I do miss his certain qualities of it that were present on his earlier, starker albums. Figure 8 is addictive.

A Tortured Genius
Elliot Smith is a pure musical genius. His music is as pure and honest as music can be. This album is one to be treasured. You will not be disappointed.

Fine pop
An impressive suite of perfect gestures, 15 remarkably meticulous and dazzling aerian ballets of 3 minutes each. 15 songs straight from heaven. Elliott Smith was simply the best songwriter of his generation in the US. ... Read more

Reviews (75)

THE ABSOLUTE BEST!
Without a doubt one of the most powerful albums i've ever heard.(And let me tell you that I've heard alot. We own over 1,200 CDs.) Sheer poety. His music touches me in a way words can't discribe. My advice, see him live. I mean if you get the chance to see him perform, don't miss it. As soon as you see him live, you'll own all his albums the next day. I promice you will always treasure them like no other album.(I had to replace mine because we burnt it out!) Just buy it. Just as soon as the rest of the world realizes what an amazing artist Ben Harper is, he's going to be huge. I don't care what the "critics" say,(You know who you are.)I, and all other devoted fans(You know who you are)love him and always will.

Eternal Positive Vibration

One of the finest albums I own!
Fight For Your Mind is easily one of the best albums I own in a collection of over 400 CDs. I saw Ben Harper live a couple years ago at HORDE Festival and was pretty impressed but I didn't pick up one of his CDs till recently. I wish I had earlier! From start to finish this is an amazing album. It changes tones many times leaving you to wonder what is coming next. Some of my favorite songs include "Ground On Down," "Another Lonely Day," "Excuse Me Mr.," "Give a Man a Home," and "Power of the Gospel." GET THIS ALBUM! You won't regret it!

One of the best of the 1990's
Along with U2's "Achtung Baby" and Chris Whitley's "Living with the Law", this CD rates as one of the best of the past decade. Harper seamlessly mixes a number of influences (Rock, R&B, Country, Gospel, Reggae, even Classical), adds his own lyrical and instrumental flair, backs it up with an unbelievably tight ensemble of musicians and delivers a album without a weakness. Each song is as unique and memorable as the next, but all defy simple classification. This is by far his best work. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen.

best BH album
This is a classic album and Harper's best. The bonus is its message, which carries a positive awareness of environmental, social justice, and other moral and political issues infused with a touch of the individual, the personal, and the spiritual. With the exception of his latest release, Diamonds on the Inside, Harper can do no wrong. This is a man who bleeds his heart & soul into his art like no other. Excellent live shows as well. My favorites: "Ground On Down," "Another Lonely Day," "Excuse Me Mr.," and "Give a Man a Home."

Best Ben Harper CD by far, and that's saying a lot
I am a big fan of Ben Harper and this is by far my favourite of his albums. Here is a track rundown:

Oppression - 9/10 - Great guitar rythm, excellent lyrics, more of a chill, slow kind of song - which is actually what most of Ben's song's are.

Ground On Down - 9/10 - This is a rare BH song that features electric guitar. Not quite a rocker, but a bit more upbeat. Very catchy.

Another Lonely Day - 10/10 - This is a very slow acoustic song featuring only Ben's voice and a guitar. I love this song - it's pretty slow and chill, and yet very catchy.

Please Me Like You Want To - 10/10 - Great lyrics, relatively a bit more upbeat but still fairly slow. The mini-solo is very well done.

Gold To Me - 6/10 - The one song on this album that really doesn't appeal to me. Good lyrics and all, but kind of an annoying tune. It's a bit on the "country" side and has a faster rythm.

Burn One Down - 11/10 - I LOVE this song. It's probably my favourite Ben Harper song. It opens up with a very cool bongo beat (I think it's a bongo, at least) and continues into a mellow, peaceful song about... herbs. Great lyrics, and an insanely catchy song. Overall it's definitely my favourite song on this CD if not my favourite Ben song in general.

Excuse Me Mr. - 8/10 - This is a more politics kind of song, it sounds kind of like Please Me Like You Want To. Good song, but a bit repetitive.

People Lead - 9/10 - A bit of a change of pace. Faster and more upbeat, it has a different sound to it than most of the songs on FFYM. I like it, but not too much.

Give A Man A Home - 10/10 - Slow, sleepy song. Ben's voice sounds more relaxed on this song. The guitar on this track seems a little off at bit, but I grew to like it.

By My Side - 8/10 - This song is another kind of change of pace song. It features organs or something like it, and is a nice little change from all the slow, chill songs on this album.
Power Of The Gospel - 10/10 - This song is DEFINITELY a "change of pace". It has violas or something (I'm no expert on stringed instruments) and the sound is way different than anything on this album. Sounds kind of like classical music.

God Fearing Man - 10/10 - This is a truly amazing song. Features a slide guitar played brilliantly, it is about 9 or 10 minutes long. This along with Power of The Gospel sounds nothing like anything else on this album. It has a dark, beautiful kind of sound to it. Probably my second favourite song on FFYM to Burn One Down.

One Road To Freedom - 8/10 - This song really isn't a standout in any way. It's a chill song with a good tune that makes for good listening, but it kind of lacks that Ben Harper sound that makes him so good in my opinion.

I don't think these individual marks really do justice to this album. You really just have to hear it. ... Read more

Album Description

Australian limited edition release combines two albums,Boys for Pele (1996) & Under the Pink (1994), individuallypackaged in standard jewel cases & housed together in aslipcase. 2001 release. ... Read more

Reviews (163)

Tori, as always, is a synonym for excellence
I listened to this album because of "Past The Mission", on which Trent Reznor guest vocals. "Pretty Good Year" is a magnificent song to start the album off with. "God" is an amazing song, which one cannot help but sing along with. "Bells for Her" is a beautiful, sad song. "Baker, Baker" is Tori mourning a broken relationship. "the waitress" is one of my favorite songs. another favorite is "icicle" How many artists (especially female) write a song about masturbation? "Space Dog" is a goofy celestial song, with a darker undertone. "Yes, Anastasia" is 9 and a half minutes long, and includes much piano, accented with strings, and wonderful vocals towards the end. This album is well worth buying.

Pink
Tori Amos' sophomore release UNDER THE PINK is an excellent follow up to the 1992 album LITTLE EARTHQUAKES. Once again she amazes listeners with her brilliant piano playing, and interesting songwriting. "Pretty Good Year" is a nice song, starting out nice and slow, then becoming fierce and angry near the end. Two of the characters in this cd are Lucy and Greg, for whom I do not know what the represent or who they are. "God" takes on religion face on, stating that God just doesn't come through sometimes. The controversy. It's an excellent track. "Cornflake Girl" is an excellent song, and a hit of some nature, a fan favorite. "Icicle" and "Cloud On My Tongue" are beautiful songs, that just touch your soul and open it up, chilling it, giving you goosebumps with the chilling piano and her beautiful voice. The album closes with the epic 9 minute "Yes Anastacia" which, when you listen to, doesn't really seem like 9 minutes. It more seems like 3 songs put together with a common theme, so you can hardly notice its a 9 minute song. Overall I would reccomend this, or LITTLE EARTHQUAKES to a new Tori fan, it offers a view into her world of music.

Elegant stopping place between "Earthquakes" & "Pele"
"Under The Pink," which falls chronologically between "Little Earthquakes" and "Boys For Pele," is in many ways a representation of the best of both worlds; a "middle ground"...literally and figuratively...for Amos's art. Songs like "Pretty Good Year" and "Past The Mission" can be interpreted almost as continuation pieces to "Earthquakes;" ditto for the lovely "Cloud On My Tongue" and "Baker Baker" in a "Pele" context. There is wonderful unprecedented work here ("Cornflake Girl" and "Space Dog" ). Too, Amos's underappreciated gift for satire is alive and kicking, most notably in "Icicle" (an arch, poetic, and often uproariously funny song about masturbation and religious hypocrisy); and "Waitress,' which has the legendary lyrics: "I believe in peace/ I believe in peace, (...)). Just overall a great album; if it does have any flaws...which, for all we know, it might not....they hardly matter.

Poetry in motion
At turns solemn, wide-eyed in wonderment, and whimsical this album is one of Tori's greatest accomplishemnts, in my opinion, and manages even to outdo a masterpiece of "Little Earthquakes".
From lilting to aggressive and utterly expressive, with both voice and piano, Tori Amos weaves a tapestry of intricate emotion and sends the heart fluttering stirring and even dancing as with "Cornflake Girl" and the hilarious songs "God" and "Icicle", and can make you quiet and contemplative with "Cloud On My Tongue" and "Bells For Her". And songs like "The Wrong Band" and "The Waitress" her sense of whimsical bliss is remarkable.
All the way through the epic conclusion "Yes, Anastasia", you will be left breathless and utterly in love with the music each time.
This is one album you absolutely shouldn't miss out on, by an artist you shouldn't ignore.

As she slips further and further away...
This record came out years ago, and my poor, battered copy has the scratches and dents to prove it. So why now would I want to spend my time writing a review? Because it's "greatest hits" time in Tori land, and I think that we all know what that means.
Of course, many will argue, with some vigor, that the appearance of a "greatest hits" record is not the death knell to a career, but rather a turning point, or a good bye to old material or even perhaps, just the whim of the record company that the artist had no inclination to fight...but I don't REALLY believe that and neither do you. We all know that Tori's work has seemed to hit a standstill, and I want to call attention to her greatest record before she sinks under the surface of her past genius.
Now, before you all start howling, let me say that tori's new work is admirable. It's lovely and touching and all that female singer/songwriter past her prime type of stuff, and even at a standstill Tori still beats that pants off most but...
On Under The Pink Tori was in the flower of her talent. Stupid phrase, but bear with me. This record, it's arrangements, it's lyricism, it's nod to influences while leaving those influences in the dust, well the record is timeless. When she howls, "I believe in peace, $itch!" or demands of christianity "Do you need a woman to look after you?" she is at the height of her feminism, her own brand of activism and yet she still remains deeply personal and completely honest. There isn't any hiding of messages between lushly arranged arrangements, there isn't any wish for privacy here, lyrically. I mean when she intones, "She's addicted to nicotine patches" on the later Choirgirl Hotel, it sounds wonderful and I can GUESS at several hypotheses of what she's aiming at, but Tori never used to feel that such lyrical subterfuge was necessary. She used to let it all hang out. She was all about the first person, even when she was using pronouns other than "I."
True, LIttle Earthquakes and Boys For Pele are angrier, sharper and even more clever musically and lyrically. Yet, the anger in LE sounds a tad big for it's britches and in BFP, the listener senses a kind of bitterness in the mix that alerts the listener that tori might not be ready to bear all to everyone anymore. But Under the Pink is able to mix that anger with the kind of gorgeous metaphor we expect from Suzanne Vega and the gimlet eye of Ani Difranco's social observation. And Under The Pink uses metaphors with a razor sharp twist, they are beautiful and they are deadly and there isn't a nicotine patch in sight here.
SIgh. Doubtless this review will anger any self-styled Toriphiles lurking about, but trust me, I AM a tori addict myself, it's just that the tori I crave doesn't seem to exist anymore, and rather than give the newer material mediocre reviews, I thought I'd better give this old record my love and respect. Because the term "singer/songwriter" was revised and ultimately revolutionzed here. I'm not telling you to not buy Scarlet or Venus or any of the others, but if you want to buy the full strength tori, buy this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Eponymous albums are usually either debuts or the work of musicians trying to introduce themselves to a new audience. Count Liz Phair among the latter. It’s Phair's fourth studio album, but her first since 1998, and it's a long way from the arty, low-fi sound that marked her true full-length debut, 1993'sExile in Guyville. Phair has developed into a considerably more confident singer, while her songs and the production they receive here are as slick and radio-friendly as anything by, say, Avril Lavigne. That’s no surprise, since Lavigne's production team, the Matrix, produced many of the tracks here. (The rest are helmed by LA rock stalwarts Michael Penn and Pete Yorn producer R. Walt Vincent.)Sex is still Phair's primary subject, whether it’s comparing a lover to a comfortable pair of old underwear ("Favorite"), asking a much younger man to "Rock Me" all night long, or praising the beauty benefits of oral sex ("H.W.C."). The only time Phair lets the cheery facade crack a bit is on "Little Digger," on which Phair tries to explain to her young son why the man she's currently dating is not the boy's father. Who could've guessed that even the freest, best-protected sex could have such far-reaching, unintended consequences? --Keith Moerer ... Read more

Reviews (391)

Who put these Avril Lavigne songs on my Liz Phair album?
I went out and bought this CD after I read the NY Times piece which was about the most vicious record review I have read since Lester Bangs stepped on a rainbow. I thought it was really overdone ("me thinks thou protests too much").

Basically it comes down to charges of slickness and selling out. I think it's all a bit overdone but there is some merit to the charges. Selling out, specifically the Matrix songs, are another matter which I'll come to in a minute. When I saw Phair on the whitechocolatespaceegg tour about five years ago now she was already sporting a more glamorous look. She's evolved to the current sexy cover shot from Guyville's more subtle nipple shot. Welcome to the age of Maxim. Female music artists have two choices these days: let the music speak for itself and find yourself probably selling a few hundred thousand copies at best on your way to not keeping your recording contract or go the pop star route and slap a Maxim like shot on your CD cover, shoot a suggestive video and release a couple of slick singles to get you into the multi million category so you can live to release another CD. And I think this is part of what's pissing everyone off is that they didn't think that Phair would make this choice. But she's been gone five years and wants to come back with a bang; you can see how it could happen. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing for the hard core "I knew here when couldn't play or sing" fans who want her to keep recording her albums in her bedroom with a four track. Time to move on folks. Face the facts. Whitechocolatespaceegg was a solid album and it sank like a stone. One more like that and it's Abyssinia Liz.

Ok so what about the CD? The biggest problem I have with the album and the Matrix songs in particular is the trivial, pop-like subject matter. Typical Liz Phair cleverness grafted over this music would have been pretty compelling and might have pulled off the trick of getting a hit and maintaining credibility with her hard core fans. Extraordinary and Why Can't I are great songs but are definitely dummed down LP (she slips a dirty line to the latter ? can you find it without the lyric sheet?). My Favorite Underwear is just too obvious. Rock Me is a great pop song but again is the lyric is just so hammer headed and sophmoric. WHC is also a clumsy parody of what people expect to get on a Liz Phair album and lacks all the subtly and cleverness of songs like Flower and Chopsticks. So what works? Red Light Fever is an example of how this balancing act could have been pulled off. Great hook, clever lyrics and a soaring production combine to make probably the best song on the
album. Little Digger is probably the most heartbreaking song I've heard in awhile. After that it's pretty typical Liz fare which is fine but what made Liz fun in the past was her offbeat way of writing about familiar situations; shifting her point of view and narrative. Songs off of spaceegg like Johnny Feelgood and Polyester Bride. There's not much like that here. You kind of get the filler of those albums and over the top pop (or pop top) numbers from the Matrix. The center doesn't hold. The next album, if there is one, should be interesting.

One last thought: She should release a compilation of all her songs containing dirty words and sexual subject matter. Almost Blue?

Hardly worth complaing about
To all the people who are distraught over this album: seriously, what is wrong with you? Not only is it ridiculous to reject an artist simply because their style has evolved, it eludes me how anyone could think that "Liz Phair" is an all-out terrible album. This record - which a lot of people seem to be calling "pop" - does an excellent job of incorporating many different styles of music. You've got pop songs, rock songs, and even a couple ballads. The diversity of "Liz Phair" is impressive in itself, but what makes this album really successful is Liz Phair's slightly-perfected vocals and characteristically witty and poignant lyrics. On songs like "Take A Look," "Little Digger," and "It's Sweet," Liz Phair's talent - both vocal and literary - really shines. Even the song "HWC," which seems to be the most critically maligned track on the album, retains the wit, humor, and even grace that fans have grown to expect from Liz Phair, who has a knack for making any situation - even the most intimate and, well, messy - seem amusing, important, and utterly natural.

Some fans and critics bemoan the fact that, since the release of "Exile in Guyville," Liz Phair has moved further and further away from her indie-priestess roots. I strongly believe, however, that these are the same fans and critics who would criticize Liz Phair if she only put out albums that mimiced the alt-rock sound established on "Guyville." The easiest thing Liz Phair could have done was stick rigidly to that sound and receive great press for the rest of her career. I admire the fact that she was willing to take a risk with "Liz Phair." And regardless of how the naysayers feel, I think that risk was well worth it.

not the same exact liz but still GOOD
I know it's not the same as her first album....yes..yes but after 10 yrs isn't she allowed to change, people??? Who would want to listen to the same thing over and over again?

I loved the album. Besides the "made for radio" "Why Can't I" the rest is fun, packed with funny lyrics, and perfect for singing out loud. "Little Digger" and "Favorite" are great. If you like liz's voice, lyrics, and prefer something different and not so angry (anymore) like other female alternative singers still trying to hold on to their "edge", then you'll like this.

Give it a chance. I was wrong.
I originally did not like this album, and after one listen, I got pissed off at Liz and shelved it. I recently got it out for a listen after giving some other cd's a second chance (one of them being Courtney Love's solo album). And you know what? I was wrong about this one. Overall, it is a good album. I personally could do without the Matrix-produced tracks (which sound like Avril Lavigne b-sides), and that's what CD players are for. You can program those songs out. I don't know what was going through her mind when she decided to work with them, but that's a choice she made, and I am sure she had her reasons. I am also sure she knows that her choice alienated a lot of fans, but I don't if it is really worth it to her to lose a bunch of fans in return for getting a song or two on summer teen movie soundtracks and getting billed on girlie festival tours. Maybe it was money, and I understand if that's the case. I thought she had lost me as a fan, but I was wrong. On my second, third, fourth listen I realized that the rest of the songs on this album are classic Liz Phair. Yes, updated a bit. More glossy, but still Liz. I hope she continues to make albums, but I also hope that she stays away from people who want to make her sound like Avril Lavigne's big sister.

An Exorcism Has Taken Place!!!
Liz, The Lovable Liz Of F and Run and Supernova. Joltin Joe has gone away, hey hey hey, hey hey hey. This record sounds like a Sheryl Crow CD all polished up with turtle wax!!! "Why Can't I" who cares if you like the younger guys Liz lovem all and get over it and make that tough, rough music you used to make!!! EXTRAORDINARY...NOT!!! The best thing about the CD is the CD cover and it's not even original, Carly Simon did it first. Come Back Liz, Come Back! ... Read more

Reviews (274)

Tori's Return To Form
The follow-up to last year's near-disastrous covers album STRANGE LITTLE GIRLS, Tori Amos rebounds magnificently with SCARLET's WALK, arguably her strongest and most cohesive collection since her seminal masterpiece LITTLE EARTHQUAKES. While the sonically adventurous FROM THE CHOIRGIRL HOTEL and TO VENUS AND BACK were both strong records, both also found Amos experimenting with a far less straightforward writing style than was present on her first two albums. SCARLET'S WALK finds her returning to a more accessible sound, with her piano back front and center on many tracks, though she hasn't completely given up the full band sound that she used on her previous two studio sets. Though conceived as a concept album, the album's songs are all strong enough to stand independent of each other. And Amos presents some of her most gorgeously melodic work to date--witness 'Amber Waves', 'a sorta fairytale', 'Crazy', and 'Taxi Ride', just to name four, all enhanced with beautifully layered harmony work. All in all, this stands as one of the best records released in the last year--those disenchanted with Amos' recent work would do well to return to the fold ASAP.

A prolific piece of work
Scarlet's walk is without a doubt one of the best pieces of work Tori has produced in a long time. It combines many facets of previous Tori albulm's, whilst still managing to maintain it's own sense of individuality. Track wise, it is similar to Boys for Pele, in that it contains 18 tracks, with 'Wednesday' ringing strongly reminicent of 'Mr Zebra' and 'Wampum Prayer' utelising the same acapella type feel used in 'Me and a Gun' and 'Song for Eric'. The albulm is her longest yet, with some songs such as 'I can't see New York' running over 7 minutes. Stand out 'single' tracks include, 'A Sorta Fairytale' and 'Taxi Ride', whilst 'Carbon' reminds me a lot of 'Siren' and 'Virginia' of the version of 'Bells for Her' on To Venus and Back. The most amazing song on the albulm is easily the last track 'Gold Dust', which creates a beautiful sense of pensive sadness and longing for memories of times now past. Tori affirms this in the lines 'Sights and Sounds pull me back down another year, I WAS HERE, I WAS HERE.' Overall this is a magnificent piece of artisry, that skillfully combines a variety of sounds used on all of Tori's preceding albulms. This is a purchase I can assure all Tori fans will enjoy, even the ones who were deterred with the sounds of From the Chorgirl Hotel and To Venus and Back. Tori has revisted her roots, and created an albulm so rich and thought-provoking, that even the oldest of Tori fans will fondly remember why they loved her so much.

"A fine and handsome thing"
Tori Amos's first "themed" CD.... in a legitimate, not pretentious, way. 97% of Amos's work is extraordinary, and she has practically built her career on the stepping stones of masterpieces...how many artists can say the same? Tori Amos is a genius and, as with genius, her work leaves behind that of most of her peers, many of whom are "merely" talented. "Scarlet's Walk" contains three of her greatest songs ever written.. .."Virginia" "Gold Dust" and the 9/11 ode "I Can't See New York." Not every number on the album has the same destiny. Some tracks, like "Wampum Prayer" "Don't Make Me Come To Vegas" and "Pancake" can be dull and/or droning; but then, Amos is channeling her music, and the entities expressing themselves through her have their own stories to tell. In interviews, in fact, she herself has often thrown up her hands at their quirky ways. In a sense Tori Amos takes no responsibility for her music...a trait indigenous to all true artists. When "it" talks (whatever it is), she listens; and although her muses wander off sometimes,they always bring her back wonderful things. "Scarlet's Walk" is goergous in a "goodbye to all that" context....a great and obscure act of patriotism in its way, a trip down America's memory lane, Amos's roots in the American South (which is evoked in mournful loveliness) and a post 9/11 world.

What happened?
I have been a huge Tori fan for many years. However, when I listened to this album I was thoroughly disappointed by it. I feel that it is too radio friendly. I would recommend for those of you just getting into Tori to purchase "Little Earthquakes" as a starter album. If you like it, go from there.

A Walk to Remember...
This is probably one of Tori's best CD's out there. It has soul, and her lyrics still puzzle us, but we try and interperate it any way we want. Scarlet's Walk is beautiful and WORTH the buy if you love the most original and precious melodies around. Her voice is wonderful, and is expressed to the fullest. Her woody and magical tones send you down memory lane, and all you want to do is kick back and relax with all the songs on a lazy afternoon, winter or summer.

Songs which I loved:

2. Sorta Fairytale - first Tori Amos song I'd ever heard. Still one of my personal favourites. A good song for the road.

5. Carbon - a delicious song and truly beautiful in every way. I wish she had more songs like this.

9. Sweet Sangria - magical and dark at the same time as being sweet.

10. Your Cloud - Beautiful is all I can say. Very relaxing to listen to.

12. I Can't See New York - A strong song where her voice reigns supreme.

14. Taxi Ride - Brings you down high school again, lets you think back and blush at all the silly things you've done with your friends.

17. Virginia - Lovely dark undertones to this song.

18. Gold Dust - Nostalgia plus. ... Read more

Amazon.com

What we're getting here is what we've come to expect from this talented songstress: pop arrangements of literate songs that deal with knotty relationships involving lovers, critics, and corporations. Mann co-wrote a song with Elvis Costello for the final 'Til Tuesday album, and it was an apt pairing. Like Costello at his best, Aimee is equal parts adroit and direct. A couplet like "I came back twice, now I'm the Anti-Christ" or "A thousand compromises don't add up to a single win" may be accompanied by something a little more to the point--"Don't you know you're a fucking freak in this world?" Mann and producer/multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion keep the songs pithy and punchy, bringing on guests like Juliana Hatfield (on the particularly intoxicating "You Could Make a Killing"), Suede alumni Bernard Butler, Michael Penn, Chris Difford, and Glenn Tilbrook for occasional adornment, but mostly maintain a hands-on approach. The result frequently recalls Abby Road-period Beatles, which isn't a bad source. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Buy. This. Album.
I have admired Aimee Mann's progression as an artist since the mid-1980s, from her origins with Til' Tuesday. She just keeps getting better, which is why it's always so frustrating that she's had so little commercial success. Seeing all of these reviews for this album makes me believe that her work with "Magnolia" may finally be paying off for her. Certainly the Internet can give her more options for reaching people directly.

This album is fantastic. I've listened to it over and over again. It kills me that none of these got airplay, because they're just so good. I don't even know if I could single out a top song from this album, because they're all so fantastic. "Choice in the Matter", "You Could Make a Killing", "Superball", "All Over Now", and "Frankenstein" all stuck in my head the first time I heard them. All of the songs are intensely personal, beautiful, and memorable. This album is addictive.

Aimee Mann is a true talent; she is my favorite singer-songwriter out there, and she really blows everybody else out of the water. I was gratified with her recent exposure, because it gives me the hope that she'll get the success she deserves so much.

NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER
I am one of those people for whom lyrics matter more than the music. Both harmoniously coupling to make beautiful music is great, but if given the choice, I choose lyrics. Aimee Mann is a lyrical genius... intellectual, clever, poetic, singing some of the most touching, surprising lyrics of any songwriter writing today. And why isn't Aimee a household name? Okay, record-company greed and Aimee's unfailing loyalty to herself and her artistic vision play their roles here... But I guess Aimee is not a household name also because her lyrics are a little bit intimidating to many people. Maybe too literate, maybe too incisive. However, this is why her most ardent fans love her music so much.

I'm With Stupid was fresh, rough, biting, witty, sarcastic, and heartfelt all at once. It still is... its effects have not dulled with time (and admittedly, for me, overplay!) Mann is gifted with making you nod in agreement with her while feeling like you are walking across gravel barefoot. She has a unique voice coupled with an aggressive style (on this album; toned down hereafter in her songs on the Magnolia soundtrack and in Bachelor #2).

One reviewer wrote that you cannot sing along with these songs... cannot listen to them in the car... and for me, this simply isn't true. All the songs are catchy; all of the songs get stuck in my head... and I sing along (in the car) all the time. It is all a matter of taste, yes. I am a fan of other contemporary female performers, and I believe Aimee Mann to be the best of them all.

"There is nothing that competes with habit,/And I know it's not that deep nor tragic.../simply that you have to have it" Mann sings in the bitter ballad "You Could Make a Killing". And while this is an evident statement it is also a true statement to which we can all relate...

Or in the biting "Sugarcoated" Mann sings, "Out of your mouth, comes a string of clichés; now I have given you so much rope, you shoul'd've been hanging for days.." Does it get any better than that?

I am hard pressed to provide a list of my favourite tracks, although I love "Par for the Course" most of all. This entire album is stunning and rare. This album is a powerhouse, overwhelming showcase of lyrical wizardry and sentiment and powerful music. You won't regret at least listening.

Out of your mouth comes a string of cliches...
This is my favorite Aimee Mann album. By far. There isn't a bad song on the album; absolutely no filler such as you might find on other albums. The two songs in which the incomparable Juliana Hatfield guest ("You Could Make A Killing" and "Amateur") are brilliant. Particularly exceptional tracks are "Par For The Course" -- a breathtaking ballad of sorts (think Aimee's "Wise Up" from the Magnolia soundtrack) and "Frankenstein", a pitch-perfect song about the way a seemingly perfect relationship can be transformed into a monstrosity. Aimee Mann never fails to impress, and on her sophomore solo effort, she proves once again that she's the real deal. This album has it all.

One of the most underrated and overlooked songwriters
Aimee Mann is one of the most underrated and overlooked singer/songwriters today. She always had a wit and cynicism to her music. I loved Aimee in Til Tuesday. She always had a knack for writing the catchiest pop melodies. As a solo artist, she never lost that ability. Her songwriting however became wittier and cynical which is a good thing to me. "Whatever" is my favorite Aimee Mann cd. "Bachelor No.3" was excellent as well. I haven't heard Aimee's latest album "Lost in Space" yet but I do want to get it since she covers my favorite Coldplay song on the new version of "Lost in Space". "I'm With Stupid" is probably Aimee's weakest solo album I have heard though. A lot of the songs just didn't strike a chord with me. It isn't that I didn't like them but they just didn't stick out in my head except for songs like "Amateur" (a beautiful piano ballad), "All Over Now", It's Not Safe", andthe single "That's Just What You Are". The production value on "I'm With Stupid" is excellent though. Although I don't consider "I'm With Stupid" to be one of Aimee's stronger works, it is still a good solid album.

Disappointing...
Having all Aimee's 'Til Tuesday CDs, I continued on with her solo stuff a few years ago when I purchased "Whatever"...which is an absolutely great CD. I recently purchased "I'm With Stupid", hoping that it would pick up where "Whatever" left off. Boy, was I wrong! Don't get me wrong...I love Aimee's music and her golden voice, but this is definitely her weakest effort. Without getting into boring specifics, the songs are all slower and rely more on the complex lyrics, rather than the combination of lyrics and sound, to grab your attention. The production is raw and unpolished...lacking Aimee's gorgeous layered vocals and sounding more like she recorded it in her garage! Unlike the later 'Til Tuesday stuff and "Whatever", not one of the songs on "Im With Stupid" stuck in my head. It lacks the many "hooks", "bouncy" tunes and gorgeous slower songs that really stay with you. Be that as it may, the mainstream female pop vocalists of today (Brittany, Christina, Alanis, Cheryl) still can't carry Aimee's shoes!!! ... Read more