Album Description

The follow-up EP to Pedro the Lion's debut album wasoriginally released in 1999 and hailed by critics and fansalike as further proof of singer/songwriter David Bazan'sgenius. Remixed, remastered, and repackaged from Jade TreeRecords with a brand new layout and lyrics for the firsttime, the EP also contains 3 extra tracks that originallycomprised Pedro's first single. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Biased and Conscience Stricken
It pains me to call this remastered EP my favorite from Pedro the Lion, but sadly it is. I feel as if any musical credibility I have is lost when my favorite album by an artist is not only an EP, but also a remastered and rereleased EP.

The full name of this EP, of course, is "The Only Reason I Feel Secure...is because I'm validated by my peers." See? Even the title is great! However, the music is far more interesting than the title.

From the way I understand the lyrics, I would say that this EP has far more spiritual directness and openness than any of Bazan's previous releases - even to the point of including a hymn (Be Thou My Vision) on this release. The songs "Letter from a Concerned Follower," "Be Thou My Vision," and "Diamond Ring" all have a distinctly Christian message and with the exception of "Vision," they all reflect a superior writing style in their intelligent and heartfelt lyrics (not that Vision doesn't, but...well, Bazan didn't write it). The subtle sarcasm in "Concerned Follower" powerfully drives home a problem with contemporary philosophy and the secularizing power of information and technology while "Diamond Ring" fools listeners until the last verse when the audience is forced to recognize God as the narrator.

The other songs certainly can't be ignored - whether full of spiritual content or not. "Criticism as Inspiration" is a fantastic song about pride and moral superiority with a clever ending that partially turns the tables on the narrator. Following Criticism is "I am the one who always calls" which describes a seemingly failing long-distance and impersonal relationship that relies on the internet and phones...discussing modern methods of communication seems to be taboo in this genre of emo/folk, but Bazan's lyrics are unabashed and intelligent. The line: "my faith in zeros and ones / to host our romance" is obvious...but very original and descriptive. Bazan's lyrics, as usual, are fantastic.

The last couple of songs on this extra long EP are also not throw-aways. While they might not be original, Inventor and Big Trucks are still both fantastic Pedro songs and their inclusion as "rarities" is definitely worthwhile. I proudly give this EP 5 stars but I'm tempted to post this anonymously.

Who says you cant say the 'F' word and be an f-ng Christian?
As a Christian, its hard to find good 'Christian' music that isnt dripping with cheese or the words grace or Jesus in every other line and yet is till some what transforming. Pedro the Lion is a band that has been able to find that rare balance between reality and hope without turning into a bunch of saps with huge ad libbed solos and such. Great lyrics and stripped down instrumentation make it seem like you are having a jam session in the living room with some freinds. The 'scrathiness' of the album adds to its grittines, which helped me at least, to invite these truths into my world. While the lead singer can sound a bit like a whiner at times, his style matches the music. Who searches for meaning without a little bit of heartache in the voice? Def. a great album, for believers and non- believers and anyone else who just likes good music.

You Need This Album
This is the first album i ever happened to hear by the indie rock band Pedro the Lion. My brother had it and he played the track "Big Trucks" and told me to listen to the words closely. Ever since about four minutes after that i was hooked. The album blew me away. It's smart and interesting with a musical style that i just love. If you are a fan of music period i would suggest adding this album to your collection. It's wonderful. Just plain woderful. YOU NEED IT. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Caught A Nice Laugh
'Caught A Lite Sneeze', one of Tori's many singles, is very different from anything else. In addition to the exquisite title track, the single has 4 b-sides listed under the heading 'Silly Songs'. The reason I say it is different is because many of Tori's songs have a serious sound to them. The b-sides, a nice contrast to the title track, are all sing-songy little tunes. How could someone not let out a chuckle at Tori singing "This Old Man"? Tori's cover of "That's What I Like Mick (The Sandwich Song)" is a list of things that she likes, played and sung in a unique style. The haunting 54 second-long "Graveyard" is always a treat, and "Toodles Mr. Jim" (about one of Tori's old neighbors) is probably one of her best b-sides. I give this single 5 stars.

catching a sneeze can be fun
"Caught a Lite Sneeze" is a great song, from "Boys for Pele". I'm glad she released it as a single. But what's this? Mixing this with "silly songs"? Somehow it works! "This Old Man" is done really well, considering it's a nursery rhyme. "That What I Like Mick" is really very nice, too. "Graveyard" is really short, but it captures more intensity in 54 seconds than several songs by other artists that are over five minutes. To top it off, we get transported back in time with "Toodles Mr. Jim", a sweet farewell to a childhood friend and neighbor. Tori strikes again. Yay!

A fun collection of silly songs
"Boys For Pele" has to be Tori's most ambitious album to date. It was also the most difficult album for me to digest. "Boys For Pele" is a far cry from the lush sounds of "Little Earthquakes" and "Under the Pink", nevertheless the album is one of Tori's most compelling albums ever. One of my favorite songs on the album is "Caught a Lite Sneeze". I loved listening to the melodies of Tori's piano playing crash against the rhythms of the drums. The harpsichord added another dimension to the song as well as Tori's music in general. And like a lot of her singles, Tori added on a bunch of songs that wasn't on her album. This time the listener gets to hear Tori sing a bunch of silly songs like "This Old man" and "Toodles Mr. Jim". I thought it was a nice contrast from her previous b-sides. They were mt certainly different from what I was used to hearing. Even Tori has a goofy side. I think it is refreshing to see Tori indulge her silly side with these songs. I enjoyed the bonus songs on the single. It adds another personality to Tori. I wish people would just see that.

Cute and Interesting
While far from being the best Pele single- that honor goes to the "Hey Jupiter" EP- this is a cute and interesting CD.

CAUGHT A LITE SNEEZE: A great song, worth buying the CD for. good song to own.

THIS OLD MAN: A haunting rendition of the nursery rhyme. Tori's voice glides beautifully and creepily over the simple lyrics.

THE SANDWICH SONG: One of those songs you really have to be in the mood for- it's.... shall we say... odd. A cover of a song by the same duo who wrote "London Girls," which Tori covered on the US "Talula" single. Cute in a wierd way.

GRAVEYARD: Beautiful and too short.

TOODLES MR. JIM: A sweet and sad improv in the classic Tori tradition- I love the spoken words added at the end.

All in all.... If you don't know Tori, chances are you won't like this CD. But, it's a good addition to any Tori fan's collection!

Oddities but no Treasures
This single contains a suite of aptly titled "Silly Songs." If you always wondered what a Tori Amos nursery rhyme sounded like, because somehow your childhood wasn't random enough, then the planets have perfectly aligned to create this CD for you. However, for those who prefer not to spend hard earned money on curiousities that you'll probably only listen to once before you retire the disc to your CD case, then you will have no difficulty finding other worthy Tori single purchases (The "Spark" imports are not to be missed).

The B-sides of this album are short and charming. However, the derivative tracks "This Old Man" and "That's What I Like" are too long, and the original tracks "Graveyard" and "Toodles Mr. Jim" are too short. "Graveyard," in particular, could have been a beautiful album track which makes it all the sadder. The fleeting, undeveloped treasures make the single more painful to listen to than the forgettable flops. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

"Play me some music that lifts me to my feet"
Become What You Are came out during my first year of junior college and it was one of my favorite CDs at the time. I think my mom got sick of me playing it over and over. Listening to it 11 years later, I figured I had outgrown the music. No way! It still sounds great! From pop sensations like "My Sister" and "Spin the Bottle" to rockers like "A Dame with a Rod" and "I Got No Idols" to slower tracks like "For the Birds" and "Mabel" it is a fun album from beginning to end. The lyrics are sophomoric at times, but the music is so catchy, you don't notice them and end up singing along to silly lines like "I want his power inside of me. And I'm not talking about a piece of meat, I'm saying something really deep." Every song here is great but "Mabel" is my favorite. The lyrics are actually intriguing on this track ("Check out that lady she's talking to herself, check out that lady, she's gonna go to hell") and it starts out with a slow, almost haunting sound and then rocks out at the end. "President Garfield" is also an interesting track although the lyrics become very weird at the end. Fun sidenote: "My Sister" gives reference to the Violent Femmes and the Del Fuegos, "before they had a record out. before they went gold." Become What You Are is a very enjoyable album and I recommend it to anyone who likes "alternative" rock.

Juliana Hatfield's breakthrough is uneven, but charming.
As a recording artist Juliana Hatfield is a bundle of contradictions. Her guitar-playing gravitates towards the grungy garage-pop variety, but her singing is pure sweetness, all girlish and eager; she says women are naturally inferior guitarists to men, yet she writes some wonderful guitar parts and is underrated as an acoustic player; she's written some fantastic songs, yet often on the same album where these gems appear, there are also moments of bewildering weakness.

Become What You Are is as filled with polarizations as Hatfield herself. On one hand it contains a slew of strong songs -- breakthrough hit "My Sister", its intro being hands-down Hatfield's best guitar performance and its vocal melodies twistily engaging; "Spin the Bottle", a successful evocation of the giddiness of an attraction, a party, a romantic game between a playful couple; and "For the Birds" has some gorgeously written lines ("...Tried to wake her up/She wants to sleep...") and a remarkable chorus that should stay in your head for days.

And then some other moments are surprisingly clunky. When Hatfield tries too hard to rock out, she often falls into Nirvana-esque repetition and stops paying attention to the words she writes. "This Is the Sound" and "I Got No Idols" are absolutely hookless, dull repetitions of clumsily written lyrics and a boring melody, and "Dame with a Rod" and "Supermodel" don't really utilize her girlish, chirpy vocals well. Though Hatfield can come up with some great fuzztone-guitar riffs, without nuances to support them, her vocal technique sounds incongruous to the churning electric guitars.

Still, this is a staple album in '90s alternative music. Hatfield's most consistent work is on her next one, the solo (bassist Dean Fisher contributes), Only Everything.

Three's company
In 1993, Hatfield's friend and former bandmate, Lemonhead Evan Dando, was flopping about at festivals, wearing dresses and being the NME's darling, and jangly American indie guitar rock was in. And Hatfield was really the only female in her field, so she really shouldn't have found it so hard to break through in the UK at a time when Throwing Muses and Belly were having top 10 albums.

Unfortunately, the press was a little too preoccupied with Hatfield's proclaimed virginity and relationship with Dando to give the music a proper listen. Shame, because Become What You Are - recorded as the Juliana Hatfield Three with bassist Dean Fisher and drummer Todd Phillips - is a simple and brilliant record that she's yet to match.

Much has been made of Hatfield rarely going beyond the lines of her stock template. Granted, a cursory or superficial listen to Become What You Are could leave you thinking one song sounds much like another, but the unfussy formula works well enough to warrant many repeated listens. And no song outstays its welcome. Lyrically, she's at her strongest on this set, confessional, witty and on the right side of obscure.

The opening track, Supermodel, is a catty dig at the transitory careers of overpaid catwalk stars ("the highest paid piece of ass, you know it's not gonna last...), while the girly Hatfield is at play on My Sister, describing the love/hate relationship with a fictional sibling ("I would do anything to let her know I care, but I am only talking to myself cos she isn't there"). Her wry lyrics are matched at every corner with strong hooks and basslines.

Hatfield's cutesy/tough-girl act continues in equal measures: the deliciously venomous and punchy A Dame With A Rod, on which Hatfield avenges an attack on a woman ("You're gonna rot in the ground"), sits next to the unworldly girl on Feeling Massachussetts ("Take me somewhere I really wanna go... introduce me to someone really cool"). Hatfield does twee best on Spin The Bottle, although it's a bit of a throwaway moment. We should assume Hatfield wasn't taking her own story about kissing movie stars in closets at parties too seriously. It is nevertheless the most commercial cut and, given the right promotional push, could have been a hit, although it's appearance on the Reality Bites soundtrack did give it a new airing.

Standout track President Garfield - allegedly an ode to rocker Henry Rollins - is almost two songs in one: the first two minutes a slow, contemplative amble down the streets of Washington, the latter half a bass-heavy brooding review of the hero ("Neck like a tyre, iron man...I'm only human, I am weak, I want his power inside of me"). Things get darker still on the closing I Got No Idols, an intense, two-minute lament from a woman eager to stand on her own too feet.

The album went hugely underbought, of course, and the live reviews didn't do her any favours. Britpop was just around the corner and everyone in the UK momentarily ignored most of what was coming out of the US. Even the Lemonheads, who were actually selling quite a few records at one point, quickly disappeared off the radar.

For the follow up 18 months later, Hatfield was solo and with a little more angst on her plate for Only Everything. A solid set, it was more varied than Become, and could have been its equal had Fleur De Lys, Dumb Fun and Dying Proof fell on the cutting-room floor. 1998's Bed was a disappointing affair, while 2000's double whammy - the acoustic Beautiful Creature and the aggressive Total System Failure - would have been better as one, shorter album. 2004's In Exile Deo is unlikely to turn the sales tide, and she seems to have spent the last couple of years listening to Sheryl Crow records. Presumably the innocence and simplicity of early material doesn't sit comfortably with a woman in her late thirties.

Hatfield will make more great records, but the quality of Become What You Are and much of former band The Blake Babies' output seems an awfully long time ago now.

Can't believe this is out of print
This was Juliana Hatfield's best and most popular CD, and it included her breakout hit "My Sister". She was one of the trailblazers in "bubblegum grunge", making the combination of "girl"-ish, innocent vocals and driving Nirvana-era grunge guitar really work. I rediscovered this CD in my collection just the other day and popped it into the dash, and to my pleasant surprise it sounds just as good now as it did 11 years ago. I highly recommend this one, if you can find it.

You'll sing along
This has been a favorite album since I was in high school. Julianna's voice is unique, with a childisth quality. This album is very playful, organic and upbeat. The songs are like stories and I would recommend it to anyone looking for that perfect rock CD to blast while cleaning the house or driving too fast. :) ... Read more

Reviews (24)

good stuff
don't waste your time reading this. It's a really solid cd, kinda like a strange inner-thigh rash in that it just slowly but surely grows on you. you don't know where it came from. you want to scratch it away at first. then one day you're in the shower and you realize, hey, that's alright. ummm...he sounds a bit like bruce springsteen, sometimes like jagger vocally, and the obvious ryan adams comparison is deserved. if you like ryan adams or pete yorn, then you will hopefully become as close to this album as that rash you keep telling yourself will go away.

Finally, an album with actual songwriting..
..and it doens't sound like anyone else. Jesse's voice and point of view are completely unique. I can say that if you like Bruce Springsteen or Neil Young or Joe Strummer, you will probably like this, but he doesn't sound just like any of these. It's sort of what you would get if you locked someone in a room with only these records for about five years. Make that a very small room in Queens.

I dare anyone not to be moved by Soltaire or Brooklyn. There is a balance of both the slower more contemplative songs and the more rocking songs like Wendy as well.

Actually, it was Jesse's record that made me go out and buy the new Lucinda Williams record.

This record isn't good because of Ryan Adams or some of the other contributions - it stands just fine on it's own.

ahhhhh
This record is as bad as anything Adams has ever done, so its fitting they work together. The talent and spirit of NYC is gone, so being held on a pedistale in NYC these days is by no means something to brag about. Stop milking your insignificant band that ended years ago.

music to my ears
this is a great record , for me it captures my trip to new york. His voice isn't amazing but he sings from the soul.true gem.Ryan adams skills on the mixing desk could be better a bit rushed.Buy It , on a level with heartbreaker by Ryan Adams

nice try.
it is completely cliche these days to be a punk rocker, have your band break up, and then go on to start your next project...your singer/songwriter/alt-country band. seriously, there's a lot of folks doing that. count mr. malin in that box as well.

his exuberance is the only thing that makes him noticable at all. for the most part, this records is an attempt to be some great american voice, and all he really has to say is "hey, i grew up in new york city! AND i was in a punk band!"

see him live and you'll be treated to a 20 minute story for every 4 minute song the guy plays. unfortunately, the stories aren't even really funny or that interesting.

if you like the country/rock thing, i'd much more recommend the slower ryan adams records (he also produced this record) or the weakerthans, who actually take the genre and really push their punk background into it instead of playing the cliche puppet role. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A Beautiful Album
This album is absolutely amazing. From the moment I placed this in my CD player, I could feel calmness and peace fill my soul as his soft notes and voice filled my room . This is the perfect "emo" CD. This album contains some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard. If you're looking for a mellow/emotional sound, then you MUST definitely check out this album. The guitar work is intricate, the vocals are soft, and the lyrics are clever and sincere. This album is amazingly beautiful and anyone who actually knows what music is, and can be, will appreciate it's melody and honest, heart-felt beauty.

Absolutely Addicting....
WOW, this album is beautiful. The acoustic work, soft and gentle voice of Mike, clever and honest lyrics that actually mean something. My favorite song on this album if I had to pick one is "Dead Mean Don't lie" however I never listen to it without listening to the entire album. The album is simply addicting, everyone that I've introduced Owen to has thanked me, a gentle, mellow, soft, and beautiful album. This is a must have, at least for me it is

Mike Kinsella does it Again
Mike Kinsella has been making waves since the days of drumming for Joan of Arc with brother Tim, but since forging out on his own with projects such as Owls and American Football, one would have high standards for Kinsella's new solo project Owen. The definition of this solo recorded CD takes on a new meaning, here it means that Kinsella wrote and played the music for every instrument, and also recorded and produced the entire CD by himself. Songs that rank the highest among the CD include 'Dead Men Don't Lie', or the two part song (which he does a few times on this album) 'Places to Go' leading into 'Think About It'. Although many critics are claiming Owen to be what American Football would sound like today had they not disbanded, yet Owen's sound is not as jazz-orientated as American Football, and therefore truley takes on a sound of its own. If you're looking for melodic acoustic guitaring and melancholy, sweet sounding singing, look no further than Owen.

A Gourgous Album
Those of you who are familiar with Mikes work and enjoyed his softer more mellow songs of American Football and Owls will have no difficulty enjoying this album time and time again. When Mike realized he wanted more than American Football he started writing and playing his own songs which he later made into this album. Mikes soft strumming goes seductively along with female backup vocal to produce a flavourful heart felt album. This album is anything but boring to those who actually know what music is and can appriate melody and honest true life feelings. Soon after learning that Mike had Owen out in stores I ordered it to my local music store. Right from when I placed it in my cd player and felt his soft notes fill my room I felt nothing be calmness and peace. This is fantastic and for anybody who can appriate music.

Incredible music
This album has some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard on it; if you like mellow music, definitely check this album out. The guitar work is intricate and spacey, the vocals are soft and unassuming, the lyrics are clever and self-deprecating at times. Perhaps one of the nicest things about this album is that you know that Owen did not care how many records he would sell in making this album; the music is real and sincere. For me, this is the ultimate example of an album that you can listen to over and over again because of it's focus on creating an overall atmosphere of sounds as opposed to particular hooks and melodies that can wear you out with repreated listening. Saying that this album is boring is senseless; it's not meant to be exciting--it's music to chill out to. But hey, if you need blasting guitars and poppy, melodic hooks to keep your attention, then yeah, you shouldn't be listening to music like this. Just turn on the radio--you'll get plenty of it (not like the guy who said this album was boring is like this--I'm just making a point). But if you want something different than what's on the radio, check this album out. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Enchanting Music and Somber Poetry
Suzanne Vega is an intelligent and bewitching songstress. Her lyrics are partially literate and intelligible, partially symbolic and, at times, completely cryptic. Days Of Open Hand opens with a dreamy lullaby 'Tired Of Sleeping.' The composition is a cute sing-along, except for lines such as "Oh Mom, the bird on the string is hanging/Her bones are twisting and dancing/She's fighting for her small life." Musically, 'Men In A War' is a bouncing dance tempo tune. Although the music is playful, the lyrics are daunting: "Men in a war/If they've lost a limb/Still feel that limb/As they did before." 'Book Of Dreams' prances joyfully along with Byrds-like sparkling guitars. Vega changes the album's mid-tempo pace with track six (Those Whole Girls). Her delivery is spellbinding: she sing-speaks the lyrics one word at a time with a short pause after each word. The effect is haunting. My favorite composition is 'Fifty-Fifty Chance' with its staccato strings and a lonesome violin in the background. Like the work of Jane Siberry and Kate Bush, Days Of Open Hand is a challenging album of enchanting music and somber poetry. Vega is an innovator, gifted composer and lyricist.

Beautiful and disturbing
Disturbing, cryptic, mystical, haunting. This is indeed Suzanne Vega's darkest recording, and all of her recordings are dark in some way. Nonetheless, when compared with her previous two releases, this CD seemed a drastic departure into a world of dreams, fear, mystery, perhaps even insanity. I'm shaking my head at the reviews describing the nightmarish "Tired of Sleeping" as a pop song or lullaby - no. Ms. Vega experimented with atmospheric sounds here in a way that captivated me and perhaps anticipated her next CD with its more dramatic experiments with industrial sounds. My sense is that this is her most emotionally courageous material; that it is almost a stream of subconsciousness. It speaks in the language of dreams instead of the poetry of the waking. I am another of those for whom this is their least favorite Suzanne Vega CD, but I am also among those who find it challenging and hauntingly beautiful. In the end, I am more comfortable with more familiar feelings about divorce on "Songs in Red and Gray" or with the ever-so-cool music on 99.9Fº. If you are more open to being uncomfortable, even disturbed, you may find this a truly remarkable work.

Days of Open Hand: Suzanne as Mad Scientist
Over the course of nearly two decades, the music world has seen several sides to Suzanne Vega: the folk-rock of the eponymous debut and Solitude Standing; the industrial-folk of 99.9*F; the jazz-folk of Nine Objects of Desire; and the pop-folk of Songs in Red and Gray. Somewhere beyond these Vega incarnations lay the unique stylings heard in Days of Open Hand.
Suzanne's third album runs the sonic gamut of ebullient pop ("Book of Dreams") to crisp folk ("Tired of Sleeping"), and everything in between (the orchestrated "Fifty-Fifty Chance").
The topics covered within this album's eleven tracks rival even the diversity of the music itself, with Suzanne waxing poetic over love, life, and death, using symbolism that would give even Jung and Freud a run for their money. Suzanne implements dream analysis, references to the occult, Buddhist ideology, and Seussian imagery to develop Days of Open Hand into a study in surrealism unlike any other. Don't fret -- it sounds a lot more indegistible than it actually is. The album, thanks to clever use of the Fairlight in sampling, provides a bewitching backdrop of sound that ensure every song is palatable; the lyrics are there for whoever wishes to deconstruct them, but this exercise isn't at all necessary to basking in the album's atmosphere.
Basically, the Suzanne we know and love is still at the helm of Days of Open Hand...but her experiment in uniting acoustic instrumentation with a patchwork of other-worldly tunes provides a fleeting glimpse at a charming Mr. Hyde in the Suzanne Vega discography.

shimmering, lucid, wondering, wandering...
This is my favorite Suzanne Vega album. I'm puzzled that most of her fans feel differently.

I wasn't as fond of the quirky, edgy Mitchell Froom production on the next two albums... I really enjoyed this one much more, the spaciousness and shadow, the sense of underwater floating or otherwordly journeying that moves through songs like "Those Whole Girls," "Big Space" and "Rusted Pipe." Suzanne and her keyboardist Anton Sanko produced a rich and poetic trail of songs here.

A song I especially love on this CD is "Predictions", which features slow guitar, echoey synth, and percussive rhythm over which Suzanne recites, as a poem, many ways to tell the future. The song offers no actual predictions... it only beckons you to feel that universal desire for omniscience, the urge to visit the altar, to roll dice, reveal cards.

The top 40 single, "Book of Dreams", was more poppy and neatly upbeat than the rest of the disc. I recall reading an interview with Suzanne when this album came out, and she mentioned listening to XTC's "Oranges and Lemons." I hear their influence in this track. This may have misled and disappointed buyers at the time; the single wasn't as compelling as "Luka," and much of the rest of the CD was veiled in ambiguities.

The closing track "Pilgrimage" is simply gorgeous. It builds to become almost anthemic, a sure path, a promise: "I'm coming to you, I'll be there in time..." which I've come to imagine as an arc back around like outstretched arms to the tired, fever-dreaming girl who began the disc with an imploring waltz, "Oh, mom... I wonder when I will be waking... there's so much to do, and i'm tired of sleeping." Beautiful.

Good, But Not Great
When 'Days Of Open Hand' was first released I bought it and loved it. After not hearing it for over 10 years, I recently bought a new copy and listened with fresh ears and I can now understand the mixed reviews I've seen of this album. It's certainly worth buying for anyone who likes S.Vega's sound but judging it against the genius-level standard set by her other albums, Days Of Open Hand feels a little bland. There are some very good songs, my favorite being 'Rusted Pipe', but overall the album seems to lack the inspiration I'm accustomed to in S.Vega's records. If you're looking to buy your first S.Vega album, this isn't the one. Go with 'Solitude Standing' or 'Nine Objects Of Desire'. If you're already a fan but don't own 'Days Of Open Hand', you should certainly buy it. ... Read more

Album Details

The Singer/Songwriter's Sophomore Album, Produced by Ben Hillier (Elbow, Blur) Marks a Huge Step Forward. In Terms of Sound, Scope and Style, it is a Bigger, Braver and Possibly Even Darker Work Than It's Acclaimed Predecessor. It Feels Contemporary, Yet Stands Alone. His 2000 Debut CD Won the UK Mercury Prize and He was also Nominated for a Brit Award. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Not Just Another Follow Up.
This is one of those records that seemed to fade away quickly after its initial release, killing a lot of the hype that surrounded Edie Brickell at the time. For me it's a record that the media was too slow to pick up on and as a result the world missed out on what is an album every bit as moody, funky and unique as her first gem. Do yourself a favor even if you only have fond recollections of Shooting Rubber Bands and think that's what Edie was all about buy this one.

The Best of the Three
It takes a couple of songs to get into it, but if you're an Edie fan, you'll get it. This is a lifesaver album for me as Led Zeppelin was when I was a teen. The songs can relate with whatever's going on with you right now. It's hard to put my finger on my favorite song on this one, but I call her "Ozzy Brickell" on "Forgiven".

This is a very full album. Full of sound and soul, deep and whimsical at times. If you don't have it, you're missing out on something truly unique.

Exquisitely captures Innocence, Love, Loss, and Rebirth.
Few albums come along that can truly capture a genuine moment, an emotion trapped in time that you forever associate with a certain time of your life. Ghost of a Dog is that album. I can still remember being in high school and having a crush on the kid that lent me this cassette tape and changed my life. That was 3 years after the album came out, in 1993 and I was 15 and confused. I used to take walks on the beach near my school and every now and then, close my eyes and look up to feel the sun beaming against the lids of my eyes just as a warm breeze gently touched me--that moment is captured in "Me By The Sea".

Here we are, 11 years later and Ghost of a dog is a cd which is now in my Ipod.

If you're a lover of breakup songs, they dont get more bittersweet than "He Said". If its yearning you feel, try "10, 000 angels" (come to me, I really want you...).

Ghost of a dog itself truly is a gem of an acoustic strum. Anyone who has ever suffered the loss of a pet will find this song both amusing and sad.

In my humble opinion, there are no weak songs on this album, but if i had to choos one, it would be the opener, "Mama Help me". Perhaps this is why the critics were not in love with it? As a whole, that song just doesnt mesh well with the others.

If your a constant lover of songs about Life, Love and Death, you must own this album. I can guarantee you will fall for at least half the songs on it.

"There's a big door with a little window and the whole world is peaking through...Lay your head on my pillow, I want to take care of you..."

A Great Release for us Edie Fans
If I remember correctly, critics and the public pretty much ignored this second release, which is their loss!! This is definitely their most eclectic release, but that's a big plus in my book. A lot of these songs are performed with wonderful acoustic soundscapes. "Times Like This" is beautiful, "Stwisted" is one of my all-time favorites, as is the beautiful and painful "Me By The Sea" - which reminded me a lot of myself back in those days. "This Eye" is really cool too. While I consider "Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars" to be their best recording, this second release actually contains most of my all-time favorite Edie recordings.

You won't find much better!
I was always lukewarm to Edie Brickell until I was at a friends house once in Montana where this disc was playing. Immediately it grabbed me and eight years later it resides in a (probably) permanent place in my top five favorites of all time. That the band's best work (this disc) never saw the radio doesn't surprise me, but still saddens me deeply.

If you value the musical passion of people like Laura Nyro, Jeff Buckly, Joni Mitchell, Elliot Smith, Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel), Amiee Mann and Kate Bush then you need to consider Edie Brickell as a true peer. The fact that her monster talent might not be expected makes the music here all that much more rewarding. ... Read more

Album Details

The First Single from Costello's 2004 Album "The Delivery Man" Coupled with Two NON-LP B-sides of "Monkey" and "Love that Burns" Along with the Enhanced Video of the Title Track. ... Read more

Album Description

Japanese single for Fiona's cover of the Beatles' tender classic that was featured on the 'Pleasantville' soundtrack. It's backed with a live version of 'Sleep To Dream' and edit versions of 'Criminal' & 'Across The Universe'. Digipak. 1999 release. - ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Lennon would be happy
If John Lennon were to hear this version of his Beatle song, I'm sure he would love it. Fiona's version of "Across The Universe" is the best cover of a Beatles song since Siouxsie & The Banshees's "Dear Prudence" Job well done Fiona!

John Lennon would be proud
I first heard Across the Universe on the Beatle's Blue album a few months back. WOW! I was stunned at how beautiful the song was. Then I found out Fiona Apple had made a remake. I couldn't believe it when I heard this version because it takes John Lennon's masterpiece to new heights. You have to ask yourself how much better Beatles' music would sound if they would have recorded their songs today. For the critics that said the original sounds worse you have to remember that even John Lennon said he was unhappy with the final version(I belive at the time the Beatles were fighting a lot so this song never got much production time or came out the way John Lennon wanted). If you love this song you should check out other Beatles' classics. Anyway this CD is worth it for this song alone.

a mesmerizing performance
She sings it just perfect! John would be proud. She kept the feel, and the gripping vocal sincerity, of the song intact. Having the word "Apple" in her name probably helped. One of the best Beatle covers I have ever heard.

"Universe": Beauty, Resignation and Ironic Defiance
'Across the Universe' is, without a doubt, the best Beatle cover I have ever heard. I think John Lennon would be stunned. Apple sings with subtle virtuosity and understanding. She disguises her art; there is an 'acceptance of fate' conveyed with her beautifully undulating vocal line. The irony of Lennon's refrain 'Nothing's gonna change my world' is captured with unearthly transparency; Apple's vocal manifests an irony we all feel. The orchestration is brilliant and the drumming is phenominal, providing solid yet understated support. I imagine Lennon, had he lived, hearing this for the first time, thinking to himself: 'how did she know'?

It Takes Courage!
Fiona did it a few years ago with this one.
No one... should even attempt a Beatles song, it's just not right, But FIONA did it so incredibly that she deserves nothing but praise for this new masterpeice and her attempt was justified.
Fiona's love of the Beatles is apparent in everything she writes, its in her blood, you can tell she grew up with it around her.
What makes Fiona great is is her own spin...her beautuful sensual voice and pure honesty adds a new dimension to a song that could never be re-made until Fiona. Thanks Fiona for such a beautiful version.
I know its been years since its out, but til this day...nothing comes close and it still stands the test of time. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With her lazy southern drawl and her beaten and bruised collection of broken-hearted songs, Gemma Hayes should by all rights have grown up in Backwoods, U.S.A., not Tipperary, Ireland. With its campfire laments on life, love, and escape, Hayes's debut--part brooding alt-rock, part hushed acoustic folk--is filled with deadbeat introspection. Yet, Night on My Side plays more like a set of wee-hour diary confessions and captured moments than a cathartic venting session. It's not what she says, but the passion with which she says it that makes her songs so phenomenally poignant. Aided by Mercury Rev and Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann, Hayes doesn't merely tell tales, she conjures full-blooded emotions. On "Back of My Hand," for example, the details of unrequited love are irrelevant--it's the sinking feeling that counts. And when the Radiohead-strength chorus of "Let a Good Thing Go" crashes and the speaker-tearing white noise and guitar overdrive erupt in "Lucky One," they deliver a sense of loss like no words ever could. --Dan Gennoe ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A Truly Remarkable Debut
I decided to take a chance on this album after seeing a feature in Entertainment Weekly that likened her to PJ Harvey, one of my favorite female artists. This comparison is pretty inaccurate, as Gemma Hayes doesn't appear to have PJ's abandon or libido, yet I guess I know what the reviewer was referring to. This girl can rock as hard as the best of them, and also has a sweeter more melancholy side to her music. She also has a fascination with cleverly multi-tracked vocals, which on some tracks might suggest Sheila Chandra's voice experiments and at other times are simply spine-tingling like the track "Tear In My Side", which seems to be a song about a deep trauma of some kind or a major heartache at the very least. But Gemma Hayes is not a gloom and doom merchant, far from it. These songs are as much about desire and passion as they are about loss and uncertainty. Other favorites are "Ran For Miles".."today I ran for miles, just to see what I was made of" and "Let A Good Thing Go" with a huge guitar riff and a bassline that wraps itself around the song like an uncoiling boa constrictor. Then there are more gentle moments towards the end of the album, some of which are not as engaging as the more rocking tracks that open the set, which is why I give it 4 stars instead of 5. Somehow though I get the feeling that the extra star will be redeemed in a very short time. An amazing new talent. Highly recommended. Note: CD is enhanced with a really well shot video for "Let A Good Thing Go". What a hottie!

Highlight-heavy, extremely promising debut CD
First, there's that voice. Gemma Hayes has one of those intimate, soothing-yet-edgy indie type voices that make you want to listen to anything she sings, regardless of the quality of the song. It's the quality of the song, not the voice, that occassionally falters on "Night On My Side," the long-awaited U.S. version of Hayes' debut album. The set kicks off extremely promising with no less than five straight knockouts, most notably the irresistible opener "Haning Around" and the subtly intense "Tear N My Side," both of which succeed in evoking Hayes' reported favorite band, My Bloody Valentine. After a great start, the album loses a little bit of steam with "Lucky One," which, like "Tear N My Side," takes a risk with repetition, but unlike the former, it fails to offer anything in the departments of a memorable melody or lasting emotional impact. "Night On My Side" can be quite compelling, and Hayes makes many a profound statement with her thoughtful lyrics, most notably on "Ran For Miles" and "My God." My major qualm with this album is simply that some of the songs rely too much on atmosphere and mood-setting that the song falls flat as a result on the lack of focus on the areas of lyric and melody. But when more than half of the songs on the album are definite keepers, it's really a negligible complaint when it comes to considering whether or not to add this remarkable debut to your CD collection.

Something from last year to check out
Gemma Hayes is a very strikingly beautiful 24 year old from Tipperary, Ireland. She decided about five years ago to drop out of college and try playing music. Her family was pissed. After a few years working in a launderette, and playing in local pubs, she got some support gigs for David Gray and Beth Orton. She waited two years to sign a record deal. Hayes spent that time developing her unique vision. Record companies were looking for the next PJ Harvey. She ended up signing with a French label and recording her album with Dave Fridmann at Tarbox Studios. Hayes' early songs were acoustic guitar and voice, so there were many comparison with Joni Mitchell. People don't realize that she came of age when a lot of that folk music is not on the radar. The Cure and My Bloody Valentine seem to be better starting points. "Back of My Hand" has a bass line as if played by Peter Hook. Much of the record takes as its subject relationships and love affairs. Songs like "My God" are almost too personal, and full of life and melancholy. The sparseness is moving. Just as the big sound of "Let A Good Thing Go" shows her range. This record is split up into "day" and "night" sides: the first part has more electric guitars and walls of sound; where "night" is more folksy and gentle. "Ran For Miles" sounds like a modern country song. All good things must end though. Gemma Hayes covers a lot of ground in this debut record, and draws us in to her world.

Unpredictable, in the good way
I picked this record up by complete chance recently. I was buying a Grandaddy CD in Borders and Gemma Hayes was near it. It looked interesting so I scanned it in the listening station and ended up buying it.

My first impression was to compare it to Shawn Colvin, but with more edge. The album seems to have two distinct halves, the first, heavier half, and the second, more acoustic half. The songs themselves aren't very commercial, and it's somewhat refreshing to just hear intimate songs performed the way the artist intended them to sound, not glossed over with the slick radio treatment that permeate similar offerings.

These songs are unpredictable in the way bringing that off-color friend you have to a formal party might be - you never quite know what's going to happen next. You'll find yourself listening to a nice, acoustic guitar/vocal piece, and then suddenly you'll hear a dissonant cello creep in a half-step higher than the tonic, and then disappear as though it never happened. Very interesting stuff.

"Hanging Around" is a definite highlight, offering the most radio-friendly song and production on the CD. I'm partial to the latter half of the record where the alternate tuning acoustics take over. "My God" is particularly nice.

Ultimately, it's hard to pick the kind of audience this will appeal to. Shawn Colvin is a good reference point, although Hayes is not nearly as commercial. If that seems remotely appealing, then get it, and listen to it a few times. It definitely gets better with each listen, and you'll realize it's a multilayered record, offering more with every time through.

A Beautiful Record
Night on my Side is a fantastic CD. You won't regret purchasing it. Beautiful and haunting. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Surprisingly good - i missed out first time round
I found this album by accident: having heard "Oliver's Army" I wanted a copy, so I got the album from the library. I was surprised at the range of tracks, I had always thought of Elvis Costello as being a bit "uncool". However, the album contains all sorts of gems, from the tubthumping "Oliver's Army" to the more mellow "Good Year for the Roses", and what about the aching "I Want You"? As I'm only 21 I missed these songs when they were first released, and I feel quite deprived! Having listened to this album I was inspired to get Costello's "Brutal Youth" CD. It's also a classic, with that unmistakeable sound in a truly contemporary twist. I really would recommend this to anyone who wants something that will surprise them - it's great!

Nice try, but this doesn't cut it for Costello
Midway through their reissue program, Rykodisc put out the requisite best-of album covering the period of Costello's catalogue that they had under license, spanning from his debut in 1977 to 1986. Marketed under the slogan "This is the Elvis Costello album to buy if you can only have one!," The Very Best Of is certainly chock full of wonderful music, almost 78 minutes' worth, but it suffers from "retrospectivitis," especially single-disc retrospectivitis. Costello came out with far too much worthy material to have a single disc faithfully represent his work in any fashion. If anyone cries out for a two disc greatest hits set, it's Costello.

In fact, the older double-disc compilation Girls! Girls! Girls! is a recommended alternative to this set, though I forewarn you that it was not put together to represent Costello's greatest hits per se, but rather to tell a story exclusively using songs written by Costello (which in itself has a certain conceptual appeal). What this means is that it's missing some key tracks like "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?" and "I Can't Stand Up (For Falling Down)," which weren't written by him. Also, the set was issued prior to the remastering of his catalogue, so the sound is noticeably inferior in some cases. And trust me, this DOES make a difference in judging the quality of the songs, especially those from his murky Nick Lowe-produced albums. Girls! Girls! Girls! does however contain excellent track-by-track liner notes by the angry little hornetman himself, something which The Very Best Of Elvis Costello & The Attractions sadly lacks.

As far as the disc at hand is concerned, The Very Best Of does its job functionally, if unspectacularly. Present here are most of his famous songs: "Alison," "Watching The Detectives," "Accidents Will Happen," "Oliver's Army," "High Fidelity," "Clubland," "Everyday I Write The Book," "Brilliant Mistake," and others. All of his highest-charting singles can be found here, as well as some quality almost-contenders like "Beyond Belief" and "Man Out Of Time."

Unfortunately, there's just too much omitted here for me to give it a high recommendation. Looking through Elvis Costello's recorded discography is like taking a walk through the countryside after a hailstorm of jewels: diamonds just lyin' around EVERYWHERE, littering the road, hitting you on the head, pokin' through your shoe! This CD just scooped up the first ones around, without looking hard to find the quality gems. Missing in action are some of his most important songs, like "Less Than Zero," "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes," "No Action," "Party Girl," "Two Little Hitlers," "King Horse," "Clowntime Is Over," "New Lace Sleeves," "Jack Of All Parades," "I Hope You're Happy Now," and others. Most inexcusable is the absence of what may be Costello's best song, "Riot Act," from Get Happy! And although "Watch Your Step" is alright, there are many other songs from Trust that would have been better, like "From A Whisper To A Scream," "Pretty Words," or "New Lace Sleeves." And in my estimation (and many others' as well), almost all of King Of America could easily have been represented here, so there's no way that only "Brilliant Mistake" and "Indoor Fireworks" are gonna cut it.

As it is, The Very Best Of is a suitable introduction, and no more. It's a taster for the even more substantial jewels that are strewn openly about Costello's discography.

Happy hunting.

Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Costello has had a long and distinguished career as a singer/songwriter. In fact, he is such a good lyricist that like Bob Dylan, his talent sometimes is overlooked. I believe this CD gives a good survey of his early to middle work. One of my favorites here is 'Good Year For the Roses.'

The best single disc collection.
"Elvis Costello" was a name I always heard, but I never really made a point to listen to his music. Then I got this disc, and now I often make the point. These 22 songs are incredible, and I wish I gave them a chance sooner. I was also suprised by how many songs I knew, even if not by title. This includes his hits "Alison", "Watching The Detectives", "Pump It Up", and "Everyday I Write The Book". But what's really great, is that most of the other tracks are better. "Oliver's Army", "Man Out Of Time", "New Amsterdam", and "Brilliant Mistake" are amazing. It's hard to believe this is out of print. I guess people will have to get the 2-disc "Very Best Of Elvis Costello" instead, which I assume may be twice as good.

Dig those groovy specs, daddy-o!
When I bought this album, I made a commitment: I swore I'd listen to it over and over until I found a song that was NOT PERFECT. It's been stuck in my CD player for 17 months now. I have to keep listening. I know I'll find that song someday... ... Read more

Reviews (7)

fav album
this is my favorite album because it is true to a more raw, emotional sense. i feel it is her best work.

Still her best album..
Although her subsequent albums are more technically sound. This album is still the most intriguing.

A half baked cat
After picking up Moon Pix, I was captivated by the combination of haunting vocals, slow pace, and dreamy guitar playing. They all seemed to mesh together so well.

But on this album I found it completely lacking of the completeness that I found on Moon Pix. The guitar isn't nearly as prominent and is no where near as true. The vocals have the same tone but are unrefined and screeching at times. There are a couple of tracks that are alright and I don't mind listening to them, but some are just to hard to listen to, and I guess if I don't want to listen to it, it fails the test.

Plastic Chan Band
This album is fast becoming my favorite Cat Power album. There are a handful of atmospheric and catchy songs (Rockets, We All Die, Ice Water, Not What You Want...) The band (Chan, Steve Shelley and Tim Foljahn--note no bass but two guitars and the human drum machine Steve Shelley) is raw, loose and adventurous.

At times, Chan's singing style, coupled with her bleak and suggestive lyricism, evokes the majesty of a young Dylan, circa 1966. (She must really be the "Devil's Daughter...") But, then again, the last cut, Not What You Want, evokes the feel of another great artist/album: John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band. This track sounds like it was recorded by a Playschool tape recorder for todlers, and Chan singing, "I'm not what you want," over and over again, does remind this reviewer of the haunting finale to the Lennon masterpiece, with cathartic screams and all.

And for the non-Cat/Chan converts... can anyone turn a line so simple as "I'm so angry" and make it elusive, suggestive, catchy and breathtaking?

Cat Power/Chan Marshall is something rare in music: a sense of adolescent and awkward prodigy; a rare combination of a voice blessed by God and sloppy, but edgy and always inventive, musicianship. Maybe it's the rough groove, the contrast between stumbling and squealing dueling guitars and Steve's ever-so-tight but sparse drumming.

Go check this out. You won't stop playing Rockets for a long time.

FEE LIONS
Cat Power's Myra Lee was recorded at Four-Track in my Bedroom Studios in Hokoken, NJ. The unique name of this band comes from the vocal style of Chan Marshall, who's crooning sounds like that of a slowly dying feline. If you listen closely to the track "Enough", there actually is a cat being rung through an old-tyme dryer. Cat Power's simple bare-bones approach to music has a convienient clumping action, that will leave your box clean and refreshed. Look for C.P. to collaborate with Snoop Doggy Dogg for a clawing rendition of "Cat Scratch Fever" in the early summer of 2000. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Best suited for serious Tori fans
The song "God" is very special to me because it is the song that first introduced me to Tori Amos, arguably the most talented musician in the business. "Home on the Range" typifies Amos' talent for taking even the most traditional of songs, standing it on its head, and using it to communicate a fresh, new message from a completely different perspective. In this case, the lyrics reflect an American Indian view of the colonization of their "home on the range" by European colonists. "All the Girls Hate Her" and "Over it" are beautiful piano solos which do much to highlight the true musical genius of Amos. I personally don't like to listen to music without singing, and thus the two instrumental tracks do not appeal to me very much. Even instrumental enthusiasts may be slightly disappointed by the fact that both tracks are less than five minutes in combined length. Basically, I would recommend this item to Tori Amos completists only. It reveals a very soft side of the artist and showcases her musical talents, but I do not think this is music that will find its way into your CD player very often.

Tori is a GODdess
To say that I am a big Tori Amos admirer would be the biggest understatement of the decade. I only have been a fan of her music for the past five years. I liked what I heard back in the early '90s from her first solo album "Little Earthquakes" but I didn't get into her music towards the end of the '90s. I used to not like the song "God" from "Under the Pink" but over time, the song has really grown on me. It has become one of my personal favorite Tori Amos songs. It is such a contrast to her more sparse ballads. The crescendos in the song is so intense as are the lyrics. What I love about the singles that Tori has released over the years is the inclusion of previously unreleased singles. On "God", Tori does a unique interpretation of "Home on the Range". It is certainly quite different from what I'm used to hearing. I like it though. It is different but I like it. "All the Girls Hate Her" is amazing. That song really highlights the single for me. I can almost envision Tori performing the song in concert. "Over it" is just as good. I love it when Tori performs solo. Her music and lyrics becomes more intimate with the listener. I enjoyed this single. I didn't think it was anywhere as bad as some people made it out to be. Oh well, different strokes for different folks I suppose.

Great Single
The piano pieces 'All the Girls Hate Her' and 'Over It' make me want to take up the piano. Definately a single anyone should have.

Shake your hips to this remixed favorite!
God becomes a hip shaking mix set to a heavy drum beat [The Rainforest Resort Mix], you also have a beautiful piano suite [All the Girls hate Her] even without words this song "speaks" for itself its beautiful and Melodic. A perfect addition for any Tori fan, or for anyone looking for something truely different.

Tori COMPLETELY solo!
If you want to hear beautiful classical sounding music, done by tori, then this is the CD. I do not really care much for home on the range, but the solo songs are really beautiful. God is God....however..I think this is the one tori CD single you can miss. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Going mobile
After gulping down "Ladies' Love Oracle" some seven hundred times, I was maybe a bit anxious for "Mobilize" to hit the racks. He didn't fail me, but it wasn't what I was expecting either. I had hoped for volume two of that glorious record -- the "Teaser and the Firecat" that would hopefully follow his personal "Tillerman" -- when really he's just returning to what he does best. "Mobilize" is a terrific collection of bluesy rock ballads that would pass effortlessly as the missing link between his former band Grant Lee Buffalo's "Fuzzy" and "Mighty Joe Moon". When I heard "Mobilize" (the song, that is, not the album) I got deja vu to the first time I heard "Lone Star Song". In short, though the heavier guitar workings and higher production values may surprise fans of his solo gig, no one -- new fan or old -- should find this record disappointing. This is a solid album, elegant and fluid, that I hope will put Grant into the spotlight under which he belongs.

An excellent work from an excellent artist
Wow, this album blew me away. I have been a long time fan of Grant Lee Buffalo, so naturally I follow Grant's solo career. I assumed this new solo album would be similar to his previous one (Ladies Love Oracle). I was wrong. Mobilize is a far bigger album in production and structure. It is filled with great energy and raw emotional power. It sounds as if Grant-Lee is starting fresh.

This album is a grande evolution for Grant. All of the songs have a powerful emotional quality to them. Download those two tracks im sure you will be utterly amazing this album is. I don't want to go on and on. I will just simply tell you that it is an amazing achievement. So far, this is the best album of the year......hands down!

Only 500 times over...
I first heard Grant-Lee when he was part of Grant-Lee Buffalo. A friend made me a tape of "Mighty Joe Moon" about six years ago. I hadn't really thought about Grant-Lee until I saw the Exile Follies tour with Kristen Hersh, Grant-Lee and John Doe. I was so impressed with Grant-Lee that I had to hear more. I downloaded parts of songs from this album and listened to them over and over. I had to buy the album. So I bought it a week ago and have been listening to nothing else but this since. It's on most of the day at work and then on in the car for four or five songs at a time. I truly love this cd, it's a good thing that it's not on tape or the tape would be worn out already.

There is something really catchy about the songs that make you want to listen to them over and over. They also get stuck in your head and you just have to listen to them! "Spring Released," "Sadness Soot" and "Beautiful Dreamers" are the main ones that I keep singing over and over in my head. "See America" has a wonderful romantic sound to it that makes you want to take a road trip. I thought the lyrics seemed really cool at first, then I read the lyrics in the liner notes and realized that they are even cooler than they sound, they are quite poetic.

If you've never heard Grant-Lee, I've learned that you're missing out. He's definitely up there with my faves - PJ Harvey, Kristen Hersh, Tori and Liz Phair. I will definitely be adding more Grant-Lee Phillips to my collection as I can afford it.

Move to this.
Grant Lee Phillips is a top-class singer-songwriter who has a wealth of experience as well as two or three truly great records behind him, and somehow you just knew he wasn't going to disappoint with Mobilize. It finds Phillips embracing a more polished, modern sound than past efforts - accentuated by the classy, breatless pop of the opener 'See America' and similarly impressive 'Humankind'. As the title suggests 'Love's A Mystery' is all mystique and intrigue with Phillips sounding eerily like David Byrne, and is exactly the kind of left-field tunesmithery on the human condition at which he excels.
The real gem here though is 'Sadness Soot' - dizzying in it's magnificence and showcasing just how remarkable Phillips' voice really is - a master of phrasing, mood and expression. As with his Grant Lee Buffalo albums, just when you think you're in for more pop thrills, we get something edgy and challenging like the title track to throw you off the scent. The second half of Mobilize is engaging and interesting, if a little less consistent than the first (though that's a common complaint these days). Still, the bonus track 'Sunday Best' is a rather jaunty closing treat.
For listeners that like their music to be innovative, fresh and just a little outside the square then Mobilize will fit the bill nicely.

Even Better By Himself?
Having been an enourmous fan of his work in 'Grant lee Buffalo', I was anxious to hear what he could come up with by himself. After hearing 'Ladies Love Oracle', I was expecting something the same, but what I heard really delighted me. I love Ladies Love Oracle and I love Mobilize.

Grant-Lee is simply one of THE GREAT singer-songwriters (of all time in my oppinion), and now he's taken the genre into cool new territories. If you liked Grant Lee Buffalo, you won't have absolutely NO objections with this album,despite it being quite a bit more 'funky' (for want of a better work) with its electric drums etc...

Grant-Lee's strengths have always been his song writing ability and his voice and these things both come through strong with his 'new sound' (which is equally as appealing and beautiful as it is different to the 'Buffalo' sound).

I was fortuneate enough to hear him live (twice) in Brisbane (australia) in May '02 and it was trully amazing. He is such a talented guy.

I'm hanging out for another solo effort, and until then, Mobilize will keep a huge smile on my face ... Read more

Amazon.com

It was hard to imagine at the time of his untimely death in 1997 at age 30, but Jeff Buckley ended up one of the decade's most influential singer-songwriters. Buckley's posthumous legend was built on precious little more than his debut album, Grace, and the tracks he was working on at the time of his death, which makes this collection of five rare, mostly promo-only foreign EPs a welcome addition to his legacy. The two and a half hours of music here spans the three years before he died, a period when his muse--as boldly ambitious as it was haunting and mercurial--was coming into sharp focus. Buckley fans and collectors should welcome the two live shows excerpted here (So Real's February ‘95 Rotterdam gig, the Paris shows from later in the year on Live from the Bataclan, and three ‘96 Australian cuts), but will also delight in the set's rare covers: a live take of Van Morrison's "The Way Young Lovers Do," Hank Williams's "Lost Highway," and a frenetic and hypnotic 14-minute-plus work-up of Alex Chilton's droning "Kanga-Roo." The set's bonus unreleased track is the 11-minute "Tongue," an eerie, evocative instrumental improvisation captured during rehearsals for the Grace sessions. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (7)

incredible,
I don't know what to write in order to explain the captivating, passionate music this disc contains. Through listening to this disc one can hear the great and amazing talent Jeff Buckley possessed. I highly recommend this disc and highly recommend listning to Jeff Buckley's music.

Great Compliments to an already brilliant experience.
jeff Buckley was a brilliant man. He was passionate, spellbinding and talented beyond bounds. Grace is one of the very best albums I've ever heard. Incredible. These tracks shed a live or demo version of the mastered songs off of grace. they sound awesome. Live presence almost gives it a different feel. Brilliant. This is an essentail for any fan, rabid or casual.

great box set
This is a great set. I never really bought any of these cds over the years because most were imports and a bit pricy.... Now with this set you get all the cds at a smaller price. I'm not really a live cd fan (hence only 4 stars) but Jeffs performances are somehow different. He was truly talented.

Basically for hard-core fans
I've been obsessed with Jeff Buckley's music for almost 8 years. So, I didn't hesitate to purchase this. However, I already owned everything in it. If you're a silly fan like me, you'll consider it worth just for the pictures and neat way the boxed set it put together. However, putting out these singles and promos this way lessens the values of what I already owned.

So must have it's not even questionable
I finally found this box set at a record store for 33 dollors. I was excited, but not sure if it was worth the money. Most of it are live tracks, that I have on "Mrystery White Boy"(not the same versions, of couse as the box set". So I decided to buy it. For fans it is a great item, an essential, even to me, a bigger Tim Buckley fan, it is a great set to own. You get the incredible cover of Van Morrison's "The way young lovers do", the stunning 14 studio version of "Kangaroo" and many stunning perfect quality live versions of classics. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Given that Brit guitarist-songwriter Neil Halstead's work with both Slowdive and Mojave 3 is as sleepy as it is pretty, you'd think his first solo record would provide him the chance to stretch and maybe even break a string in pursuit of a bona fide rock moment. Instead, Halstead's Sleeping on Roads--basically, a home recording featuring a bunch of his friends contributing everything from "computer skills and technical stuff" to "funny noises"--dims the lights even more. While tracks like the chiming, trumpet-tweaked opener "Seasons" point to a keen sense of melody, Halstead wastes no time in shifting the mood, and gaslight weepers like "Martha's Mantra (for the Pain)," "High Hopes," and "Dreamed I Saw Soldiers"--all almost unbearably downcast ruminations--dominate the set. Still, Halstead's delicate touch with guitar and his barely-there vocals sustain the sense of quiet introspection throughout the album's nine tracks. Winsome, ethereal folk never sounded so good, or so haunted. --Kim Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (19)

An Amazingly Perfect Record
I'd like to say that I've been following Neil Halstead's musical career since Slowdive, but I'm not that hip. My introduction was Mojave 3's first album, Ask Me Tomorrow. I immediately fell in love with that album's gentile, almost Leonard Cohenish songs, and cherish it still to this day. Later came Out of Tune, which was a noticable departure from the sound they had on the first(still just as excellent), and Excuses For Travelers carried on the sound of Out of Tune with a few nods to Ask Me Tomorrow. Up until Tuesday, I didn't think that it could get any better than Excuses For Travelers. I'm happy to say that I was very wrong.

Sleeping On Roads lies on a different plain than the Mojave 3 albums, yet still manages to coexist. The pace of the album is somewhere in between Ask Me Tomorrow and Excuses. It's very acoustic, with plenty of clean guitar, banjo, cello, glock, warm trumpet, piano and even some subtle electronic warbles that fill in the cracks perfectly. The songs are all dripping with beautiful melody and lyrics that are Neil's best yet. Noticably absent is any sort of slide guitar, which helps to set this apart from Mojave 3.

I'm no critic, so I can't think of any nuances that I should pick apart in an effort to make myself sound like a music expert. Sure, it doesn't break any new ground, there isn't anything revolutionary going on, but if you're a Mojave 3 fan you're probably not expecting it to be such a record. The sound throughout is very familiar, very comfortable, very peaceful and genuinely pure, which no doubt comes from the whole thing being recorded at Neil's and Nick Holton's homes, and mastered at Abbey Road. It really is a wonderful gift from Halstead, and I will treasure it for years.

Beautiful solo debut
You won't get any in-your face surprises from Neil Halstead's debut solo recording - it's very similar to his previous albums with Mojave 3. Slow, moody, and very melodic is the name of the game as usual. But really, why should he change his style, when he's so very, very good at it? This record is filled to the brim with beautiful songs like "Seasons", "Driving with Bert" and the Dylan inspired "High Hopes". Most of the songs are largely driven by a simple acoustic guitar pick, accompanied by Neil's soft voice. I've always appreciated musicians who can make simple songs sound complex.

It probably wasn't necessary to release this as a solo album, seeing that it's very close to the three Mojave 3 albums in style, and I'm sure Rachel Goswell's amazing harmonies would have made this record even better. With that said, I'm not going to complaint. This is a wonderful, moody record.

Love Embodied in Music
Neil Halstead's "Sleeping on Roads" is the perfect album. I pop it in and I am taken to goodness and wholeness, to the real me, the true me, the best me, the loving, empathetic and open to life and experience me. I am no longer filled with despair and fear and pessimism. I am lifted by hope and optimism. To me it is the wonderful side of the human experience. It is an intriguing mystery you want to dive into head first; it is empowering and life affirming. I listen to this and I feel love and compassion. Indeed, "Sleeping on Roads" is all that intangible love embodied in and expressed through music. This album manages to perfectly balance the two competing existential human needs of Eros (the need to feel significant and meaningful as an individual) and Agape (the need to feel that one is a part of something greater than oneself and to give oneself over to that universal force). This is why I feel so comfortable and whole listening to this album and why it seems so familiar even upon first listening.

Now don't get me wrong I like Richard Ashcroft, but Ashcroft wishes he could make an album of such subtle lyrical grace, elegant, simple yet beautiful melody and nuanced and textured harmony. Halstead has reached a new plateau with this album, and I will always treasure it and hold it close to my heart. I will conjure it in my mind when things are rough and it will bring me back to who I truly am insofar as what I truly am is the greatest potential for wholeness, truth, beauty, courage, loving and goodness within me. This can be a reality; this album has made me a believer!

Lushly evocative musings
Thhis album is one of the most beautiful that I have ever listened to. This is quite possibly one of the best roadtrip albums ever. Music such as this is perfect for reflection - quiet, slow, contemplative, complementing your thoughts instead of crowding them out. It is music to fall asleep to, music to wake up to, dreamland music, that stuff so right, so perfect that at times, it becomes a part of everything around you, and you only miss it (and miss it so acutely) when it is gone. Try this album out. After the party, when only your REALLY good friends are around, place this album in the player. Sit down and talk. Listen. Enjoy.

Better than his previous work
I've listened to a little Mojave 3 and Slowdive, and while I like it, Halstead's solo album hooked me right from the first listen. Seasons is just a great way to kick off the album. It has a feeling of motion to it. It's not all that adventurous, but it has such a gentle, dreamy quality to it that you won't mind. Two Stones in My Pocket is another simple, but catchy song. This song provides a sort of "theme" for the album, as it is revisted in the hidden track at the end. If I had to pick, Driving with Bert would be my favorite song on the album. It's a very yearning, heartfelt song that always brings up emotions in me. The trumpet really makes this song, and I think it's really cool that Halstead went with some unconvential instruments on this album. See You on Rooftops suddenly makes you wake up, and is much more lively than the rest of the album. It also has a very nice melody. Dreamed I Saw Soldiers is apparently based on the melody of another song, and I actually think it's the weakest song on the album, which is certainly a compliment to Halstead. Now this is why I hate picking a favorite song on this album - the closing track, High Hopes, is just vocals and guitar but have such an enchanting melody that I can listen to it over and over again. The album closes with a hidden instrumental track after High Hopes, which, in my opinion, only serves to make Two Stones get old a little faster, and besides, High Hopes would be a great closer for the album. I'd suggest skipping it when you listen to the album, but I warn you, if you let the cd come back to the beginning, the opening chords of Seasons will make you want to listen to it again! This is one album that I think I'll always want to listen to once in a while because it's just right for a quiet, relaxed mood. On a side note, this album makes three albums from 2001 that are among my favorite all-time albums (including Ben Folds' Rockin' the Suburbs and Zero 7's Simple Things), and that crappy site I will only call PFM said 2001 was a terrible year for music! Go figure. ... Read more

Album Description

Never afraid to wrestle her personal demons into songs, Juliana Hatfield has carved out an impressive musical career with her brand of self analysis. From her work with indie darlings the Blake Babies and her critically acclaimed solo albums (beginning with 1992's Hey Babe), to last year's Some Girls side project, Hatfield has won fans with songs that blend bright, infectious melodies with lyrics drawn from life's chaos and confusion. While her latest album continues to mine that dark yet appealing vein, In Exile Deo also represents a breaking of new ground for the popular and influential singer-songwriter. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A soul on display
The music on "In Exile Deo " isn't as good as on "Beautiful Creature", but lyrically it may be her best work, or at least her most personal. It's hard to see how a previous reviewer ("A total 'pop' album") could have thought that Juliana was "too happy" when making this - song after song describes deep regret, lost opportunities, destructive addictions, and an inability to sustain intimate relationships. But the beauty of Juliana's music has always been the juxtaposition of angry and despairing words with lovely melodies and that sweet voice. It feels as if music is the only way that Juliana can truly express herself, and here she offers up her soul for all to see. The occasional weak note and girlish "yeah" only enhance the impression that this is a real, flawed person being honest with her audience (which doesn't sound "poppy" to me).
While this isn't my favorite CD of hers, it is certainly enjoyable musically. Like all of her albums, it contains some uninspired tunes but also many glorious moments. Anyone who likes her later work or is curious to know more about her inner life should check it out.

Returning From Exile: Juliana Hatfield's New Pop Album

GET IN LINE: I really like the opening for this song and the urgency of the music. "We're all gonna die someday / it's the one sure thing / with a question mark for an answer", I really like that line - it's dark, clever, and dreadful. However, I think the song may have faired better with a more stripped down production. Also, I could of done without the "woohoo ow!" thing that she does in the end. For me, it just takes away from the maturity of the song. (B-)

JAMIE'S IN TOWN: I love this song. It just has a really relaxed yet catchy feel. The music breathes easily and feels effortless - something that a lot of her early 90s albums lacked - they all seemed so tense. I think the production of this song is great. I like the knocking-like (??) sounds, guitars, and vocals. (A)

TOURIST: Juliana seems to have a knack of writing observational pieces of different kinds of people ("Supermodel, "You Are The Camera"). A nice pop song with insightful lyrics but nothing too groundbreaking. (B+)

SOME RAINY SUNDAY: I don't really care for the sound of this song. I don't think I'm big on the fluttery keyboards in the background (ala "Don't Walk Away"). I like the idea behind the song though - to look back and realize maybe you were wrong and maybe things could of worked out if you had the knowledge that you since have learned. However, I find the song itself just a little bland and unremarkable ... especially for Juliana. (C-)

TOMORROW NEVER COMES: I don't really care for Juliana's singing in this song. I remember liking it live, but in this version I feel her voice just doesn't suit the song well. It sounds too precious and innocent I suppose. (F)

FOREVER: I like the way the songs begins with her cool singing of "red light red light go to green . . ." but when it gets to "just one more time then I'll quit" chorus it starts to get too polished for my taste and leads in another direction then I would have hoped. Again, another pleasantly crafted pop song with strong lyrics but not completely memorable. Again, my opinon. (B-)

DIRTY DOG: A Total System Failureish song given the In Exile Deo treatment. I like it! It's cute and quirky in that Juliana way and the dog barks may be chessy but hey it makes me smile. (B+)

BECAUSE WE LOVE YOU: I personally think this song is vintage late 90s Juliana - relaxed, catchy, yet quirky. The sound of the guitar is just very Juliana and especially the blunt line "and your daughter is a freak." A good, if not predictable, choice for the single. (A-)

SINGING IN THE SHOWER: Another poppy song but I find this one remarkable. The melody is pretty and Juliana has a beautiful lilt in her voice when she sings the chorus. The male background vocals is a nice touch too. Like the lyrics. (A)

IT SHOULD'VE BEEN YOU: I like this song. A nice mid-tempo number. Without the overt accesible pop polish that's on some of the other tracks, I think it has the potential to really grow on the listener with repeated listens. (B+/B)

SUNSHINE: A guilty pleasure. The music is so poppy and radio friendly but also so buoyant how can you listen to it and not feel good? I like the "oooooohoooohoooohs" at the minute and a half point. I wonder though if the immediate accesibility of the song will make it tire easily with repeated listening. But for now . . . (A-)

DON'T LET ME DOWN: I love the way Juliana sings the verses and the chorus has a nice sing along feel. Plus, I'm a sucker for clapping in music. Also, I've always liked Juliana's subtle twisting of lines throughout some of her songs. Example: "Everything means nothing / but I gotta believe in something" becomes "Everything means something / I don't want to believe in nothing". (A)

MY ENEMY: I really like the simplicity but the irony of the chorus. At first, I hated what she did with her voice at the end of this song but I've actually grown to love it. A great Juliana unrequited love song. (A)

If you are new to Juliana's music and like this album, I also recommend:

Juliana Hatfield: Hey Babe
Juliana Hatfield: Beautiful Creature
Some Girls : Feel It

let down
I got the album the day it came out. I was anticipating its release for quite a while. And, I was disappointed. You know when someone resorts to putting a recording of a dog barking in one of their songs...well, it was painful to listen to. The songs are just so cheesy and typical.
And not what I expected at all.
I'll just keep listening to Only Everything.
That's the brilliant album.
If you don't have any of her stuff, buy that one first.

Quality album, more mature, but wish she'd rock out more
These days I could take or leave Juliana's soft sound. I prefer her rocking out loud-n-dirty because, despite any guitar hero riffs or sarcastic sneer, she's always undeniably feminine too. Why can't fans accept a female rocker? Why does she have to slow down to become some cute vulnerable waif to be accepted? This latest solo album gives me mixed feelings. I read reviews here lauding the slower songs, songs I could take or leave, meanwhile they're ripping on the heavier songs that I actually prefer. My first impressions are that "In Exile Deo" has a great fast-moving opener, "Get In Line". From there it settles back into fairly good driving music. "Dirty Dog" and "Because We Love You" kinda rock out, sort of, and are to my liking. But there's a lot of slower stuff such as "Tomorrow Never Comes", way too saccharin for me with curly-sweet violin and hushing vulnerable girly vocals. I presume this overall softer sound has to do with working solo without any band, just with a guitar. Sounds more Sheryl Crow-ish than ever in some places, eg: "Some Rainy Sunday", "Forever", although "Sunshine" has traces of the old Blake Babies sound. Okay, I'm still getting my head around this album, it's early days. Thus far, compared to her previous albums, it lacks an intangible element. Not enough of the coy irony of "Bed" or something. I'm not as inspired to hit that repeat button. Maybe some song choices were a tad conservative and self-conscious, but perhaps that's just my taste since I prefer her loud-n-dirty sounds. It might become a grower after several more listens. And I really hate over-criticising honest and unpretentious music, which this certainly is. Juliana's music usually comes from the heart and that always makes it worth the money.

So much to love....
As one who has always loved Juliana's music and knows all her albums well, one caveat before I add to In Exile Deo's well-deserved kudos. If you have heard little or none of her work, I would first recommend one or more of her earlier CD's for some perspective, all filled with wonderfully diverse alterna-pop-rock songs showcasing her somewhat quirky, engaging style, youthful intensity and angst. Excluding In Exile Deo for the moment, which I would put somewhere near the top, here's how I would rate her albums first to last, though these are close calls... Only Everything('95), Beautiful Creature/Total System Failure(simultaneous 2000 release), Become What You Are('93) and the 6 song EP Please Do Not Disturb('97) will all make you a fan for sure. Bed ('98), while IMO less memorable overall, does has a few superb cuts. I would also highly recommend 2001's God Bless The Blake Babies -- her warmly relaxed/cool renunion CD with her old bandmates.

That said, there is so much to love about In Exile Deo! I don't see how an earlier reviewer could possibly diss the first two songs. The opening cut is a terrific kick-ass rocker where -- sick and tired of no (lasting) love & affection in her life -- she is determined to simply have fun playing with anyone who comes along that strikes her fancy. Coming from someone who has often lamented her shyness, it's fun to hear her loosen up and blow away that impression, though I don't think we have to worry too much about our socially shy heroine becoming a total hedonist. The song's title/main refrain is Get In Line (..I'm giving myself away. :-) ..it's hard, fast, propulsive and catchy with killer guitar work from Juliana!

The next song offers up further proof she is the most underated guitarist on the planet. Jamie's in Town (about needing to avoid this guy at any cost) is also catchy, but quite different with a kind of eerie, swinging, loping bass line and acoustic rhythm guitar delightfully adorned with at least 3 different kinds of electric guitar which drop in 'n out like so much chocolate, honey and spice. Very Cool Song.

I will make brief too much more I would like to mention. As with all her albums, a few muscially ordinary ditties here 'n there, but most are inspired, beautiful, cool creations, always with that wonderfully unique, emotionally honest voice. Heart always on her sleeve, especially in the lovely, tender, wistful ballads. And hints she is learning to let go of her pain and be happy more often in the breezy, infectious song Sunshine. :-)

Catch her on tour now while you can... Check out this great SXSW Live Concert Review: "Juliana Hatfield's set was dominated by lots of impressive new material, most of which she said will appear on her forthcoming album In Exile Deo. Hatfield's guitar-playing prowess has to be seen to be appreciated. While no great technician, she's developed an unmistakable style that simultaneously draws on the throaty riffs of The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards, the rhythmic jangle of The Velvet Underground's Sterling Morrison and the controlled feedback/distortion of Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore. It's a tasty and effective combination. And Juliana's current backing band seems to be more in touch with her quirky style than any group she's been a member of since the Blake Babies." ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's only by looking back on Imperfectly, Ani DiFranco's third album that we're able to see how far she's come. It's also easy to see where she came from. At this point, DiFranco was still enough of a traditional folkie to stick a political sentiment like "She sits there like America / Suffering through slow reform" into a personal song that deals with abuse ("Fixing Her Hair"). Similarly, on many songs she sounds as though if she's already come to terms with her sexuality, then she hasn't yet come to terms with the way society deals with it. But she also demonstrates that she's figuring out how to use her voice, charisma, affected delivery, and the chance to play around in the studio on the a cappellas "Every State Line" and "Coming Up." There's also the tender, impassioned tracks ("The Waiting Song," "Served Faithfully"), which DiFranco's never had a short supply of--and never been less than moving on. --Randy Silver ... Read more

Reviews (19)

diverse, beautiful, and original - typical ani.
imperfectly is definitely one of my favorite ani albums. she explores an incredible range of music and you are exposed to many different sides of her, yet she still maintains the style of music we all know, expect, and love. "imperfectly" starts out with what if no one's watching, which contains some of my favorite lyrics of all time: "we have to be able to criticize what we love, say what we have to say, cuz if you're not trying to make something better than as far as i can tell you are just in the way..." so i love that song, great up beat tune. next, fixing her hair is a moody melodic ballad that is a real heartwrencher. in or out is also one of my favorites, incredible guitar and wonderfu lyrics.every state line isnt' one of my favorites but i like the a capella style and hope to see more of it. circle of light is also a great tune, reminds me a little bit of in or out. good guitar on this one too. if it isn't her is one of my favorites on the album, great everything. good bad ugly has become one of my picks for best ani songs. part of it will ring true in your life, i guarantee. i'm no heroine i sometimes end up overlooking, but i recently was listening to it and the lyrics are entirely original and inspiring. coming up, another one of ani's spoken poems, is beautiful. take a deep breath after you listen to this one - it's seriously intense. and then make them apologize is also a great song for revengeful moods. .... the waiting song is hands down the most beautiful on the album - you'll get hooked instantaneously. and served faithfully stands out because of the incredible melody and the violin used in the background, it's extremely poignant. imperfectly, the last track, is definitely one of my favorites. the lyrics, and the way they mesh with the guitar makes this an incredible song. overall, i'd say don't start with this cd if you haven't heard ani before, it's appreciated more when you can compare it to a cd like not so soft. it's a wonderful diverse album, i recommend it to any ani fan.

My favorite Ani CD
This is a good start-off point for a new fan, I think. It's my favorite of all of her work. Songs like "If it Isn't Her" and "What if No One's Watching" are just wonderful. Some of Ani's best one liners are on this album too, like "It's bad to have eyes like neon signs/ Flashing open open open open open open open open open all the time." The title track, "Imperfectly" is a song to live by, a song that tells us that some of the most beautiful things are imperfect. Buy this album. Really, you won't regret it. And then go out and get the rest of the Ani DiFranco albums.

More hard-hitting, soul-searching melodies
Once you've got NOT A PRETTY GIRL, it's time to get IMPERFECTLY.

This is another hard-hitting, melodic, but deeply honest set of songs you can't live without.

It's got some political, like "Make Them Apologize" which pulls no punches and "In or Out", which could basically be the official bisexual anthem. It's got the occasional existential crisis when the opening track asks, "What if no one's watching? What if when we're dead, we are just dead?"

And for anybody who thinks of Ani as being mainly a political singer, songs like SERVED FAITHFULLY remind us that she can write a deeply personal love song like nobody's business. In fact, when she writes one, it's MORE romantic than average, because it lacks corny platitudes.

As usual, her voice is fantastic and her guitar is slamming.

Don't miss the title track, IMPERFECTLY, which declares, "We don't look like the cover of a magazine, but that's all right."

tied for my favorite
This album is one of her least popular, but i dont know why. Its so great from beginning to end no matter what mood your in. It has some of my favorite songs by the great one herself(the waiting song, make him apoligize). Two of my very favorites. The whole album is so perfect. Its a joy from beginning to end.

Grows on you.
Little Plastic Castle, Living in Clip, Dilate, Not a Pretty Girl all frequent visitors to my CD player. Didn't like this CD at first. Often angry, occasionally self-righteous (which I find annoying and silly.) After a few more listenings though, I started to like this album. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jewel has concocted an intriguing and at times beautifully inspired holiday album, playing it straight with a big orchestra and backing voices for the first half of the record with standards such as "Joy to the World," "Winter Wonderland," "Silent Night," as well as a lovely rendition of "Ave Maria." Things finally get sparkling in the last half where Jewel does a low-key, kid version of "Rudolph" and sings her own compositions. Her moving "Face of Love" and "Hands" are certain to become holiday standards, capable of being sung in a country, pop, gospel, or R&B vein and deserving of an audience as wide as the nation itself. The record'scenterpiece, however, seems to be a six-minute-plus medley that mixes "Go Tell It on the Mountain" with the recent hit "From a Distance" and her own "Life Uncommon." Nonetheless, her stunning adaptation of "Gloria" inspired, in part, by Bach's B-Minor Mass, two tracks later is as powerful and lovely a Christmas vocal performance as you will find anywhere. Produced by the legendary Arif Mardin, Joy is destined to become a holiday classic. --Martin Keller ... Read more

Reviews (149)

A great Christmas album
I got this CD for Christmas this year, and I loved it. Jewel's renditions of the Christmas classics, are amazing, and beautiful.
~~~~~~~~~
Joy to the World ~ 5 stars
O Holy Night ~ 5 stars
Silent Night ~ 5 stars
Winter Wonderland ~ 5 stars
O Little Town of Bethlehem ~ 5 stars
Ave Maria ~ 5 stars
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing ~ 5 stars
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer ~ 5 stars
Face of Love ~ 5 stars
Medley:
a. Go Tell It on the Mountain
b. Life Uncommon
c. From a Distance ~ 5 stars

I Wonder As I Wander ~ 5 stars
Gloria ~ 5 stars
Hands (Christmas Version) ~ 5 stars
~~~~~~~~
This CD is very beautiful, and I recommend "Joy - A Holiday Collection" to all Jewel fans. A great Christmas CD to add to your collection. :)

Classic and Contemporary
Being a big fan of classic Christmas album artists like Bing Crosby and The Carpenters it was quite a stretch for me to buy a "contemporary" album like this one. All the same I bought it and it's truly a miracle that it gets to escape my cd player at ANY time of the year!
Jewel's classicly-trained vocals are haunting and touching on carols like "Silent Night", "O Holy Night", "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "Joy to the World". Not only does she do justice to the spirituality of these songs but she has fun with Berlin-esque tunes like "Winter Wonderland" and "Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer".
Using her mother as an alto back-up, Jewel experiments with rarely heard songs like "I Wonder as I Wander" (an acapella version) and "Gloria".
The hidden treasure on this album for me was the song "Face of Love" which reminded me of why Christmas is such a special holiday and I should try to keep it in my heart all year long.
Overall it's a fabulous album to sing with and listen to - it won't let you forget the magic of the season.

Celine dion she's not!
she sounds dumb. she can't even sing. get Celine Dion's Christmas cd instead, now that's a legitimate singer!

A Must have
Her voice is just right. The mix has fun and religious. This is one of, if not my favorite christmas CD. Jewel hits all the notes just right. Her voice is pleasing. It is bound to become one of the Christmas classics with Nat King Cole ,Tthe Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The Vienna Boys Choir and Bing Crosby. And others....It captures all the emotions in Christmas. I love this.

The Sounds of Freedom
I am very positively surprised that this kind of music is still produced and enjoy this album 5 times a day during the dark days before christmas. While recording, Jewel was guided by 2 vocal coaches. Maybe this was producer Arif Mardin's idea, I dont know, but it shows the absolute dedication to the main part of the production, the singing. Each and every word is sang so beautiful by Jewel, so well-considered yet spontaneously that it really lightens up my mind, my house, the world. As far as the musical production, it sounds like right out of heaven and it surrounds Jewels voice perfectly. Never bombastic or looking for popular effects...just sparkling. The orchestrations are also awseome and remind me somehow on movies from the fifties. My favorite tracks are Oh Holy Night when Jewel peaks cristal clear and sky high and the medley with its very uplifting gospel. ... Read more