Amazon.com

The last time Bruce Springsteen ventured West for inspiration, the result was the desolate Nebraska and its tales of serial killers and used cars. On his first record in three years, Springsteen navigates barren deserts and Old West war fields for a dozen forlorn songs that co-star the artist and his acoustic guitar. Though he's always had a knack for carving out the hooks and melodies that make each journey memorable, this time around Springsteen relies on the lyrics to carry the tune-desperate tales of tragedy, heartbreak, and lust with a Latino twist, like the boxer coming home ("The Hitter"), a distressing border-crossing incident ("Matamoros Banks"), and the Nevada hooker with good intentions ("Reno," which led to the warning sticker Adult Imagery). With no E Street Band in the mix, the album is decorated with horns and strings and Springsteen’s novel falsetto on two his best efforts: "Maria’s Bed," where the narrator comes home to his woman after 40 nights on the road, and the fast-picking "All I’m Thinkin’ About," where he has more than Carolina on his mind. A decade from now this will be an underrated record in the Springsteen chronicles. --Scott Holter

TheWild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle(1973)
Aftera folk-rockish debut album that bubbled with ideas and dense lyrical play, thisis where Springsteen began to find his voice as a rocker and as a songwriter.The prisoner-of-love romanticism of "Rosalita" and "Incident on 57th Street"hinted at what was coming, and this early version of the E Street Band--jazzierand more spare than later versions, thanks largely to David Sancious's piano--soundsgreat, if a little ragged, these many years later.

Bornto Run (1975) and Darknesson the Edge of Town (1978)
These two records, which belong on any compilation of the top 100 rock albumsof all time, sketched the themes that he would spend his whole career chasing,and defined the expectations fans would bring to his records ever after. Thefirst chords of "Born to Run" sounded like freedom itself the first time I heardthem on the radio, and the album lived up to them. "Thunder Road" is still thegreatest rock & roll love song anyone's ever written. The record soundedso big and impassioned and propulsive it was easy to miss the dread runningunderneath it. Darkness... put the dread front and center. There aremore of his best songs here than anywhere else, even if the sound is muddy andleaden at times.

Nebraska(1982)
AfterThe River (the best record that didn't make this list) and the ensuingtour answered his rock & roll prayers--he was a big star now, not just aperennial critics' favorite--Springsteen holed up in a rented house on the Jerseyshore, where he wrote these songs and sang them into a four-track recorder inhis living room. The tape was supposed to be a demo for the band, but afterseveral false tries he concluded that the tape he'd been carrying around inhis pocket was the record. Quiet and bleak, Nebraska nonetheless grabbedyou by the collar and made you listen as surely as his rock & roll recordsever had.

Tunnelof Love (1987)
Theglare and hubbub surrounding the Born in the USA tour (the tour wasgreat--the record itself overrated) made him pull back again, this time to writea cycle of songs about love and fear and self-doubt. After this, Springsteen'sfirst marriage broke up, and he started a family with Patti Scialfa, disappearingfor the better part of 10 years, notwithstanding the pair of not bad, just disappointingalbums he released in 1992, Human Touch and Lucky Town.

TheGhost of Tom Joad (1995)
Some call it Nebraska II, but his second acoustic album was not a repeatof his first--the characters and settings had changed, and their circumstanceswere more expressly desperate, and social--though it did share the same interestin what happens to people whose isolation or marginal status renders them invisible.

TheRising (2002)
Everybody--including Springsteen himself--seemed to think it was a record about 9/11, but the subjectwas broader: death and loss as seen from more than halfway down life's road.Dave Marsh nailed it: "A middle-aged man confronts death and chooses life."Brendan O'Brien's production sounds great.

Reviews (173)

Unfortunately for Bruce's fans- it's over...
I have not bought this cd but have heard several tracks from it and will save myself some money. I honestly don't know how anyone can give this cd 5 stars...what are they smoking?? Bruce has NO voice left...in its place is some kind of forced muttering from someone who sounds like they ingested a large amount of rat poisen. The lyrics are uncreative and boring...nothing resembling his past brilliance. And the music...all I can do is shake my head and feel sorry for a great artist that has overstayed his welcome among the musical elite.I have loved Bruce's music and genius my whole life which makes it really hard to see him tarnish such a great career with such a woeful attempt at singing and songwriting.Please give it up Bruce- this is one fan who will never buy another one of your albums but instead will break out something from many years ago that will stay great forever.

The Essential Bruce Springsteen
This is one of Bruce's best! Pared down.
It takes several listens beforeyou can fully appreciate some songs - Read the Lyrics. You will appreciate his songwriting abilities even more.

Out'neath the arms of Cassiopeia
One of Springsteen's finest albums, "Devils and Dust" shows that as an artist Springsteen continues to grow. "Devils and Dust" sounds terrific on this dual sided CD/DVD. The CD side has all 12 songs. The DVD side has all 12 songs with lyrics displayed on the screen in time to the song. There's also a number of strong video performances from the album including "Devils and Dust", "Long Time Comin'", "Reno", "All I'm Thinkin' About" and "Matamoros Banks". The rustic home its shot in capture the feeling of the album perfectly. One could argue that Springsteen is "putting on airs" since he's a rich man shooting in this rural home that consist of performances about people that are far from wealthy. However, like a lot of artists Springsteen is trying to capture the anguish, despair and distant sense of hope that frequently occupies the lives of the downtrodden and desperate. It's a dark album as Springsteen notes, these are the stories of people in danger or down on their luck due to circumstance.

The video portion features Springsteen primarily performing the songs in their original incarnation; as acoustic tunes with just guitar and harmonica complimenting his singing. Just a note about the DVD--you can listen to the 5.1 Surround in 2.0 and it will sound fine if you set up your DVD player or receiver to play it back that way. Springsteen does an introduction for each song discussing a bit about his past as a performer and a bit about each song prior to performing them. I don't have a 5.1 set up on my computer and wanted to watch the performances as well as listen to the album while I was working. Unlike, say, the DVD releases of Crowded House's first album or Richard Thompson's DVD release on Capitol, it sounds just fine in the 2.0 format.

Just a warning for parents that listen to Springsteen with their kids around--"Reno" has some adult content in it (and it's noted on the DVD/CD as well). I was concerned after Springsteen's fine album "The Rising" that we might have seen a one-shot return to form due to the subject matter. I'm happy to be proven wrong. This is one of my favorite albums by Springsteen. I particularly like the way his voice has matured over the years and listening to him sing the material is a real highlight here particularly on the title tune and "Long Time Comin'". An excellent album.

Subdued, broken down, haunting
I admit I really didn't like this album much when I got it on impulse figuring 'surely the boss can't give us dross'. But on repeated listenings it's really a grower. Nebraska style, acoustic tracks about all manner of subjects, with a huge deal of lyrical integrity. It's not gonna be to everyone's tastes that's for sure, but don't give up on it. To be honest I would pay the money for 'Reno' alone. Such an astounding song, lie back close your eyes and let it wash over you, nothing's ever captured something so beautifully and hauntingly.

Sad sequel to a great career!
A longtime fan painfully admits: THIS IS FRIGHTFULLY BAD MUSIC. Bruce...you gotta know when to fold 'em. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Like a human infusion of chamomile tea, hearing Van Morrison's voice has the ability to instantly to soothe even the most stressed listener. That said, some of his releases have been so sedentary that they muted the '60s soul influences that had been a part of Van's joyful appeal. Not so with Magic Time, a wonderful balance of groove and smoothness, with a "live off the floor" feel evident throughout the disc. Right off the top, "Stranded" shows Van at his crooner best; relaxed, present, and joyful. "Celtic New Year" comes next, with a very Astral Weeks feel, leading one to believe that this disc might be sedentary through and through…until "Keep Mediocrity at Bay" kicks in, a feisty blues romp that shows that in his sixties, Morrison still has the sass of his best previous days. Van's cover of Sinatra's brassy "This Love of Mine" and Perry Como's "I'm Confessin'" are full of his cheek and charm. Morrison, as producer, has chosen stellar horn sections that elevates the music from good to great and comes from an obvious deep love of classic blues and soul. He's a lover and a fighter (the disc has two references to his disdain of the music industry ("They Sold Me Out" and "Carry On Regardless")), but ultimately true to his own musical vision. This destined-to-be-classic release will please a wide variety of his fans. --Denise Sheppard

Essential Van Morrison

Astral Weeks	Moondance	It's Too Late to Stop Now [LIVE]
Tupelo Honey	Into the Music	Saint Dominic's Preview

... Read more

Reviews (15)

vanthe man ( and the voice?)
stranded, celtic new year, just like greta, the lion this time, and gipsy in my soul are five masterpiece of the most emotional voice of the popular music. van is back on top again.

Waiting For The Man
I keep hoping very hard that the real Van Morrison will someday stand up again. I have been hoping for this for about the last 6 or 7 Van albums. As for Magic Time....well, where is the magic? I don't hear it or feel it coming from this recording either. I won't give up waiting though and even if Van never delivers the shivers again, I still have a vast treasure of older masterpeices to plug into. So for now, I will just keep my ears on the horizon searching and hoping for a possible full force gale.

I tip my top hat to you YA!
The best part of this album is the picture of fred estaire and ginger rogers wannabes on the cover, high-stepping, kicking out, and kick boxing.Morrisson moves into the realm of would-be, could-be (has been?) crooner/swooner Rod Stewart, with an easy transition into standards, jazz, and gangsta-rap.

Did you folks know I wear a top hat?

It's All Here
I have everything Van Morrison has ever recorded.Of course it's not all consistently great.Great artists who have longevity hit creative and performing peaks at different times and in different ways over an extended period of time.Some of the work on this album ranks up there with some of Morrison's best.It also brings together through different songs each of the major themes that underlie and run through his body of work as a whole.The Celtic mysticism, the incredible melodies, his bows to influences in R&B, jazz, and even popular song.His unique excellence has always (or at least since the early days with Them) been his capacity to weave it all together in a sound uniquely his.

Several of his more recent albums have more exclusively mined just one of these veins (not always that successfully), or seemed to have been more half-hearted efforts.However, to these ears, Magic Time, is an album which I believe is in line with some of his stronger work from the 80's and early 90's.

In the context of the range of music available - 5 stars.In the context of his own absolute best - 4 stars.If you like Van in the full range of his styles and influences, this is an album for you.If you favor only one or two of those personae, as seems to be the case with a couple reviewers, you will still find the few songs or more that grab you.

Van Morrison Has A Great Musical History!
This man has really made many classic albums!

Listen to Astral Weeks, Moondance and Irish Heartbeat which are must-buy for all Van Morrison fans.
This man is a very skillful player, compositor and performer!
Unfornately, Magic Time is the worst record this man has ever cut. Maybe he his losing his creativity and he should soon stop his awesome musical career. Every artist has their own house of holy and Van Morrison has made his own! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the weeks leading up to this album's release, Robert Plant was the unlikely hit at the South By Southwest music festival, delivering such a scorching set with his band the Strange Sensation rockers a quarter of his age simply got back on their planes and went home without playing a note. This can most likely be attributed to the fact that, unlike most his classic rock peers, Plant has rarely settled since moving on from the Led Zeppelin behemoth. Over the course of eight solo albums, he's experimented with doo-wop, synth-pop and even drum'n' bass. But it's only at 56 that the Golden God is hitting his stride. On "Tin Pan Valley," he sings, "My peers may flirt with cabaret/ Some fake the rebel yell/ Me, I'm moving up higher ground/ I must escape their hell." Mighty Rearranger draws out the best qualities of his otherworldly voice, surrounding it with rich Middle Eastern textures, soft blues accents and gorgeous psychedelic swooshes. It's in keeping with the spirit of 2002's exotic and lush Dreamland, only it sounds more refined. The quiet bits are quieter and the loud bits are timely reminders that Plant was once a man possessed by a dozen dead wolverines. He's not kidding when on "Shine It All Around," he sings, "These are the days of my life/ Bright, strong and golden." --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (39)

WOW
Stuck in the past? Don't bother. This is an album by Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation. There are 6 talented musicians involved and it is a good thing. I bought my first Zep album in 1970, but I have since tossed the lavalite and damned if I can find my mood ring.

This album is absolutely brilliant. Great work guys, thank you for it. I'll see you 7/15. You'll know me , I'll be the fat middle aged guy with graying hair wearing the Stewie 'you suck' t-shirt. Hmmm, upon further consideration good luck picking me out.

Surprisingly Refreshing
Every new album for Robert Plant is a bold new adventure.Or so the man likes to declare.He hates to retread past hooks and keeps pushing on restlessly for a new sound.Well it looks like he's finally found his peace.His last album Dreamland was too slow and quiet for me - like a spring fountain.This album is more like a hot geyser, flowing with great ideas.

With Mighty Rearranger, Plant has managed at last, to leverage years of sounds and experience and distill it into a unique sounding rock album which pleases the ear and yet doesn't sound hackneyed.Past albums were either too minimalist or tried too hard.Mighty Rearranger manages to find that balance and is a very well produced album.

Diverse and mature, Plant compares this effort to Zep's Physical Graffiti.What really works is the band - the drums are excellent and make you sit up and listen.The atmosphere is there and Plant's voice does the job just right.He may be evolving and getting older, but this is worth listening to.

I Must Escape Their Hell.
It's no surprise that Robert Plant would emerge as one of the last and finest rock singers from the ashes of his time. Anyone like myself who owns all eight Zeppelin albums can tell you that he (and the band) was ahead of their time. Plant's solo work has never really failed either (with maybe the exception of 1985's "Shaken 'N' Stirred"). So "Mighty Rearranger" is once again another solid entry in his repertoire.

It seems that Plant revisits early Zeppelin here, with a great deal of the songs leaning into rocking blues pieces. I wish Plant had jumped on board with the DualDisc format and done this album in 5.1 surround sound. I think it would have been a great listen. I preferred the first five tracks over the rest of the album. I particularly enjoyed the opening "Another Tribe" and "Freedom Fries". "Shine It All Around" is an okay first single, but I think he should have released a different track first. "Tin Pan Alley" is great with its quiet menacing tones and Plants obvious jabs at Rod Stewart for doing cabaret (how many more standards albums will he release!!!) "All The Kings Horses" is a very nice acoustic track with Robert's vocals coming to the front to nice effect.

It's around the sixth track, "The Enchanter" where things become a little boring--but only slightly. On the second half of the disc I enjoyed "Dancing In Heaven" and "Mighty Rearranger" best. The hidden track following the short tribute to Ray Charles "Brother Ray" is a drum 'n' bass version of "Shine It All Around". It's amusing at first, but it doesn't really fit with the rest of the album and I think at nearly eight minutes, it could have just been left as a b-side or something else.

If you bought your copy at Target, like I did, then you get a bonus of an extra track you can access from the internet only. I downloaded it, but it didn't do much for me.

Bottom Line: If you like Zeppelin and Plant's solo work, this is for you (like me), and even if you are not familiar with all the back catalogue, this is certainly more refreshing than most of the garbage on the radio right now.

my new guilty pleasure
IMHO, this work stands on its own and shouldn't be compared with anything else... not like anything else out there.innovative, intuitive, original, resilient, intriguing, diverse, passionate, depth, maturity, spiritual.
true to the band's name, this is a bevy of instrumental effects and sensations.national treasure!world-class.
mystic. can music be captured?can he be captured?Robert Strange Sensation Plant. (just teasing)
I think the music has equalled his enigmatic lyrics! in the nicest way.I like him wherever he's at. one song into the next comes in mighty waves.
A.T.: wonder-ful. rolling percussion underpinning set against his contrasting nuance lightened voice. great start!
SIAA: mesmerizing. heartbeat rythmn. powerful. flawless. (strikes a chord in me...what I say everyday: 'I live in and expand my Lovelight to all, and to All That Is.')
F.F.: rock on!ageless voice.effective use of his voice as an additional instrument in the band.
TPA: strange sensation!lesson: never take Robert (or the band) for granted.lyrics taught me not to rest on my laurels...keep moving along...there's stories to be told.music as a vehicle for message. like a train pacing itself against the breaks in the steel rails. click clack. very nice.leave it to Robert to come up with the new and (this story's) the strangely beautiful!
ATKH: nice acoustic.Grrr has an engaging lilting way of ending notes...walking on air. returning to innocence as we're getting older.
T. E.: eclectic collision. the music sways. enchanting. spacey trip. metaphysical. a hint of eastern influence.now where did I put that bubbly lava lamp? a musical picture unfettered by a gold filigree frame.
Tak.: nice guitar that talks.all the shades of heavy rock.satisfying.
D.I.H.: beautiful combination of voice, acoustic and steel guitars.crystal voice reflecting the sensations of the band and vice versa.his inner beauty is showing.this one turned me on strangely enough *:)ha ha! Whatever 'it' is...he's still got 'it'.(and in all 12 tracks, not one word of "Baby"!! and I didn't even miss it with this cd.)
S.K.: primitive drum beat. exotic. goosebumps. under his spell. bluesy. taking music to the wild side. shows his range.
LTFWB:nice heartbeat. churning undertow (a little like American Natives' music I think).the wind (the band) compels you through their forward momentum.
M.R.: everyone really poured themselves into this one!nice to dance to.fate. "...If you're troubled, send your mind out on vacation, let it wander..."...great line, empty yr mind, aim high and roam free.lyrics also strike a chord.
B.R.: sounds like a (slap stick) jam session. fun ending...and, in the second part...surround panning effect (can't wait to get my new headphones!)...they took me somewhere I wasn't prepared for...couldn't resist. woowhee! LoLIMPO, this song would make excellent (imagine a twisty, turny, loopy) rollercoaster music (that's a compliment *:)

People say the test of quality is when something keeps you coming back for more...and that's why I give it 5 stars. (Master Listener - that's me)...I'm goin' around again.Can't wait to hear them do this live July 6/05, Toronto.
IMPO, message? to me:always keep your sense of wonder!(and in music too!),
from my poem:
"Robert, address you 'Baby' a moment of your time?
Adlib Baby, would you recitative-talk for us again? (as in HMMTimes)
Just 'cause we're selfish and want to hear your voice emphatic!
Actor in you, we relish your flair for the dramatic!"

J+@ (Lyrica)

Robert Plant..."The Mighty Rearranger" spread it all around
Mighty Rearranger--Robert Plant

Upon first listen you will be taken aback if you were
expecting straight forward rock n roll. What you get is a
rich tapestry of woven pieces and nuances. What you don't
realize is that a seed is planted in your mind. From then
on you hear certain parts and pieces of the songs melody and
as you hear the songs again the seed starts to grow.

In the layers of the music, you hear the Zepplinesque sound
fused with tribal earthy beats with techno electronica
thrown in the mix to produce something truly unique. The
listener
gets transported through the rich textures. Images form, in
ones mind, of landscapes of open wideness, heat, dust, sun,
a desert. Images of the open frontier, where the cowboy
would ride by day and in the evening build a campfire.

There are western guitar sounds filtered with tribal exotic
undertones. You can almost hear the call of the old blues
fusing with the hypnotic tribal beat producing something
totally new.

Robert's voice front and center of the recording, makes
things sound intimate. He sings from a soft whisper to the
un-leasing of his famous monstrous wails. His lyrics are
from the heart, having a mystical, magical quality.

This CD is not for the headbanger, who wants screaming
guitars and the usual let's rock lyrics, but for the
listener who wants something unique and intriguing.

Best Tracks:

Enchanter
Another Tribe
Shine it All Around
Tin Pan Valley
All the Kings Horses
Let The Four Winds Blow
Takamba
Dancing in Heaven
Mighty Rearranger
*hidden track after Brother Ray, Techno version of Shine it

all Around*

Vilma~
http://www.mysticrock.net

... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

The Beatles' last days as a band were as productive as any major pop phenomenon that was about to split. After recording the ragged-but-right Let It Be, the group held on for this ambitious effort, an album that was to become their best-selling. Though all four contribute to the first side's writing, John Lennon's hard-rocking, "Come Together" and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" make the strongest impression. A series of song fragments edited together in suite form dominates side two; its portentous, touching, official close ("Golden Slumbers"/"Carry That Weight"/"The End") is nicely undercut, in typical Beatles fashion, by Paul McCartney's cheeky "Her Majesty," which follows. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (747)

Abbey Road
...By the time 1969 rolled around the Beatles were in ruins. Their previous effort involved extreme experimentation on each band member's part, and the band began to drift apart. The project earlier that year that was supposed to bring them back together only made things worse. For their next album, the band wanted to bring back record producer George Martin, but he said he'd only produce if every band member was in the studio, just like the good old days. The band accepted, and the band began recording Abbey Road, what would ultimately be their final recording as a fully-functional unit.

Once again, we get an album of mostly Lennon/McCartney material. Harrison contributes two songs, and Starkey one. Come Together kicks off the album. Basically it's a mid-tempo rocker with various words thrown together that make no sense. I Am The Walrus showed us that the band could achieve enormous success doing this, and here they do it again! Track two is the first of George's songs to appear here - Something. This is a very melodic ballad with some of the finest guitar playing in rock and roll history. As another review stated, Frank Sinatra once called this "the greatest romance song of all time." Number three is another of the band's "joke" songs, Maxwell's Silver Hammer. It's a very "happy" song, despite its content about a boy murdering two college professors and a judge. Most people don't think too highly of the joke songs, but I think this is the band's best one. Oh Darling comes next, and here the band was going for a "fifties" sound. They pull it off nicely. The next track featured here is Ringo's only featured song here. Basically it's a cheerful tune about living under the sea, almost a children's song. Despite that comment, this track is nothing short of excellent. George's second track featured on this album is the acoustic ballad, Here Comes The Sun. This is a GREAT track, arguably the finest one he ever released with the band. You Never Give Me Your Money kicks off the B-Side of the album, which contains several tracks that fade into one another. I like to call them the "Abbey Road Medley." This is a a track that starts with a slow and melodic sound, but soon becomes a rocker that is very true to the band's style. It fades into Sun King, a very weird song featuring passages in various languages. Don't worry, it's not NEARLY as weird as Revolution 9. Soon enough, it fades into Mean Mr. Mustard. Despite the fact that the track is about a mean old man, it's one of the band's most cheerful songs. It fades into a song about the title character's sister, Polythene Pam. Here the band delivers an excellent fast and frantic rocker about a woman who is "so good looking but she looks like a man." Does that make any sense at all? Oh well, it doesn't matter. The song itself is very good. It fades into yet another track, She Came In Through The Bathroom Window. This is a very basic rocker, but it's an excellent one nonetheless. Eventually we reach The End (that's the name of a track.) This one kicks off with an awesome instrumental session, and soon enough becomes a brief melodic session you can't help but love. The final track is the often overlooked Her Majesty. It's just a short (twenty-three seconds) song about the queen. It's not the masterpiece the rest of the album is, but it's still a good song. Abbey Road is one of the greatest rock albums of all time, period. If you like rock and roll and you don't own this album, you're contradicting yourself.

EPILOGUE: Following the release of this album, the band finally split up, and each member went onto a solo career. Just after they split up, the Let It Be album was finally released. John Lennon proved to be an excellent solo musician, and even co-wrote a song entitled Fame for David Bowie. Sadly, he was assassinated in December of 1980 by a deranged fan. Rest in peace, John. Likewise, George Harrison obtained enormous success in his solo career. His first release as a solo artist, All Things Must Pass, demonstrated this well. He continued releasing excellent songs, and even played on Tom Petty's I Won't Back Down. Sadly, an illness clamed his life in late November of 2001. Ringo Starr also became a successful solo artist, and recently put together his All-Starr band. He still tours. Likewise, Paul McCartney ALSO became a successful solo artist, and he still tours. The Beatles may be long gone, but their spirit will always live on.

Greatest album ever made
Abbey Road is quite simply the strongest album ever made. Side one kicks off with "Come Together" which is a mean little romp through Lennon's perspective on his own life, and quickly leads into a beautiful love song by George, "Something." This song leaves you thinking that even though this guy's madly in love, something's just not wuite right in the relationship. Next come two fun tunes, "Octopus's Garden" and "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" (only the Beatles could pull off either of these songs sucessfully) split by McCartney's vocal tour de force "Oh Darling." A guitar jam follows (I Want You) and leaves your adreneline pupmed for what is to follow. Side two is a roller coaster ride of textures, melodies and jams woven together in a magical tapestry with hints of themes sticking with you just barely. When you think you've got hold of one song you're on to another. You can listen to this CD in the worst of moods and when you're done you'll be in a good mood. I promise.

Simply The BEST BEATLES ALBUM
I was 11 when this album came out, and have loved it since. The Fab four were rockin' on all cylinders when they bade farewell with this one. The vocal harmonies were at their best, and Paul's power was right on in OH Darling. Paul's fancy bass work was never more evident than in "I Want You". This will always be my favorite album, so much so, that in my will I have stated that if I should "go out" naturally, that this album should be played at the time I reach Golden Slumbers. Not kidding........Miss you guys!

good but still lacking
Take out the songs that you can't even listen to such as /She So Heavy/Sun King/Because/- these are songs which lack creativity and rhythm. And why put in You never give me your money, it has the same rhythm as Carry that Weight. Why did they end in the ridiculous Her Majesty, and why is this overrated?...It is mere lyrics with simple beat. The Golden Slumbers lullaby is a brilliant ending. Come Together is an amazing beginning. Octopus' Garden and Maxwells silver hammer are very creative and essential to the Beatles culture. Mean Mr Mustard- what is the purpose of this song, Poythene Pam is humourous- (for whoever can understand the humour. The album needs editing, its needs filtering. It needs to be more concise in terms of style. Mixing good songs with crappy songs will produce a moderate album- which is exactly what Abbey Road is!

I read some revues from people who say this is good.
I read some revues from people who say this is good.
You know what I say to that?

(...)

OF COURSE THIS IS NOT GOOD. IT IS STUPID AND BORING AND A DULL TREAT. BUT I HEARD ALL HIPPY BANDS ARE LIKE THAT.

IT SHOULD REALLY ALL BE FORGOTTEN FOR IT IS MEANINGLESS NOISE ONLY THERE TO CONPHUSE PEOPLE. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Dark Side of the Moon, originally released in 1973, is one of those albums that is discovered anew by each generation of rock listeners. This complex, often psychedelic music works very well because Pink Floyd doesn't rush anything; the songs are mainly slow to mid-tempo, with attention paid throughout to musical texture and mood. The sound effects on songs like "On the Run," "Time" and especially "Money" (with sampled sounds of clinking coins and cash registers turned into rhythmic accompaniment) are impressive, especially when we remember that 1973 was before the advent of digital recording techniques. This is probably Pink Floyd's best-known work, and it's an excellent place to start if you're new to the band. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (900)

Sheer musical brilliance; Pink Floyd's first masterpiece
Who hasn't heard of Pink Floyd? And then, who hasn't heard of "Dark Side of the Moon"? Chances are, not many people. "Dark Side of the Moon" is a landmark in musical entertainment, arguably the most popular album ever released. Although it was released over 30 years ago, "Dark Side of the Moon" hasn't aged a bit. Now it is just as popular as it was in 1973 when it was first released - and it's clear why. Pink Floyd makes music like no one else.

The album begins with Pink Floyd's frequent dialogue-filled, nostalgic-sounding opening - "Speak to Me" - and then moves in to a calm piece, "Breathe in the Air". It then seeps in to fast-paced, techno-sounding "On the Run" (don't you love those P.F. transistions?), followed by one of my favorite P.F. songs, a nearly poetic piece called "Time". Then there's one of Pink Floyd's best songs, "The Great Gig in the Sky". Then the album goes in a slightly different-sounding direction with "Money", which sounds like something you'd here playing at some late-night club in London. Pink Floyd comes down a little for "Us and Them", and then goes psychedelic on "Any Colour You Like". The album closes with two of P.F.'s best, "Brain Damage" and my favorite song of the album, "Eclipse".

Pink Floyd is timelessly outstanding, and it was first in "Dark Side of the Moon" that the band's brilliance began to show. "Dark Side" is an essential album for anyone and everyone, and if you've never heard it, you obviously have no idea what you're missing.

Possibly the best of all-time!
I just started listening to Pink Floyd about a year ago, and already I consider them one of my top 3 favorite bands of all-time. "Dark Side of the Moon" was the first album I purchased and I was immediately hooked. To me, "Dark Side.." is classic Floyd! I can't believe the sound effects that were used in this album, considering the equipment that was available in 1972-73. The listener is drawn in with the sound effects that precede "Speak to Me/Breathe", cash registers, jackhammers, old Englishmen talking, etc. "On the Run" offers more sound effects, and it mezmerizes you. "Time" in my mind is the second best track on the CD, I just love David Gilmour's guitar solo in the middle. "Money" is a masterpiece, as well as "Us & Them." Without a doubt though, my favorite track on "Dark Side.." is "Brain Damage." This song is just so great, and the lyrics are magic, "the lunatic is on the grass..." More sound effects on this one with a roadie laughing when Roger Waters says, "the lunatic is in my head." The album finishes off with "Eclipse" which sort of sums up human life as we know it, "all that you touch....all that buy, beg, borrow, or steal..." I would have to say that "Dark Side of the Moon" is probably one of the top 5 albums of all-time. Period.

Their Break-through
By condensing the sonic explorations of Meddle to actual songs and adding a lush, immaculate production to their trippiest instrumental sections, Pink Floyd inadvertently designed their commercial breakthrough with Dark Side of the Moon. The primary revelation of Dark Side of the Moon is what a little focus does for the band. Roger Waters wrote a series of songs about mundane, everyday details which aren't that impressive by themselves, but when given the sonic backdrop of Floyd's slow, atmospheric soundscapes and carefully placed sound effects, they achieve an emotional resonance. But what gives the album true power is the subtly textured music, which evolves from ponderous, neo-psychedelic art rock to jazz fusion and blues-rock before turning back to psychedelia. It's dense with detail, but leisurely paced, creating its own dark, haunting world. no other record defines them as well as this one.the album set the all time record for longevity on the billboard charts.....stayed on the top 200 until the late 1980's (over 700 weeks), if you doubt it, look it up.

simply amazing
this cd is not only a cd that everyone should own, but it's one that everyone should tell their children about. pink floyd is not my favorite band, and dark side is not my favorite cd, but it is the one i could listen to the most. after numerous listenings it will never get old, you only appreciate it on deeper and deeper levels.

Dark Side of the Moon
Dark Side of the Moon is one of if not the best produced albums ever, with the songs blending into each other. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

R.I.P. Steve Clark!
I was really disappointed with Vault and the import of Best Of not having Switch 625 which is done by the legendary guitarist, Steve Clark!Steve Clark is one of the best guitarists in history and I do miss him!Out of all the instrumental songs I've heard I must say that Switch 625 is my all time favorite because Steve Clark really shows talent and I am so thrilled to have a greatest hits with this masterpiece!

Def Leppard is my favorite band of all time and they were also the first metal/hard rock band that I got into in the very early 90's.The very first song that got me into them was Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad and now it's my 2nd favorite rock ballad of all time next to Love Bites.Def Leppard are such a unique band and no album of theirs sounds exactly alike.Even between Hysteria and Euphoria, you can hear differences.My all time favorite song from them is Pour Some Sugar On Me and I always find myself dancing and singing along to it, it's so awesome!I love both versions of the song, the video edit and the album version, it would have been so cool if for this greatest hits 2 CD set for the Leps to have both intros from both versions before the actual song began.Like you would hear "Step Inside, Walk This Way, You And Me Babe, Hey Hey" and then right after hear that part in the intro to the video edit and then the song would begin.I know it would take some editing but it would be cool to have a special version of the song but of course the "Step Inside" part would have to be first!But the video version which is on this CD is awesome and since I own almost all the Leps CD's including Hysteria, I'll live.

I have heard every single song from this CD, and there's not one song that I don't like.There are a few like Slang which I might not like as much but I still like it.This is the ultimate collection of Def Leppard songs you could ever want, especially because of Steve Clark's masterpiece, Switch 625!I love that song so much that I'll put it on repeat and listen to it over and over again.Now don't get me wrong, I do like Vivian Campbell as well but I got to admit, I hear a lot more uniqueness in the songs with Steve Clark.Another favorite of mine is Women, I totally love the way Joe Elliott sings in this song!!I just totally love Joe's vocals!I know he's not an opera singer but I love his voice and I will be honest, he's got the best voice out of all the rock/metal vocalists ever!!!His voice is so sexy, another reason Def Leppard is my favorite!!

Another thing that I love about every greatest hits compilation they have put out is they don't put the songs in any particular order and I love it that way!I find that when they're all mixed up, it's a surprise as to what song comes next, you never know what's coming!And I love the album cover with the U.K. flag on it, gotta love those Brits!This whole collection is awesome and any true Def Leppard fan or rock fan should not leave this masterpiece out of their collection!

Finally somebody got it right -- about TIME!
Like many long time Leppard fans, I was thrilled when they were scheduled to release 'Vault' as their greatest hits album many years ago (gee, has it been almost a decade already??), but when I finally saw it, I was profoundly disappointed.It was more like a 'Hysteria' tribute than anything else.Nothing against that particular album...it WAS enormously popular, and I believe was the 2nd best selling record of the 80's (behind 'Thriller') but c'MON!The absolute stupidity of ignoring their entire first album??!!What the heck...?I am happy to know I was not the only person who felt this way.

Jump ahead a few years, when the recording trend seems to be centered around How many versions of Greatest Hits by bands can we come up with?After several different incarnations of Def Leppard's Best Of stuff, we finally see a TWO record set that seems to (for the most part) give a decent, well-rounded view of this monumentally successful and horribly underrated band.First off they finally focused some attention to their first record, 'On Through The Night' by including 'Wasted' and 'Rock Brigade' but even though I enjoy both of these songs, it probably would have been a better choice to add 'Hello America' rather than Wasted.Either way, a pretty decent addition, and nice to see their first album recognized.

High & Dry has always been my personal favorite record by this band.Ignored by so many (so called) fans and once again, under-appreciated, this is Leppard at their creative and rocking best.I don't believe any of their records matches this one for it's sheer rocking dominance and incredibly catchy hooks and driving songs.Finally adding 'Switch 625' to the end of 'Bringing On the Heartbreak' was a natural which SHOULD have been done on ALL previous editions of their so-called Best Of releases.I could squabble over the addition of some songs over others, but without including almost every single track, nobody would ever be truly satisfied, so I felt they did right with this selection.

Pyromania certainly was the record that put Def Leppard on the map (at least in America).I was surprised to read in the liner notes how it wasn't until Hysteria that they finally made it big in their own country.A surprise to be sure.I was familiar with the band since before Pyromania hit the shelves in the States, so I wasn't surprised at ALL when this record went through the roof after the release of 'Photograph' (one of my least favorite of their bigger hits).But overall I felt they gave a great rendition of what this record had to offer.

Hysteria is really the record which re-defined Pop/Metal in America, and also put Leppard on the map in England.I still recall hearing 'Animal' for the first time in San Diego and without even being told who sang it, I just KNEW who it was.That perfect Leppard sound is quite unique in the world of music.Once again, nobody will be 100% satisfied with every selection from this album because somebody will ALWAYS believe they sacrificed one song for the addition of another, but after thinking about it, they DID include all the major popular hits.I would have been thrilled if they dropped 'Rocket' (their most popular 'bad' song) and added 'Excitable' instead, but lets not complain.

Adrenalize was another under-appreciated record which I found to be almost as good as Pyromania, and definitely gave us some great rockin' songs.The notable absence of 'Make Love Like A Man' is probably the biggest omission on this entire compilation.But again, only a minor complaint.

Almost everything after Adrenalize has been an odd mixture of experimentation and sometimes it paid off (Euphoria was pretty good overall) and sometimes the fans reacted with an almost snubbing of 'Slang' and 'Retro Active'.Both records were not appreciated for what the band were trying to accomplish (at least this is MY opinion) and the dismal record sales sent a pretty clear message to the band:STOP EXPERIMENTING AND GET BACK TO YOUR ROCKIN' ROOTS.Unfortunately they continued the trend and gave us 'X' which was a full record of nothing but semi-lame Power Ballads, none of which were radio-friendly (I should know since I've been in radio 15+ years).I was SO looking forward to this album, and I was SO disappointed when they added absolutely NO hard-driving songs at all.I am still mystified by this odd decision.Again, the fans (which are quite diverse and many) for the most part virtually ignored this record because sales-wise, it was quite a disappointment to the Record Execs, and rightly so.Us fans have come to expect a few things from this band, and songs with heavy guitars and BIG sound is what we want and usually get, but with 'X' we were let down in a BIG way.I understand there are many who feel strongly that this record was and IS great and entirely upset at how the so-called Core Leppard Fans snubbed it.Oh well.I'm not going to like an album just because somebody ELSE liked it.I consider myself an honest-to-goodness hard-core LONG TIME Def Leppard fan (since 1981, PRE Pyromania) and I felt the record stunk to high heaven.I don't like to say that about my favorite band, but like it or not, that is MY opinion.But I am happy to say that by and large, if I were to choose my personal own Best Of album of Leppard tunes, it would be pretty dang close to what Rock Of Ages ended up being.All things considered, as I said earlier, Finally, somebody got it right.Leppard Fans world-wide REJOICE!

Def Leppard's great overview best of
Def Leppard's latest best of Rock of Ages is a 2-disc overview to the band.
Def Leppard started out with lead singer Joe Elliott, bass player Rick Savage, drummer Rick Allen and guitarists Steve Clark and Pete Willis and over the course of 25 years Willis would be canned and replaced by Phil Collen. Then Allen would lose his arm in a violent car crash. Finally, Clark died and was replaced by ex-Dio axe-slinger Vivian Campbell. Musically, DL were one of the many bands to come from the NWOBHM(New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) which also spawned Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Motorhead among others but grew with time. Is this best of worth it or an avoid, read on.
There was the 1995 hits collection Vault, which saw some Def Leppard fans purchase it and others who didn't(I fell in the latter dept).
Disc One is an updated remastered version of 1995's Vault (which means, unfortunately, both Pour Some Sugar on Me and Rocket are once again edited). When Love And Hate Collide which was at the time new recoridng from Vault and is rightfully included here. Other tracks include are Photograph, Love Bites, Let's Get Rocked, Two Steps Behind, Foolin', Armageddon It, Have You Needed Someone So Bad, Rock of Ages, Hysteria, Miss You In a Heartbeat and Bringin on the Heartbreak. In addition to the Vault album, there are two additional tracks that have been included. First is Heaven Is from 1992's chart-topping album Adrenalize and is a solid midtempo rocker. Lastly, Switch 625 is the instrumental that Bringin' On The Heartbreak fades into on the band's 1981 High 'n' Dry album. It's great to have those two tracks back together again.
Disc Two is where virtually all of the band's key album cuts and later singles come into play featuring two tracks from 1980's On Through the Night being Rock Brigade and Wasted. 1981's High 'n' Dry includes Let it Go, Another Hit and Run, the title cut and Mirror Mirror. 1983's #2 charting Pyromania is represented by Rock Rock (Till You Drop), Too Late for Love, Die Hard the Hunter and the closing Billy's Got a Gun(without the drum solo at the end). The addition from 1987's chart-topper Hysteria is the first single Women which is a great rocker. Added from 1992's chart-topper Adrenalize is Stand Up(Kick Love Into Motion). The 1996 dud Slang is represented by its title cut and Work it Out. From 1999's Euphoria we get Promises and Paper Sun from an album which was to have brought DL back to the top but those rotten Chili Peppers came back! The 2002 flop X is represented by Now which was a flop for a single. Also included is a new trackwhich is a remake of Badfinger's 1970 hit No Matter What which will appear on an upcoming covers album. It's really a good song.
The liner notes and photos in the book are excellent, with the band members vididly recounting each song. This album is without a must have for all fans of hard rock. AVOID Vault and get this as a proper intro to DL so then you can buy the first five albums after this.

"Do You Wanna Rokced...?" Listen To Def Leppard!
One of the finest hard rock bands was, without a doubt, Def Leppard. From "Photograph" to "Pour Some Sugar On Me" to "Armageddon It" to "Let's Get Rocked", they crafted some of the best rock and roll music since Led Zeppellin, and also created two of the finest rock albums ever made ("Pyromania" and "Hysteria").

When I got the 1995 hits collection "Vault", I was immediately a Def Leppard fan. I immediately loved every song (though I didn't really like "Pour Some Sugar On Me" at first, but that is now my favorite) and immediately craved more. Since I'm not the guy who likes to spend hismoney on every single album one band released, I was hoping a two disc best of would be released. Well, all my hopes were realized with "Rock Of Ages: The Definitive Collection", a two disc, 35 song collection of Def's best.

Disc One is where the hits are, containing all 15 songs from "Vault" (which means, unfortunately, "Rocket" is once again edited and, if I did my math correctly, there was just enough room to accomodate the whole song). I'm glad they included "When love And Hate Collide", the at the time new recoridng from "Vault". Usually, when a band puts a new song on their first best of album, this song is virtually ignored on all others. But they didn't do that here. "When Love And Hate Collide" is a great song amd I'm glad it's here. In addition to the "Vault" tracks, two other songs have been included. "Heaven Is" from 1991's "Adrenaline" is a solid midtempo rocker that I like. And "Switch 625" is the instrumental that "Bringin' On The Heartbreak" fades into. It's great to have those two tracks back together again.

Disc Two is where virtually all of the band's key album cuts come in, including "Rock Rock (Till You Drop", the intense "Another Hit And Run", "Die Hrad The Hunter", "Billy's Got A Gun", "Women" (the forgotten "Hysteria" single), "High 'N' Dry (Saturday Night)" and many, many others. Also included is a new track, a version of Badfinger's "No Matter What" from their upcoming covers album. It's really a good song. The only song I wish was here is their cover of Sweet's "Action".

The liner notes are excellent, with the band members vididly recounting each song. This album is without a must have for all fans of hard rock.

this Retrospctive best covers there Career for me
I liked a few Def Leppard cuts but I was never all that much into them.they were a Huge arena Rock act back in the day without really leaving much timeless music.but some of the cuts here are good to listen to in reflecting upon another musical time period.but this covers all you will ever need from this Band. ... Read more

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It's a little hard to take Rod Stewart seriously when, on the first track of this third installment in his Great American Songbook series, he sings ruefully about his love life being "lean" ("Embraceable You"). But otherwise, Stardust...Volume III is as note-for-note solid as its predecessors--a cozy-up-to-the-fire treat that's also a pleasant reminder of these songs' staying power. "S'Wonderful" settles on the ears winningly, and Stewart's scratch-a-thon voice scalpels the cobwebs off of "Isn't It Romantic" in a way that compels the average listener to reconsider thinking it dopey. In addition, the parade of high-wattage pals recruited to pitch in continues here, resulting in a couple of must-hear combinations. Eric Clapton delivers a rather un-Clapton-like guitar solo on "Blue Moon" and Stevie Wonder blows harp like he means it on "What a Wonderful World," but it is the duets--"Baby It's Cold Outside" with the unsinkable Dolly Parton and "Manhattan" with the indomitable Bette Midler--that dazzle most. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Wish You Were Here is a song cycle dedicated to Pink Floyd's original frontman, Syd Barrett, who'd flamed out years before: two grimly funny songs about the evils of the music business ("By the way, which one's Pink?"), and two long, touching ones about the band's vanished friend. The real star of the show, though, is the production: sparkling, convoluted, designed to sound deeply oh-wow under the influence--and pretty great sober too, with David Gilmour getting lots of space for his most lyrical guitar playing ever. And, though the album is big and ambitious, even bombastic, it somehow dodges being pretentious--the Barrett tributes are honest and heartfelt, beneath all the grand gestures and stereophonic trickery. --Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (446)

Mott the Dog thinks this is great.
After the Amazingly successful "Dark Side of the Moon" Pink Floyd released their follow up album "Wish You Were Here" in 1975. Still, David Gilmour, Pink Floyd lead guitarist vocalist and present leader's favorite all time Pink Floyd album. Containing 5 songs, 2 laments for the departed Syd Barret, 2 cynical but funny swipes at the music business (how can you resist the line "Oh by the way which ones Pink?). "Have a Cigar" was actually sung on the record by long time friend of Pink Floyd Roy Harper and the beautiful acoustic ballad "Wish You Were Here", with its mournful lyrics. The Real Star of the show though is the production, which the band did between themselves. The wonderful musicianship of David Gilmour and Richard Wright carries you right through the journey and though the album is big, ambitious, even bombastic, it somehow dodges being pretentious. The Barret tributes are honest and heartfelt, and the cynical swipes at the music industry, signs of what was to come on Pink Floyd's next album "The Wall". "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" and "Wish You Were Here" are still firm favorites in the Pink Floyd road show, and the CD still nestles in the Billboard Top 350 sellers after 25 years. Mott the Dog

Simply perfect
Even though it may only contain 5 tracks, "Wish You Were Here" lasts a whopping 44 minutes and 28 seconds. No one besides Pink Floyd could pull of something like that. For me, this is tied with "Dark Side of the Moon" as the best Pink Floyd album of all-time. Just about everyone has heard all the songs on this album. From the extremely long 2 parts of "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" to the classic title track and the instantly recognizable "Have a Cigar" and "Welcome to the Machine," 'Wish You Were Here' is an overall familiar and comfortable experience. Once again, Pink Floyd go with a concept on this one, which is about Syd Barrett's drug problems and his exiting of the band. The sound quality is another thing to be noted. This technology is way ahead of it's time. I have CD's from the early 90's that don't sound half as good as this one (it sure beats a lot of the Black Sabbath remasters). Any music fan should own this album. It is definetly one not to be missed and not to be forgotten.

Shine on you crazy Diamond
Although it only contains 5 songs, it will take you on an amazing and haunting ride. Shine on you crazy Diamond is 2 part "gem" of this album. The song is a true sonic adventure that always seems to put me into a complete relaxed mood. Especially haunting is "Welcome to the machine" a brilliant song that really makes Roger's feelings about Syd Barret clear.
Wish you were here although more mainstream is still very cool. Have a cigar seems a little out of place but it's still a great song. I suggest this album to anyone interested in Pink Floyd, Don't let the fact that it only has 5 songs get you not to buy it. Because it packs a a nice punch.

One of the best
This review has more to do with the review system on amazon, then it does the album itself (which I love).

In my humble opinion, Amazon needs to stop taking reviews from anonymous sources. It allows one person to screw up the ratings for a product, and get away with it. This album should not have a half star deducted because some one guy decided he didn't like it, and would post multiple reviews along the same rant.

I'm not suggesting that all bad reviews should be done away with, but I don't think people should be posting reviews with the cowardly anonymity they currently are.

James :/

A brilliant sonic experience.
An indescribable sort of passion fills the air, a minute suggestion that becomes a gentle roar. More than anything, Wish You Were Here is a progression, a slow and laboured rise from a dim electronic hum to an epic, symphonic blast of impassioned rock music. It, like most Floyd albums, is not a collection of songs but a single work, and to look at it as anything else would be to completely miss out on what Pink Floyd was trying to do in the first place.
Think of the saxophone at the end of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond pt. 1." It sounds beautiful, alive, tuneful, lilting, free, a bird perched on a mile-high gust of wind. And suddenly, behind it, there is the deep, ominous, downright horrific hum that signals the beginning of "Welcome to the Machine," and suddenly, the sax sounds weak and pitiful against it, and slowly fades away into the distance, and all you're left with is that hum, and "Welcome to the Machine" begins, in all its cynical, deep seated, and world-weary glory. "Welcome to the Machine" Is a song about growing up, how the world can destroy your youthful ideals, take your big dreams and shatter them. Or, it could be interpreted as a song about former bandleader Syd Barret's descent into madness. That's the great thing about Floyd's lyrics, deep seated double meanings, the fractured view it creates.
"Have A Cigar" is a grimly funny song about a smooth-talking record producer, with that immortal line: "And by the way, which one's Pink?"
The title track is a sweet ballad of regret, a story of one man's lonliness after the loss of a dear friend. It also happens to be my favorite track on the album, so rich and textured, with a beautiful acoustic guitar and Roger Waters' best lyrics ("We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year.")
These three tracks are bookended by the album's two epics, "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" parts 1 and 2. These are, by any strech of imagination, some of the best work that Pink Floyd has ever done. Part 1 starts of slow and tuneful, with someexcillent guitar work on David Gilmour's part. It's first eight minutes are a haunting instrumental, with echoey guitars, crashing symbols, and a slow, rythmic bass line. The after the instrumental portion, Waters begins to sing, a sad, mournful tribute to Syd Barett (The entire concept of Wish You Were Here is that it is a tribute to Barett).
Part 2 is faster, with a more rock edge, but closely resembles its prediscesor. It has a darker edge to it, but still retains a kind of beauty.
All in all, WYW is a beautiful, symphonic listening experience, on par with Dark Side of the Moon and Wall. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash created this pop super trio in 1968 after their splits from the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield and The Hollies, respectively, it would have been a pipedream that a hits package released 37 years later would sound as eternal and essential as this one. The 19 songs straddle the four-album, landscape-altered timeframe between 1969’s post-Woodstock debut Crosby, Stills & Nash and 1982’s Daylight Again, which helped inaugurate the MTV era. Unbalanced sequencing--which randomly bounces 12 years ahead and five years back--is rescued by the superb harmonies, unique songwriting and divergent personalities of the three members. With politics and culture always at the forefront, Stills bookends the band’s trademark canon with "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" and "Southern Cross," Nash incorporates Eastern influences to "Marrakesh Express" and folk timber to "Just a Song Before I Go" and "Teach Your Children," and the ever-capricious Crosby leads the way lyrically with the lingering "Delta" to the Robert Kennedy tribute "Long Time Gone." Sure, the collection is missing any songs by ("Ohio") or contributions from ("Woodstock") the fourth name on the marquee (Neil Young). Here’s hoping that’s for another Greatest Hits. --Scott Holter ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Good compilation, could have been great
The Greatest Hits (2005.) A Crosby, Stills, and Nash hits compilation.

In the late sixties and on through the seventies, one of the finest pop-rock groups was Crosby, Stills, and Nash. The group combined the talents of David Crosby (The Byrds), Stephen Stills (Buffalo Springfield), and Graham Nash (The Hollies.) Later on the group incorporated Stephen Stills' old Buffalo Sprinfield bandmate Neil Young, and the group became even better than before. Despite a scattershot line-up that often lacked Young and continual disbandings/reunions, the band released many an excellent pop-rock track. And in 2005 the group even got a new hits compilation! Read on for my review of The Greatest Hits.

There really isn't much to say here - it's a Crosby, Stills, and Nash hits compilation. If you're a casual fan of the group and you're just seeking their big hits, this compilation should strike your fancy. Wooden Ships, Carry On, Marrakesh Express, Just A Song Before I Go, and plenty of other hits from this era can all be found here. Furthermore, the band does you one better and includes many of their underrated songs from their albums. Unfortunately, there is a huge problem that ultimately ruins this compilation - THERE ARE NO NEIL YOUNG TRACKS! No, I am not making that up. Because of that you miss out on some of the group's biggest hits, including the 1974 smash Ohio. Neil Young released his own greatest hits a few months before this, so it makes me wonder if that had anything to do with the exclusion of his material from this package. Whether it did or not, his absence in this collection strikes a fatal blow that knocks it down a few notches. This IS the best CSN compilation out there and you get more bang for your buck than you do with others, and even though I recommend it over all other compilations, the lack of Young's material is unforgivable. That said, I can only give this three stars out of a possible five.

Since this is a new compilation it is readily available in all stores, including the ones who usually have a dismal CD collection. If you want to buy it, you're not gonna have too hard of a time finding it.

Really, that's about all that can be said here. If you're gonna make a hits compilation for an artist, go the extra mile to make it excellent. The compiler here didn't do that, and omitted all those Neil Young tracks. Even if the record label didn't have the rights to them, they should have tried to get them, because no compilation from these guys is complete without those songs. This IS the best CSN compilation to date, it's just disappointing what it lacks. Get it if you're a casual fan who just wants the big hits. Otherwise, stick with the albums.

Some hits and some album cuts
This is a nice collection, but not really a "Greatest Hits" album.It would be better titled "Some Hits and Album Cuts" because it leaves off so many of their charting singles and includes many songs from their albums that were never released as singles.I would have liked to have seen a few songs from their later albums.While they may not have been their strongest efforts, they contained at least a few songs that were strong enough to include here.Who knows, maybe they are saving some of those songs and hits to release on a "Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young's Greatest Hits" in a year or two.

Just correcting some misstatements......
Sorry, Nick at Yagur's Farm, you have to get your facts straight too: Neil does not play or sing on "Teach", Our House" or "Carry On".Those were straight CSN sessions that foreshadowed the come-and-go nature of Neil's uncommittment to CSNY of the last 35 years.But it is a great collection nevertheless @ $14.

Classic seventies rock group
David Crosby (ex-Byrds), Stephen Stills (ex-Buffalo Springfield) and Graham Nash (ex-Hollies) joined forces in 1968 and together created some of the finest rock music of their generation, sometimes with the help of Neil Young (ex-Buffalo Springfield). Tracks featuring Neil are not included here even though there are three tracks here from Déjà vu, an album that featured Neil.

The set opens with Stephen Stills' tribute to Judy Collins (Suite: Judy blue eyes) and ends with Daylight again, which features Art Garfunkel (a most welcome guest). In between these two great tracks are seventeen others of comparable brilliance including Marrakesh Express (their only UK hit), Long time gone (about Bobby Kennedy), Wooden ships (a thought-provoking song) and Wasted on the way (an American top ten hit).

Superb singing and great musicianship were the hallmarks of Crosby Stills and Nash, with or without Young. Fans will always argue about what should have been included, but this CD is full-length (no room for any more) and all nineteen tracks justify their inclusion. As an introduction to their music, this is brilliant. Buy a Neil Young compilation, or the Déjà vu album, to hear Neil Young's contribution to the music of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

Incomplete Greatest Hits
As a CSN fan, I was glad that there is finally a compilation with the material from CSN and DAYLIGHT AGAIN.I am not even disappointed that Neil Young's material is excluded.After all, if you want "Ohio," you can always get Neil Young's GREATEST HITS.While I like "See The Changes," and "Delta," I am not quite sure that those songs rise to the level of "Greatest Hits."Also, is CSN helped define the "Woodstock" generation, how can you leave "Woodstock" off this disc?With all that said, I would still recommend this as along as it came with NY's GREATEST HITS. ... Read more

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The cynical may question just how many Beach Boys greatest hits albums are enough. Non-cynics, however, will appreciate what makes Sounds of Summer unique. This is the first single-disc collection to feature such a large cross selection of hits from the group's entire career, spanning 1962's "Surfin' Safari" through 1988's "Kokomo." All 30 tracks, spanning several label changes, were Billboard Top 40 hits and are probably now as identifiable as the national anthem to anyone with radio or TV access. The fact that the tracks aren’t in chronological order helps make for a fresh listening experience, as does the crisp digital sound. And yet these songs--even those that are more than four decades old--always sound strangely fresh and will likely remain so as long as there are beaches, young people, and that symbolic season of freedom and dreams. Which is to say that the title here passes "the truth in advertising" test. Perfect for those casual fans not yet ready to spring for the individual albums, Sounds of Summer is, in many ways, a better representation of this legendary band's art than Elvis' 30 No. 1 Hits and The Beatles 1 were of the King and the Fab Four. --Bill Holdship ... Read more

Reviews (54)

The best BEACH BOYS compilation ever!
This is a very comprehensive compilation of Beach Boys' top 40 hits and it's a much more generous collection than any previous single disc BB "best of" package. 30 tracks are packed onto this one disc equaling to 75 minutes of non-stop Beach Boys classics! No one will feel that this collection is perfect (I would've preferred "Caroline, No" to "Do You Wanna Dance?" and "It's OK" to "Good Timin'") but how can you argue with 30 top 40 hits? In addition to the great track selection there are several first time stereo mixes to make this disc an even more interesting buy. "California Girls", "Shut Down", "Dance Dance Dance" and "Heroes and Villains" are all mixed to stereo for this disc. The songs from "Pet Sounds" are also included in their stereo versions. Plus the single versions of "Help Me Rhonda" and "Be True to Your School" are used instead of the inferior LP versions that were featured on the earlier "20 Good Vibrations" CD. All in all, an exceptional collection. Just once Beach Boys classic after another.

Best Collection of Their Classic Hits on One CD
Many reviews focus on the plethora of best-of compilations that have been foisted on the record-buying public. And they make a valid point. However, don't let that obscure the fact that this is the best single-disc collection of Beach Boys music currently available. [And with many stores selling it at $10 or less, it's far and away the best bargain as well!]

This album has 30 of their 33 Top 40 hits. The only missing singles are 1965's non-LP single "The Little Girl I Once Knew," 1966's "Caroline No" from PET SOUNDS, and 1976's "It's O.K." from 15 BIG ONES. With a running time of 75:58, it's unforgivable that at least one of these songs wasn't also added, but there was no way you could include them all.

The only problem I have with the CD is its sequencing. "California Girls" is a classic Beach Boys song and a great lead-off track, but it was their 15th hit, not their first. And while "Good Vibrations" is unquestionably their crowning achievement and closes the album on a high note, elsewhere it's a bit awkward to go from a by-the-book cover of "Rock and Roll Music" from 1976 and then follow it up with a trio of tracks from their classic mid-Sixties period.

With that kvetching aside, this is a very enjoyable collection. The 20-page booklet has some terrific photos and serviceable liner notes. The CD has the original yellow-and-orange 45 rpm label. And the music has never sounded better. ESSENTIAL

It doesn't get much better than this!
I can't think of a better compilation of a single band's work than this!

I've always been of two minds regarding the Beach Boys. On one hand they can provide fuel for cynics by producing songs with trite lyrics that look silly beyond belief on the printed page. But when you listen to the music and their harmonies, you quickly fall under the spell of fantastic musicianship. They can be crass and commercial in the extreme, with concerts that are formulaic and multiple "Best of..." collections that only exploit the show business maxim of "always leave them wanting more." But there is nothing to criticize here... nothing at all.

When all is said and done, it's about the music, and the music of the Beach Boys is something special! Listening to this collection of thirty hits (with nary a clinker among them), you can almost wear yourself out just tapping your foot and moving with the music.

Ask any group of fans for their favorite Beach Boys classic, and you'll likely get a different answer from each; my vote would be for Sloop John B. But I'd be willing to bet that 99% of the population will fine their own "my favorite Beach Boys" song on this CD. And they will sing/hum/dance or drum along with every cut on this fantastic body of work!

Best Single - Disc Beach Boys Collection Ever
Countless Beach Boys hits collections have been thrown around like trash over the years. Most of them are not good. 2003's 30 - song "Sounds Of Summer" is the exception. It features all the big hits plus a few less recgonized tracks.

All the Beach Boys classics are here. Whether you enjoy "Surfin' USA", "Fun, Fun, Fun", "California Girls" or "Good Vibrations", it's unlikely that your favorite Beach Boys song isn't here. But there's more than a few unrecognizable songs hear that make this collection even more worthwhile: the latter - day singles "Wild Honey", "Darlin'", "Do It Again", "I Can Hear Music", "Good Timin'", "Come Go With Me" and "Getcha Back" are just as good as anything from their peak period.

As usual, there is a fair amount of hits missing, even with 30 songs. There are too many to list here, so I'll just list the ones that reached the Billboard top 40. They are:

"Little Saint Nick" (numner 6)
"The Warmth Of The Sun" (number 13)
"The Man With All The Toys" (number 3)
"Caroline No" (number 32)
"It's Ok" (number 29)

But overall, this a very worthwhile collection of classic music, perfect for this time of year. Also, get the boxed set "Thirty Years Of Good Vibrations".

The Beach Boys Are Cool.
I don't think there is a single American child over the age of three that hasn't heard a Beach Boys song. They are still a significant part of our culture and a glimpse into the teen culture of our past (which isn't that different from today's). People loved them and still love them, that's why they are, perhaps, the greatest American band of all time. I don't think I can say that about many other artists, only R.E.M. and Talking Heads come to mind.

The compilation contains thirty of their Top 40 hits and spans their entire career. If you're already a fan, you know all the songs and hold them dear to your heart. If you're a new fan, this is a great CD for you to begin your Beach Boys experience. There are a few splendid stereo mixes of songs that were only found in mono or poor stereo versions. "Heroes and Villians" is a major highlight, as well as "Good Vibrations." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Few bands of the 1960s retained as much a sense of the roots of rock and roll as did Creedence Clearwater Revival. Their music is rife with country, rockabilly, and R&B influences, a combination that produced several hit singles--most of which are present on this collection. These include "I Heard It through the Grapevine," "Lodi," "Up Around the B ," "Who'll Stop the Rain," and of course "Bad Moon Rising." This is an excellent greatest-hits collection, and a perfect introduction to the music of a band that has been enduringly influential. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (152)

Essential singles and album tracks
No anthology can really do justice to CCR. Like The Beatles, Stones, Who or any other band from that era, CCR is best appreciated by a quartet of classic albums; Bayou Country, Green River, Willie & The Poorboys and Cosmos' Factory. Still, this is a great overviw of the band's essential singles and album tracks. What's missing are some important songs (Effigy, the scorching version of Good Golly Miss Molly and It's Just a Thought among many others) but hardly essential for the novice or casual CCR fan.

This fine collection's flaw is the sound quality. The original mastertapes sound like they weren't used on some of these tracks. The entire CCR catalog (with the exception of Live Europe which is available as part of the boxed set)has been remastered with stunning results. The sound quality here is tinny and flat by comparison. The "sound" of any CCR recording is as essential as the song itself and, in that regard, this collection is definitely lacking.

John Fogerty's songs have stood the test of time. Born on The Bayou, Down on the Corner, Who'll Stop The Rain and many of his other songs still retain the freshness they had decades ago. Hopefully Fantasy will remaster this collection. I'd recommend purchasing the quartet of albums mentioned previously. Additionally, Fogerty's first solo album (entitled John Fogerty)and available as an import has a number of moments equal to his best CCR songs. In fact, most of Fogerty's solo recordings although not as essential as CCR, are important and strong albums (the exception is the misguided Eye of the Zombie).

An excellent compilation
Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) was one of the finest rock groups of the late sixties/early seventies. It's no surprise they still get oldies and classic rock airplay. Needless to say, over the years, a number of compilations have been released for these guys. How does this one measure up? Read on and find out.

PROS:
-If you're the casual CCR fan who just wants to get the big hits on a single disc, most of them are here for your listening pleasure. Among these are Up Around The Bend, Lodi, Have You Ever Seen The Rain, and Run Through The Jungle.
-There are a plethora of underrated masterpieces here as well.

CONS:
-One of the band's biggest hits, Born On The Bayou, is missing in action. It's actually on Chronicle Vol. 2, but I'm fairly confident they had enough room to fit it on here!

OVERALL:
If you're a casual fan of CCR than this compilation is highly recommended. I also recommend getting Chronicle Vol. 2 if you get this, so that you'll have ALL of the big hits.

Fortunate One
This, ladies and gentlemen, is what a greatest hits album should be. Not one weak t