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A three-note horn blast, a disco groove calling from the dance floor, a woman's voice charging in to sing "never, ever do I feel discouraged."It's the '70s again. You're surrounded by freedom at its most complete, and trivial. This is how Boogie Nights, a film about the rise and fall of a porn star, begins. The soundtrack consists of dance and trash pop songs playing non-stop, forming a kind of historical narrative behind the action. Vol. I rescues some great nuggets of fluff, both black and white--"Magnet and Steel" and "The Best of My Love," for example. Then, it deliberately goes too far with Night Ranger's "Sister Christian." The song, defiantly candy-ass, challenges our capacity to recycle the pop culture past. Its earnest emptiness and lack of irony make it the most uncool, and fascinating, thing on the record. --Steve Tignor ... Read more

Reviews (21)

"Feel The Heat" With This Classic Disco Era Soundtrack!!!
From the first selection/snippet from the movie, "Feel the Heat" with actors, Mark Wahlberg & John Reilly, you know that you are gonna be in for a WILD and WEIRD ride, listening-wise. Followed up by disco tune "The Best of My Love" from The Emotions, the grinding, sexy, moaning "Jungle Fever" by Chakachas the sweet and sexy double entendre song, "Brand New Key" by Melanie and the weird, wild, dreamlike, drug induced "Spill the Wine" with Eric Burdon. This is a great disco/drug era CD soundtrack with many hits and little misses. Marvelous Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1" is certainly a highlight along with the love ballad, "Magnet and Steel" by Walter Egan and cool,"Livin' Thing" from The Electric Light Orchestra.

Misses are: the instrumental "Machine Gun" - The Commodores
the corny "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" - McFadden & Whitehead, and the embarrassing, Sister Christian - Night Ranger

God Only Knows by The Beach Boys and the eerily instrumental
Big Top composed by Michael Penn are fair.

Check out VOLUME TWO of Boogie Nights soundtrack also! It's great!

Happy Listening!

Great Soundtrack, but you need both...
There were so many great songs in Boogie Nights, and only 13 of them made it onto the original soundtrack. You really need this one PLUS the Boogie Nights #2 CD (which is just as good, if not better) in order to get all of them. However, this one probably has the songs most essential to the movie (including Mark Wahlberg singing that horrible, horrible yet funny song, Feel The Heat). My favorites are Best of My Love (The Emotions), Brand New Key (Melanie) -- it's hilarious, Spill the Wine (Eric Burdon), Sister Christian (Night Ranger), Machine Gun (The Commodores), the classic Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now (McFadden & Whitehead), Livin' Thing (Elo) and God Only Knows (The Beach Boys). If you like this one, I'd definitely recommend buying the Boogie Nights #2 CD as well.

Great album!
Boogie Nights is one of my favorite soundtracks of all time. It's so groovy and seventies, with a nice mix of disco tracks, and some mellower stuff like "Magnet and Steel" and the Beach Boys classic "God Only Knows". I could do without the score track at the end, although I adore Michael Penn. You have to go allll the way through it to get to the hilarious secret song. Night Ranger's "Sister Christian" is also pretty cheesy, but it does fit in well. All in all, a great soundtrack to a great film.

Feel the heat.
This disc will definitely remind you of the movie, but even better than that, it's just a cool bunch of songs. Besides the intro of "Feel The Heat" from Dirk, this has 70's classics from "The Emotions", "Marvin Gaye", "The Beach Boys", and "The Commodores". My faves would have to be "Magnet and Steel", "Machine Gun", and the track "Brand New Key", because it reminds me of "Rollergirl", played flawlessly by "Heather Graham". A few lines from the movie itself would have been cool too. Oh well. The only thing I really miss here is "Jessie's Girl", but that's on volume 2. Otherwise this is the best soundtrack for your next few "Boogie Nights".

Didn't feel it...
There are a lot of great songs on this CD, sure. But I only wanted one: Dirk Diggler's "The Touch". 'Nough said. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Amplified Heart marked a number of changes in Everything but the Girl's career, the most obvious of which was their sudden popularity when a Todd Terry remix of "Missing" became a dance-floor hit. But before the album was even recorded, Ben Watt--who with Tracy Thorn is EBTG--was hospitalized for a life-threatening intestinal disorder (see his book, Patient: The True Story of a Rare Illness, for a full account). His recovery invigorates Amplified Heart, making the love songs that much more passionate, the relationship songs that much more tender, and "25th December"--the one song in which Watt sings lead--that much more heartbreaking. Thorn's captivating vocals are the focus on the rest of the album, and she's as smooth as ever; combined with the focus that she and Watt share here, it makes for EBTG's best album. --Randy Silver ... Read more

Reviews (64)

Sell-outs may be disappointed.
I've seen firsthand the evidence that EBTG's "Missing" remix by Todd Terry was overexposed to the general public. And I can imagine the slight "disenchantment" of the throngs who ran out to buy Amplified Heart on hearing only the remixed track, thinking that the whole CD was full of those clubthumping beats. But as we know, instead of booming dance anthems, we're finding mellowed-out, inventive emotional pieces. When I bought it, I had no preconceptions of the album and I benefited immensely from that. I expected to be introduced to something new while still tasting the familiar EBTG flavor, and these two obvious expectations were met. The immediate atmosphere felt on "Rollercoaster" and "Troubled Mind" is undeniably late-night and is entirely mellow without being sedate at all. "Walking To You," "Two Star," and "25th of December" however show Watt and Thorn at their most placid. These three songs are minimal in production and orchestration, yet still maintain EBTG's trademark polished finish. Also of note, we get Ben's vocals on "Walking To You" and "25th" which sound as warm and emotional as ever (especially impressive considering he had recently been diagnosed with a life-threatening disease which, doctors told him at the time, would include loss-of-voice as a result). On the other end of the mood spetrum, though, you have "I Don't Understand Anything," "Get Me," "Missing" (both mixes), and my favorite "We Walk the Same Line." These gems rely mostly on gently programmed drums for ryhthm, and boast excellent melodies. Tracy's voice has never been this beautiful, Ben's guitar work has never sounded so accomplished and confident. Then they close (kind of) with "Disenchanted." It's a stripped-down vocal-and-piano piece with Tracy lamenting on someone else's behalf. It's emotionally authentic and EBTG show much restraint by not cluttering it up with unnecessary instruments or even background vocals. Then of course, you have Todd Terry's hidden track. Overall, Amplified Heart has thus far been EBTG's swan song of organic music. The contrasts are aplenty between this and Walking Wounded or Temperamental, the latter two being fully electonic with only sparse samplings of guitar, harmonica, and the like. Nonetheless, it serves as a fine mile marker separating the days of echoing piano pop from the present Lazy-Dog-esque mixed sets--both distinctly brandishing the Everything But The Girl signature.

Beautiful Adult Pop
I'm glad they had worldwide success with the remix of "Missing" but most listeners had no idea of EBTG's talent unless they bought the album. With Ben recovered from a near fatal illness, the songs on the band's seventh (I think) album are more heartfelt than ever before. The band pours intelligent, witty lyrics into gorgeous, innovative yet simple melodies that appeal to fans of all genres.

Tracey Thorn has one of the most beautiful voices I've heard and in it she exudes confidence and control. My favorite songs are "Rollercoaster", "Troubled Mind", "I Don't Understand Anything", "Get Me", "Missing" and "Two Star". The entire album is great but those songs are gems. If you're not impressed on the first listen, the songs will get better and better each time and the album will have a long shelf life in my home.

Everything But the Girl
Awesome cd to listen to when you want to relax! During dinner or on the ride home you will have no problem unwinding! We love it!

me like
Having become enthralled with EBTG through Walking Wounded and Temperamental I was not at first able to get my head around their earlier albums. On first hearing, Amplified Heart was barely above elevator music to me. But I find that many tracks have grown on me dramatically, so that now I listen to the album non-stop. Tracey Thorne's voice is like a balm to my troubled nerves. I could listen to her sing the phone book. One of the tracks that has particularly grown on me is Your Troubled Mind, particularly the lyric, "When you're dooooown you bring me down too-oo; and that is somethi-in' I would not do-o. You say its hard I know its hard; that is somethi-in' I don't dis-re-ga-ard."
My advice is, buy the album. If you don't like it at first, force yourself to listen to it over and over and you will come crawling on you knees begging the album to forgive you for ever having doubted it.

Better late than never.
Now that this has been out for 10 years, I thought I'd pick it up. God I hate it when I miss out on something this good for so long. "Amplified Heart" is refered to as their best album, and I can easily see why. Their biggest hit "Missing (Todd Terry Club Mix)" is on here, as well as the original, and though the whole album has an electronica feel to it, it's really not. Most of the rest is just kind of smooth acoustic pop, and reminds me a bit of "Sade". Anyway, it's very pleasing to listen to, and I find her voice soothing and comforting. The two songs I currently like the most are "Troubled Mind" and "We Walk The Same Line", both done very well. This album is a must for any collection, even if you have everything but "Everything But The Girl". ... Read more

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OhmygodtheBackstreetBoysrule!!!!!! OK, with that out of the way, let's review The Hits--Chapter One, which is one-stop shopping for the hunky pop group's three American albums--their 1997self-titled debut, 1999'sMillennium, and 2000'sBlack & Blue. The first disc really shines with "As Long as You Love Me," "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)," and "All I Have to Give," capturing the Backstreet Boys' essence: sunny pop under the influence of blue-eyed soul. "I Want It That Way," from the second album, is an undeniable classic, while "The Call" has a deliciously frenzied sexual urgency and a strong, danceable beat. But the other tracks are uneven with the oddball fan-appreciation anthem "Larger Than Life" surrounded by somber, predictable ballads. The new single, "Drowning," is same-old same-old: lazy moaning over a drum machine. The Hits--Chapter One might be an optimistic name for this '90s retrospective. The future is cloudy for chapter two. --Courtney Kemp ... Read more

Reviews (175)

Pleasant set
The Backstreet Boys were the first of the boy bands of the late '90s/early 2000s to make it big. Their catalog consists of only three previous albums, so it does seem a big premature to have a hits collection out, but apparently the third release didn't perform to expectations, so a hits set was rush released with only one new song.

Even if it seems like a last gasp for success, this CD is a great summation of the group's work up to this point. It provides proof that the group wasn't just the best of their breed (boy bands, that is), but that their best moments transcend the the recent bugglegum pop music boom.

"I Want It That Way," "As Long As You Love Me," and "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)," are lovely, timeless pop ballads, featuring great vocal performances. The dance numbers, like "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" and "Larger Than Life," are clearly a product of modern music, but offer infectious rhythms that even early Bandstanders can dance to.

If most of the rest of the singles on this 13-track collection aren't quite as good as those afforementioned tunes (the midtempo "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" also certainly ranks with the Boys' best), they nevertheless are well-crafted. That the new single "Drowning" is the weakest track on the set may not bode well for the future however. But regardless of what the future holds for this group, this retrospective provides a strong look at what was popular in pop music around the turn of the century.

The Boys Hit the Big Time
I'm not a huge fan of pop music (you can gather that by reading some of my other reviews), but I have to admit, there's something very likeable about the Backstreet Boys. Their music offers a wide variety of melodies and styles, from dance to pop to R & B with a bit of techno thrown in for effect. "The Hits--Chapter One" is an ecclectic mix of music, illustrating exactly what makes the Backstreet Boys work in today's glob of music. The disc encompasses the Boys' three multi-platinum albums, so all the essential songs are here, from 1998's dance tune "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" to the smash "I Want It That Way." Also included are the newer, lesser known tunes "More Than That" and "Drowning."

While this album is basically a greatest-songs package, the disc flows fairly evenly with its pure melodies and smooth harmonizations. Brian, Nick, Kevin, A.J., and Howie's voices blend together flawlessly on the sweet-not-sappy- "All I Have To Give." The five-some dive shamelessly into the rock/techno world on the dance hit "Larger Than Life" and explore the subject of infedelity on the epic song "The Call." However, the album gets bogged down with the slow, ho-hum ballads "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely," "I'll Never Break Your Heart," "Shape of My Heart," and "More Than That." If one can get over those slow moments, than this is a great disc to pop in the player when chilling out. With the various boy bands clogging the airways, it will be interesting what the Backstreet Boys decide to do in chapter two of their career.

The Hits
Has all the hits including the smash "I Want It That Way".

I love Backstreet Boys and I wont it that way!
I just got this cd for my birthday last year and I loved it when I played I wont it that way on my birthday and It's is my favorite song by Backstreet Boys! I recomened this CD for any Backstreet Boys fan in the world!

The thing to turn you off the radio for good
In the late 1990s, as the loud, tuneless alternative rock sound of such awful groups as Nirvana, Silverchair, the Presidents Of the USA etc. weakened, teen pop came to take its place.

Whilst as I was back then I would certainly have appreciated a softer sound controlling the airwaves than the hyperamplified grunge sound that in those days defined the word "alternative" for me, the fact is that the Backstreet Boys scarcely did anything that opposed the grunge sound in a new and serious way. Rather their music was basically a watered-down version of the sound with which such artists as Michael and Janet Jackson, Madonna and Simply Red had been having hits for a great many years.

There was some sort of familiarity to the sound of the Backstreet Boys, but at best it can only be described as annoying. All any listener is likely to remember is the ultra-catchy choruses with which almost every song they recorded (and had played on commercial radio) ended: there can never be any substance to songs that were written for what was/is by any standards an artificially promoted group.

Scarcely any better than most "hip" people will tell you, the Backstreet Boys were/are in no way anything worthwhile for a moment. More than that, the Backstreet Boys unlike any other group before them will have those listening to commercial radio questioning whether it is the best option even if they hate what is played on the noncommercial stations. This is the one thing notable about them, indeed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The novelty was stripmined from ethnobeat pop long ago, and this skin-deep confection is surprising only in its lack of edge and invention. On the plus side, the melodies are textured and lush, the beats entrancing, and a parade of gifted singers--Kristy Thirsk, Jacqui Hunt, and Sarah McLachlan included--bill and coo impressively. Lead single "Euphoria (Firefly)" has spark and spirit, while "Enchanted" and "Duende" are strong vehicles for Thirsk and Camille Henderson respectively. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (158)

Karma is a Delerium Classic
Karma is a wide leap from the earlier albums from Delerium, such as Stone Tower, but it is excellent. I love the fact that Rhys and Bill decided to bring in phenomenal female singers such as Kristy Thirsk, Jacqui Hunt, Sarah McLachlan, and Camille Henderson. The enchanting rhythms and sounds create a beautiful sound scape for your mind to dive into. My favorite track on this album is Duende. I love the mid-eastern feel of it. Enchanted is another great one, Thirsk's voices is amazing, and the lyrics have a lot of meaning. The album comes together as a whole when you listen to it all the way through, as with most of the Delerium albums. Karma will enchant and move you to higher places.

I cannot wait for the next Delerium album to follow up this one. But for now, this along with other Delerium albums such as Semantic Spaces and Spiritual Archives are staying in my CD player.

Spellbinding vocals over surrealistic soundscapes
Wow! Wow! I can't hear this CD enough!

I started listening to Delerium through the side-door: I'm no fan of Front Line Assembly or much of Leeb and Fulber's other work produced under various names, including Delerium.

Then a friend leant me the awe-inspiring Semantic Spaces. Shortly, I got ahold of Karma. And it's been stuck in my Rio player for six months now, and I've no plans to remove it any time soon.

It's hard to write about something that sounds so beautiful: words don't do it justice. But imagine ethnic beats, electronic sophistication, angelic lamentations, and ethereal landscapes, and you might get an idea of what this album sounds like. If you're at all a fan of Semantic Spaces, or Enigma's early work, you'll definitely enjoy Karma.

Can't Get Enough Of This Disc
I just bought this CD yesterday and wow, there is nothing like this group in existance. Their music is so lush and haunting. I had used to think Enigma was the height of otherworldly music but Delirium outdoes them everytime. My favorites have to be Enchanted and Silence (featuring the lovely Sarah Mclachlan) A must for anyone who love ambient music.

Leeb, Fulber, you guys have changed man
If you are truely familiar with Delerium you know that it is the oldest and now (thanks to albums like this) the most profitable side project of "Front Line Assembly". That's not because this is their best album, it's because this is the type of music mainstream America wants. If your familiar with earlier Delerium then it's evident that this is not their true style. It sounds like an experiment done by Leeb and Fulber to milk the common American cd buyer of every penny so they can make improvements and upgades on their 2 million dollar homes. Having said that I'd like to reassure you that this review is not going to be all negative. There's nothing wrong with making money and capitolism is how our favorite groups become successful. Hey, I gave this album 4 stars. It's a good album for what it is. It's for a very specific mood. To me it's for getting girls in that 'specific' mood. Women seem to like this album more than us guys. Although us guys have a taste in softer music too even though we may try to hide it behind our heavy metal, beer drinking and love of boxing.

So Leeb and Fulber have a good idea here. As always they have a vision for creating a style of music unique for any type of mood. Using female vocalists such as Kristy Thirsk creates a sort of sensual feel to this cd. The entire album is solid, with no song sticking out as a best or worst. Like I said it's a cd designed for that 70+ minute mood that we all sometimes feel. It's not at all like early Delerium and certainly different from most Front Line Assembly. If you're a big fan of heavier FLA this album might dissappoint you. If you expect Delerium to sound like they did on "Faces Forms and Illusions" then this album is bound to raise a few eyebrows. But I gave this album a try and liked it. I guess I believe that all music has it's place and purpose.

My first delerium, my favorite delerium
This was my first delerium cd, and it served as an excellent introduction to new-era delerium. I like all the other cds of the duo, but this is still my favourite. it is probably the most tribal album of theirs, and it is vocal without being a cheap poppish attempt to make money. It has quite a variatey of styles, ranging from ethereal trance/new age (twilight) to ambient/dance pop (but not forced) songs like euphoria (firefly) and silence. the details are below.

1:enchanted- I LOVE kristy thirsks voice! it is so sexy, when she comes in with her oohs and aahs. this song is tribal, ambient, poppish, and a little ethereal. So angelic.

2:deunde- When I first got this album this was my favorite song. it has a great powerful beat, some sampled chants, and a great vocal job by camille. It almost makes you feel like you are in the aboriginal outback, but it is still pop influenced.

3:twilight- an ethereal tranceey instrumental track with some chants. very pretty and inspiring.

4:silence- outstanding song. it has monks in the bigenning but after about 1:30 sarah mclachlan comes in, and starts singing. piano is interlaced through parts of the chorus and there is a nice piano solo at the end.

5:forgotten worlds- very otherworldly, you can see why they put the title there. the song takes you to a long forgotten temple and awakens it and brings you inside. it only starts out dark, then it begins to glow. Chanting in this one too.

6:lamenation- definitley tribal, especially during the first three minutes or so. then it gets really pretty. too bad it has such a long introduction. a little weak, could have been on semantic spaces.

7:euphoria (firefly)- two slightly slow instrumental somgs make way for a dancey pop song. this was the first single from the album. it is catchy and danceable. if you heared and liked other poppish songs like silence or deunde you'd probably like this.

8:remembrance- one of my friends claims to have heared this on the radio, but I never knew it was a single. (or is it?) this starts out with some woodwinds, but about 1:00 in this song comes to life with chanting monks and then gets spacey and synthesized after about three minutes, and then the chanting comes laced in with the spacey sounds. very interesting.

9:wisdom- a short song, but still welcome. yay, more thirsk! This song is a little like enchanted, but less tribal sounding.

10:window to your soul- this is not at all even hinted with pop. it is a piece of mood music, very relaxing, and inspiring. and even though it's around 10 minutes, it dosent drag on. it keeps you listening. it starts out dark, but dont skip it, after about two minutes you will be on your way to a very peaceful place. this song has chimes, synthesizers (of course) and chanting. REALLY pretty.

11:til the end of time- this is probably the weakest song on the cd. it is a lot like wisdom, but slower. vocals, too.

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You need this in your collection! there is a little something for everybody, but you will probably end up liking it all. :) ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Stay with me
Erasure is definitely my favorite synth-pop group from the '80s. Their songs are fun and catchy to sing along to. It has been awhile since they released a best of collection. As much as I love "Pop!", it was horribly produced. I like this collection. Granted that whoever put this cd together didn't represent the group's legacy as well as s/he should have, "Hits" is still a good collection. I do wish that "Cracker International", "Cowboy" and "Erasure" were represented on this best of collection. That is my biggest gripe about this "Hits" but I am not going to slam this collection like other diehard Erasure fans are doing. Compared to the production on "Pop!", the songs on "Hits" are not hindered by the muddled production on "Pop!". Unlike "Pop!", songs from the groups more recent albums are included although not from "Cowboy", "Cracker International", and "Erasure". Whoever thought to not include songs like "She Won't Be Home", "Fingers & Thumbs (A Cold Summer's Day)", and "Don't Say Your Love is Killing Me" needs their head re-examined. Despite the lack of thought put into this, it is nice to have a collection of Erasure songs that are mixed better than what is on "Pop!".

Erasure's Best of CD
For those erasure fans out there that probably know that this is the second greatest hits that they have. It has a lot of there hits but obviously you cannot put every hit on a cd. It is a good selection of songs except that they should not have added 2 versions of O'lamour and could of put another song in it's place. Some of the songs that could have been added and are missing is: star, come and make me smile, Don't say your love is killing me, and drama. The bonus CD of the mixes of the songs was very good. Overall it is a CD that I recommend not only to the erasure fan but anyone that likes good pop music.

And the purpose?
While Erasure's a handful good songs are already collected in Pop Hits then what's the purpose of this money-steal item? Erasure have never been a high quality band but is rather doomed to be poor man's Pet Shop Boys with those awful lyrics and the same loops and rhythms all over the years. If you really wanna try Erasure go buy Pop and leave it there. If you really want to listen real good pop music, try Pet Shop Boys (Popart or any album of them) the overlooked gods of this kind of music, or New Order...

POP bops this off.
If you are contemplating a choice between Erasure's "Hits" album and the older "POP!" collection, I'd actually give the nod to "POP!" The new set adds more from the Abba EP and removes several of the songs from "Pop!." The dropped songs included some essential (in my opinion, at least) songs like "Drama" and "Who Needs Love Like That." You loose 8 songs from "POP!" here for 7 alternates plus one unnecessary remix of "Oh L'amour," and this collection has, simply put, a less concise menu of Erasure at their best.

Since Vince and Andy were better at the singles than at the albums anyway, the finest of their singles truly sparkle as gold from the eighties. Given that their later output was lackluster at best (save "Always"), this is a bland primer for a fun band. And Erasure is pretty much a fun sugar candy duo. With two notable exceptions, the best songs were campy or beat heavy hook records. Only with the environmental lyrics of "Chorus" or the call to arms of "A Little Respect" did the duo ever push towards anything really weighty. Not that there is anything wrong with that, mindless fun is better than no fun at all. But it was the early part of their career where Vince was still innovatively exploring the compositional range of the synthesizer. Which meant that, when he was on, he was brilliant, and Andy almost always found the kind of vocal exuberance to overcome any deficiencies (think "Love To Hate You"). It's also that, after the album "Chorus," the band began to bog down. So unless you feel that "Always" and a cover of Peter Gabriel's "Solisbury Hill" are worth having over the deletion of eight other, superior Erasure songs, I'd recommend "POP!" over "Hits."

Just buy the DVD
While most of this collection is a revisit of the old "Pop" disc, I decided to buy the DVD version and was glad that I did! Always known for their innovative, and sometimes campy, videos I had to get it. All of the hits are there, including many from the past decade. There are so many videos, that they put them on 2 disks! A great buy and a necessity for any fan. I say, skip the CD and get the DVD instead! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tiesto, one of the world's most popular DJs, tries to broaden the playing field with his second artist record Just Be. Mostly self-written (except for the BT collaboration "Love Comes Again" and a remix of Samuel Barber's "Adagio For Strings"), his disc goes for transcendence right from the start with an earnest, uplifting string arrangement on "Forever Today." He keeps reaching, alternating dense-but-danceable new material with a few recent remixes ("Nyana" and "Traffic"), and vocalist Kirsty Hawkshaw provides a blissful vocal on the soaring "Walking On Clouds." Yet dance floor Nirvana stays well out of range. By focusing so heavily on trying to evolve, Tiesto neglects his bread and butter: the build. Live, crowds froth at the mouth for his next beat to drop, and while that hot energy is not necessarily the goal here (check 2003's mix record Nyana for that), a better flow would help this record considerably. Though offering ready-to-remix parts, the whole of Just Be is too impatient to sound deep and forgets to let the peaks come naturally. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Gets better with each lesson....amazing!!
1. Beautiful string melody that sounds like film soundtrack music that turns into an electronic version of the same tune. Love it! 5/5 stars
2. Amazing song as Bt and Tiesto are both amazing; great for dancing. Love it! 5/5 stars
3. Another good dance song. Great! 4/5
4. Ethereal laid back vocals. 4/5 stars
5. Not the best track. 2/5 stars
6. Sort of gothicy-sounding. 4/5 stars
7. Pretty but breathy female vocals, kewl electronic sounds. 2/5 stars.
8. Starts out sounding like new age tribal music then the beat and trance comes in and develops into a masterpiece playing the old world against the new.
9. This along with tracks 1, 2, 3, 8, and 10 could be dance club songs. Beautiful intermittent vocals. Great! 4/5 stars
10. Ok, not as good as Barber's original, but still a great song. My favorite along with 1 and 2. 5/5 stars.

You have to listen to this cd without the mindset of it being a dance or hardcore trance album, for predominantly it's not. It's absolutely beautiful tho, and does have good dance tracks. It's ethereal, lighter trance at many parts. This DJ really shows his ingeniousness and compositional ability on this album. Absolutely wonderful!!!

a must-have dance album
Not the typical tiesto album....but just as good if not even better. Tiesto has shown that he is just as great a composer as a DJ and mixer. The first track, Forever Today in my opinion is a statement by Tiesto about electronic music, and its basically being the modern extension of classical symphony as far as musical purity and supremacy. Thats my interpretation - the track starts with about 3 minutes of pure symphony much like that heard in movie scores of today and has a wonderful melody, then the song evolves into an electronic song with the same melody eventually resurfacing and making the song soar. Awesome. Then comes Tiesto's and BT's collaboration Love Comes Again which any Tiesto or BT fan will not be surprised nor dissappointed in - its great. Traffic and Nyana are Tiesto's current solo dance floor ventures and have been remixed by several other artists for a reason. UR, Sweet Misery, Walking on Clouds, A Tear in the Open, and Just Be are vocal-accompanied ballads of a sort and each is somewhat simple yet original and enduring, I've listened to them countless times and am still going...A couple are one-track pieces but a couple may be suited for DJ mixes at the right times...One thing is for sure, Kirsty Hawkshaw is amazing. I didn't know of her before this album but I'm an instant fan. Hands down, for anyone who considers themselves a dance music fan, this is a must-have since its a big chapter in the career of the world's current best DJ (and its musically superb).

Good one
At first, I didn't like this CD at all. Only Tracks 02 and 10 were immediately satisfying. But, this CD takes some time to get used to. Now that I have listened to it a lot, I like Tracks 01, 02, 07, 08 and 10. It's my favorite CD because, among all of DJ Tiesto's CDs, this one feels the most pertinent to my own life. The best songs on the CD inspire and move you - like good Trance music should do. I highly recommend it.

Wow
I was a fan of Tiesto as a DJ, but now after hearing the tracks on this CD....I can say that he is also amazing at producing some of the best music in the trance genre today. I highly recommend this CD to anyone who wants to be taken on a smooth and intoxicating journey.

What an album
blah blah blah.....that's what a lot of people say....but i'll tell you this....This album is amazing...I bought the album and never gave it enough time in my CD player...I saw Tiesto sometime later and then heard it again....this album is just great...Lately many DJ's are coming out with their own albums and experimenting with new sounds....Tiesto has definitley produced a masterpiece and is gonna be one of his best for a long time....I have seen Tiesto 6 times in concert and own all his CD's....this one is up there with Magik Vol. 6, and ISOS series...A MUST BUY FOR ALL TIESTO FANS!!!! ... Read more

Album Description

She's wild, she's wicked and she's the new word on the underground club scene. With her O.G. Bitch EP hitting the #1 Club Play in Billboard and her voice on Onda's "Summer Breeze" track on the Isley Brothers "reconstruction" album, Taken To The Next Phase, singer-songwriter sensation Esthero offers cool, quirky, trip happy electronic pop on the We R In Need Of A Musical Revolution EP. Her breathy, smooth vibe, from slow-groove to down-tempo, has been described as a mixture of Bjork, Sade, Erykah Badu, Portishead, Billie Holliday and Sneaker Pimps. The musical revolution arrives with Esthero. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Is there anything that simply screams the 1970s' most indelible pop cultural clichés--the sunny romanticism, perfect vocal hooks, feathered hair, stacked heels, and flared sateen britches--more than the Swedish pop phenomenon Abba? And while many a pundit snootily dismissed them during their prime as some sort of prefabricated aberration, their worldwide popularity peaked somewhere just south of Beatlesmania. Indeed, Abba's music was as finely tooled and crafted as anything to come from a Volvo or IKEA factory--if occasionally more economically potent. This double-disc, 37-track anthology comes neatly on the heels of Mama Mia!, the smash, if unlikely, Broadway show based on the band's hits, and documents every single released by the band's Polar label in their home country as well as key tracks released internationally.

This is the canon from whence the term "Europop" sprang. With a continental sense of vocal neoclassicism, informed by just the right ethnic clichés (and oft wed to the era's insistent 4/4 disco beat) to make songs like "Mama Mia," "Fernando," "Chiquitita," and "Voulez-Vous" work on a global scale, the writing team of Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson and their respective partners in music and life, Agnetha Faltskog and Frida Lyngstad, developed the seamless, wall-of-sound productions contained herein. The Definitive Collection features a rare single remix of "Ring, Ring" and a 1979 promo-only extended mix of "Voulez-Vous" as bonus tracks, as well as a concise, illustrated history of the band and each track. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (20)

All the singles in one double CD
This collection includes all the songs that were released as singles in Sweden, plus re-mixes of two of them. All their British and American hits can be found here, though some songs were not released as singles outside Sweden, while others were released in some other countries but not others.

The set begins with the pre-Abba track People need love - it features Benny and Bjorn but not Agnetha or Frida. The featured female singer is Svenska Flicka, who is otherwise unknown to me. Ring ring was Abba's first real single, while He is your brother is an interesting song, but Abba only really hit the big time with Waterloo, which was their first British number one and also reached the top ten in America. Subsequent singles met with varying degrees of success and it was not until Dancing queen was released in 1976 that Abba had another hit that could be called truly international. It went all the way to number one in Britain, America and many other countries.

Their other British number ones were Mamma Mia, Fernando, Knowing me knowing you, Name of the game, Take a chance on me, Super trouper and Winner takes it all. Many of their other singles went into the top five, including I have a dream, which spent a month at number two. In America, Take a chance on me was a huge hit but the others were markedly less successful.

This is a wonderful collection of Abba's music. If you only want one Abba collection, this is a good one to choose.

Admit it, they're good!
This greatest hit set blows away previous ABBA greatest hits sets. It has all their hits and great album tracks, thereby completely making "Gold" and "More Gold" obsolete. Most people still refuse to acknowledge ABBA as a worthy musical entity simply because their music is poppy and their lyrics aren't socialogically significant. However their tunes and carefully crafted productions are, and will be timeless. The songwritering team of Anderson-Ulvaeus are as strong as Lennon and McCartney when crafting melodies. The two female vocalists, Anni-Frid and Agnetha, do a superb job of layering their vocals to fit the song. From the excitment of "Waterloo" to the disco beat of "Dancing Queen," from the horn-driven "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" to the super-low bass synth in "One of Us" this two disc has it all. Put them in your CD and let it go. Don't worry if you can't "get" what other artists are trying to tell you or if their "angst" doesn't move you. Just put ABBA on and smile. Good music does that. You'll be singing these songs for days. Sometimes good music doesn't have to be about anything---and thats what makes it good.

ABBA rules!
I also was in Jr. High School and High School when Abba was cranking out top 10 hits. In those days I snuck into the record shop and hid my Abba albums under the cover of Led Zeppelin and then ditched the Zeppelin at the check out counter. It was imperative to hide your face while purchasing Abba albums. They were that uncool. To admit you loved this group in geometry class was to court disaster and be ostracized for the rest of your life.

Such nonsense mattered as a 14 year old, now I can openly say Abba's music is wonderful and their arrangements were as innovative as anything coming out of the 70's. It is simply impossible to listen to Dancing Queen or Take a Chance on Me and not want to hear the songs again and again. The vocal intricacies on Take a Chance are equal to the harmonies on most Beach Boys records. How about Waterloo? Three minutes of the most pulsing, catchy music ever put on a disc.

Abba's music sounds better today than it ever did, particularly when you know what dreck was produced by other bands in the intervening years. They might not have been Dylanesque lyrically, but few have ever written songs with such clever hooks, bridges and infectious rhythm. Thirty years after the fact, the impossible has happened: Abba has finally become cool!

Renders "Abba Gold" obsolete
this 2 disc set of Abba spanning 1972-1982 (their entire run) is worth getting, even if it costs a little more than the famous Abba Gold. Abba has too many good songs for just one measly disc. For those who want more than one disc, but don't want to fork over $60 for the box set (which is a great box set if you like Abba enough), The Definitive Collection is the title for you. The best part is that except for the two "bonus" tracks at the end (the 12" remix of Voulez-Vous and the US single version of Ring Ring), everything on here is chronologically. Spanning 1972's People Needs Love to 1982's The Day Before You Came. I prefer it when compilation cd's are in chronological order instead of in a mishmash.

For the 3 people who still hate Abba, GET OVER IT!!! To deny Benny/Bjorn as great pop songwriters (IMO, in a league with Lennon/McCartney, Taupin/John and Brian Wilson in terms of writing great pop songs) is showing that you still hold the image of Abba against them. Get over it. Abba still rules and people will be listening to them until the end of time.

Folks, This Is Just Abba
Abba, when I first heard them on American radio in the 70's were considered an insipid, sacharine joke. That is what they still are. I am dismayed by the "reassessment" of this group that has taken place recently. Who's next-the classic Carpenters or the essential DeFranco family? ... Read more

Album Description

You want your '80s! Fer sure! This is the mother of alltributes to the era of skinny ties, Reaganomics, andPac-Man! Seven CDs, 142 hit songs, from New Wave to Pop toR&B to Hip-Hop to Novelty, including an incredible 49 #1tracks! Starring Queen, New Edition, Duran Duran, RichardMarx, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Men At Work, Toto, The Cure, Culture Club, Cyndi Lauper, Bryan Adams, Simple Minds,Bangles, New Kids On the Block...and many more. Plus a90-page book with hundreds of historical photos, facts, and memories from the decade that wanted it all! Limitededition sculpted rubber cover! Approx. 10 x 8 x 3/4 inches. 2002. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Doesn't compare to Rhino's 70's box
Okay, I'll concede this point: If you like a lot of 80's pop, from "new wave/new romantic/synth pop" to metal to plain-old top 40, you'll enjoy the music. I'll also concede that the art direction is both amusing and top-notch, in typical Rhino style. Their box sets are beyond compare in terms of presentation.

The problems: Almost all of these songs have been released on other 80's compilations, and many on Rhino's own product. Billy Crystal's novelty song is probably the rarest thing here. This is a general beef with Rhino, which reissues the same one or two tracks by a certain artist over and over as opposed to picking a lesser known hit. My guess is that most people likely to buy a package like this probably has at least some of Rhino's "Just Can't Get Enough" series, perhaps some of their Billboard 80's discs, and some other companies' compilations. I end up feeling like I pay $10 to $20 per song, or end up buying a package because I like the packaging! (It's true -- suckers are born every minute.)

What's most disappointing, however, is that Rhino did a much better job with their 70's box set. The 70's box set DID contain a few rarities from some big name artists. In fact, their "Have a Nice Decade" box is the ONLY place I'm aware of that one can buy the single version of David Bowie's "Fame" on cd. Similarly it was one of the first cd's to feature the single edit of Gladys Knight and the Pips' "Midnight Train to Georgia." These are just two examples. The only unusual sounding mix I heard on this box was the Romantics' "Talking In Your Sleep", and I didn't listen closely enough to be sure that there was something different about it.

The 70's box also had many interesting sound bites from the 70's (Nixon, Patty Hearst, etc) placed at amusing points during the program. The 80's box contains NO sound bites. This makes this box set more of a collection of tunes and less of an "experience." Sure, the music alone evokes nostalgia but sound clips from Reagan, Bush, Quayle, or "Murphy Brown" would have been interesting. Imagine a soundbite from the news of the shuttle exploding right before Peter Shilling's "Major Tom (Coming Home)". That's the kind of fun the 70's box provided.

I also thought the first essay in the booklet was lame, but that's neither here nor there.

I know that my critique may seem overly harsh to some. If I were reviewing this only for people who didn't have any 80's music on cd and wanted a great amount and variety of tunes, I'd certainly recommend this at the 5-star level. Somehow I don't think that is the primary market envisioned for this.

Is this enough '80s music for you?
My biggest gripe is this: there are seven CDs in this package, and my CD player only holds five CDs! :-(

OK, seriously, this is quite a comprehensive collection of 80's music, and just about every genre is represented to some extent. There's Eddie Rabbit, Blondie, New Edition, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Devo, Simple Minds, Duran Duran, just to name a few. Of course, though, it is heavy on the pop numbers, and it certainly brings back memories of high school for me, particularly since the collection seems to lean heavily toward early to mid '80s music. There's not much on it after 1987, which doesn't bother me personally, but I would have liked, for example, "We Didn't Start the Fire," by Billy Joel.

Indeed, that is the one problem with this collection, but that can be said for any collection. For all the wonderful songs on there, so many more were left off. There's nothing by A Flock of Seagulls, Journey, Michael Jackson, Madonna, and each artist that is there is represented only once. Why was The Thompson Twins represented with "Lies" and not "Hold Me Now" or "Doctor Doctor"? Where was Howard Jones? Still, it was well worth the money.

Now, I just need a CD player with more spaces . . .

Nice overview - may be addictive...
Be forewarned, the sugar-coated empty calories found in the LIKE, OMIGOD... box set from Rhino will just leave you wanting more. 142 tracks across seven CDs and it just scratches the surface on a shallow, yet oddly endearing decade.

LIKE, OMIGOD... hits almost all of the popularly acknowledged high points, including "867-5309/Jenny," "Tainted Love," "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," - as well as great novelty numbers and underground tunes like "Pac-Man Fever," "Da Da Da," and "Turning Japanese." While not in strict chronological order like Rhino's 70s set, HAVE A NICE DECADE, LIKE, OMIGOD... is well-sequenced and provides a relatively satisfying trip - as well as a great set for any party. No need for "random play" here - just load this set, hit "play" and dance away.

While this set is almost certainly a one-stop shop for the music fan simply looking for a well-balanced 80s collection, the completist and discerning collector will no doubt view this as the tip of the iceberg. Those such as myself, more enthralled with the simultaneous New Wave movement, will find lots more to love (approximately 300 tracks worth - with minimal duplication) in Rhino's 15-volume JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH 80s collection. Even then, LIKE, OMIGOD... will spur you on to fill up your shopping cart with with entire albums by Billy Squier, Duran Duran, The Fixx, Pretenders and more.

The only downside to be found is that LIKE, OMIGOD... also forces the listener to take the bad with the good (or the worse with the bad?), presenting end-of-the-decade stinkers such as New Kids on the Block and Richard Marx toward the end of the seventh disc. For this listener, those musical tragedies are still too recent, too terrible to revisit with any degree of nostalgia.

As gaudily packaged as the decade it represents, LIKE, OMIGOD... is presented in a hardcover book format identical to HAVE A NICE DECADE and contains a similar full-color booklet complete with essays, trivia, 80s timeline and notes on each of the performers and songs included. The sound of the CDs, as with all Rhino product, is pristine. As for the sound of some of the music - well, you can't blame Rhino...

FREAKIN' AWESOME COLLECTION!
I can't tell you how many 80's compilations I have and, aside from each of them usually having the same couple songs, like The Fixx or Squeeze, (which isn't on here), you're always surprised when you listen to a compilation by which songs you hear that you never knew the name for and all of a sudden you're "like, omigod! (no pun intended) That's THAT song!?! I KNOW that song!" LOL...hearing a lot of these brought back some great eighties memories for me, even though I was only a kid back then. This compilation had most of my fave 80's songs on it, so I could just copy the one or two songs off my other compilations, make one CD out of them, and sell the rest. I advise anyone who's interested in this to do the same. But read Amazon's list of songs first, if you haven't already, to make sure your favorites are on here. Definitely worth the money, considering you're getting seven CD's, so it equals out to about ten dollars or so per CD, (I got mine for $73). As further proof, I'm letting my co-worker listen to disc 6 right now and she's so impressed, she's downloading it to her hard drive at work and will be purchasing it with her next check to bring it home! :-p If you love 80's, get this compilation. No collection is complete without it. Plus, the awesome booklet it comes with gives you a little info on each song, a historical timeline following the songs, and many many many colorful photographs! Impressive and worth it!

A must for any 80s fan!
Like, OmiGod! This set is awesome! It has almost every song that came out from any one hit wonder during the 80s like You Dropped a Bomb on Me (The Gap Band) and Turning Japanese (The Vapors). It's definitely a pop culture box with its songs on General Hospital, Pac Man and Valley Girls. This is a must for anyone who still dwells on the decade of E.T. and The Breakfast Club. Not to mention that I'm a huge Star Wars fan and it has a medly from The Empire Strikes Back. ... Read more

Reviews (89)

yanni never disappoints!
This is a masterpiece of New Age keyboardist Yanni .

I was so disappointed to read in the above review "Not as good as Scorpions" smth about Yanni and Scorpions??????This is totally untrue! After graduation Yanni began playing keyboards for the Minneapolis rock group Chameleon and he later went on to a solo career. The rest is history. I like rock music too, but this cd has nothing to do with it!If you like rock music and you can't listen to anything else, this cd and many others are not for you.

Thanks to the universality of his inspiring music, Yanni's best-seller, Live at the Acropolis, sold at record levels all over the world, and his concerts drew thousands in places ranging from China to Europe to South Africa.Please give this a try, you won't regret it.

PS:(((To B from Carbondale, IL United States who left the awfull, untrue review:

Have you ever been to Acropolis?Have you ever read anything about Acropolis? I am amazed you can talk like that about the Acropolis, the site of four of the greatest masterpieces of classical Greek art - the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Erechtheum and the Temple of Athena Nike .

As a scientist and as a human I am disgusted of your lack of culture and respect to human history and to greek achievement. You should write again and apoligize.)))

new age pretentious drivel
I was given this album by a friend for my birthday, I DID try listening to it (to give my above friend a chance, who adores Yanni) I found it to be laughably awful (or awfully laughable) I have to give Yanni credit though.....for laughing all the way to the bank!! All the songs have a "sameness" about them, not a whit of individuality anywhere, seems to cash in on the current trend for new age pretentious drivel.

Fantastic!!! Absolutely Awesome Music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unbelievably Amazing!!! I just love Yanni's music! I feel as though I have grown up with his music all my life. I never really realized how his music touches my heart and soul. It is the way it plays his music, such as, Santorini, Keys to Imagination......Who says you can't dance to his music? Even my mother just can't understand that with feeling, rhythm and beat, one can dance to anything! Acroyali/Standing in Emotion is wonderfully composed perfectly! No one could compare to Yanni's music. Within Attraction , Nostalgia and even Swept Away, and Reflections of Passion emit soooooooooo much emotion. I will never forget when I spoke to Yanni when he was on Channel 2 for a special event.

Probably the best of the Yanni albums
With each of the orchestral instruments individually mic'd, it is no surprise that this cd delivers a rich and satisfying sound. Reflections of Passion is beautiful as always and One Man's Dream doesn't fall short of a simple masterpiece. Not everyone will love this album, but if you like instrumental music, you won't be disappointed. If you do enjoy Yanni, also check out a new artist by the name of Josh Kramer. His album is called "Stepping Out". It is almost like a combination of Jim Brickman (with added talent) and Yanni, with flares of Danny Elfman and Rachmaninoff here and there. I found it here on Amazon.com

A Wonderful and Historic Live Concert
This is a breathtakingly good album. It features many of Yanni's most loved compositions perfomed in the dramatic live setting of the Acropolis in his native Greece.
What a treat listeners are in for with the wonderful Royal Philharmonic Orchestra accompanying Yanni, and giving his music a magical touch. They really do help showcase Yanni's fantastic material. The whole concert is masterfully conducted by Shardad Rohani.
I love all the tracks, and the fact it is live, helps bring this album to life. I also recommend the Video/DVD that was made of this historic and extremely ambitious concert.
If you can get the UK version of this album from Amazon.com's sister site, Amazon.co.uk, it contains the added bonus of Aria as the last track which is beautiully sung and is one of my favourite pieces.
Written when, for me, Yanni was at his peak, this CD is excellent from start to finish and I give this album my highest recommendation. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Crystal Method's Legion of Boom lives up to its title, dropping blasts of thumping samples, catchy riffs, and dependable grooves. But as with previous records like 2001's Tweekend, a chaotic, industrial darkness lurks around the edges that has little in common with the sheen of commercial dance. Many still compare Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland to the Chemical Brothers and their Big Beat, arena-pleaser cousins. But Boom sounds more like Nitzer Ebb in a good mood, or an angst-free Front 242. The duo has invited another batch of touchy-feely artists to contribute, like those noted softies Wes Borland and John Garcia, formerly of Limp Bizkit and Kyuss, respectively. Don't think for a second they aren't all having a blast, mixing in big, dumb hair metal with abandon. Most fun of all is the boost singer/actress Milla Jovovich gives to "I Know It's You," weaving her tweaked voice through a forest of tangled keyboards. With its bombastic techno-jams, Legion of Boom definitely makes for a tasty party record. Just keep the lights down as low as the bass end if you really want to capture the mood. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (93)

"Legion" is pure Method
"Legion of Boom" is pure Crystal Method. the Method is exploring and finding new layers. They're not as smooth as they were in "Vegas" but they're taking risks that pay off.

The Highs - The first track "Starting Over" has a slow techno start that evolves into a dynamic "zing grind" that gives me the chills! The single "Born Too Slow" alone is worth getting the CD! I love Wes Borland guitar with the awesome spin-back riffs. The amusing video is included for a "rich CD experience". "True Grit" feels more like the classic "High Roller" from "Vegas" with it's pulsing echoey depth. "The American Way" has an terrific industrial anthem feel. The slap bass of "High and Low" evolves into a real adrenaline burst.

The Lows - The jangly "Acetone" and "Bound Too Long" with its stretched rubberband feel and goofy vocals are not includable on my first compilation. "Broken Glass" and "Weapons of Mass Distortion" don't have the hooks for dance and are too disjoined for atmosphere.

The Mid - "Realizer" is a good vocal-based dance number. "I Know It's You" with the vocal's provided by on/off star Milla Jovovich is atmospheric with some recycled algorythms from "Vegas"

"Legion of Boom" has more highs than "Tweekend" and could be my favorite Method. Only time will tell. I do love the Method. I try to explain my affinity for the Crystal Method to my older friends and am at a loss for words. I guess "BigBeat/Dance/Electronica" is those who've grown up in the video game generation. I love to workout to these tunes, I push myself harder and go longer with these driving beats at my back.

Nothing gets my pulse pounding and my brain sharpened like The Crystal Method, masters of the "audio-vibro-thrill."

Great, consistent body of work
That's what TCM is moving toward at this moment. It boggles my mind how a lot of magazine i.e. blender, rolling stone and spin gave this cd bad reviews saying that it sounded "outdated" and like something from the 90's whereas rock bands like the Strokes, the Darkness or whomever else blatantly rip off previous bands work and get there fellated in the press. American media has it out for dance music in general especially any artists from our own country, when Basement Jaxx or Daft Punk or whoever else comes out with an album they're called heroes because they're from Europe. Meanwhile we have a group here in the US he keeps giving us amazing albums but is slowly becoming ignored in the press, AFTER GOING PLATINUM WITH VEGAS!!! obviously no one knows how to market these bands so the bigwigs are happy so they're put on the shelf and hopefully they sell. Well anyway get this album you'll enjoy it, it's completely danceable and listenable when just relaxing as well.
P.S. I don't dislike any of the bands mentioned in this review I'm just using them as examples, but the Vines and the Hives do suck though.

Made my mind tingle
This disc was suggested to me, and was I ever glad I looked into it. From the first track to the last, I never found myself skipping anything, and more often than not, I hit the replay button when I reached the end. LEGION OF BOOM kept me company while I worked for more than two weeks, and I still revisit when I need something to get my blood moving and my thoughts jumping. Sharp and crisp, with enough confident strength to catch and hold my interest. Favorites on the disc: "The American Way," "I Know It's You," and "Wide Open."

Boring
I was hooked the first time I heard their first LP, Vegas, about 5 years ago or so. When Tweakend came out, I thought, decent album, but doesn't touch Vegas.

Legion of Boom is a very boring album. Everytime I try to put it in I give it the benefit of a doubt. I figure maybe the last time I listened to it I was just tired, or I wasn't open to a new sound.

Wrong.

This album is just boring as hell. There is nothing in this album that keeps my attention. For anyone who thinks they are just growing musically, well, just keep thinking that I guess. They sound bored. Maybe they've made too much money with their songs appearing in commercials and movies, and they have just gotten lazy.

Come on guys, light a fire under you so we can be wowed again.

Uneven.
Legion Of Boom doesn't have bass. Legion Of Boom IS bass. The Crystal Method's third album is a loud, in-your-face blowout of basslines and guitars. I said Tweekend was the evil little brother of Vegas; this time around, Legion is the evil little brother of Tweekend, if that's at all possible.

The album starts strong, with the great opening track Starting Over. The big single off this album Born Too Slow follows, though frankly it's my least favorite number on the album. Unfortunately, after this point, the album seems to lose focus. True Grit and The American Way feel very much like "filler" tracks. I Know It's You starts incredibly well, but unfortunately climaxes in a harsh medley of high-pitch screeching noises; disappointing, to say the least. Realizer is immediately forgettable, though Broken Glass has a great beat and style that echoes of some of Tweekend's better aspects. Thankfully, the album picks up some momentum here. Weapons Of Mass Distortion is intense and clearly the successor to the great Name Of The Game. Bound Too Long isn't bad at all, and from here the album gets decidely more electronic, with less focus on guitars. Acetone is stellar, and sounds more like a grown-up track from their debut album, Vegas. The two closing tracks, High And Low and Wide Open, also seem more Vegas inspired than Tweekend, and do a great job of finishing the CD pleasantly.

Vegas was all about flash. Tweekend was attitude. Legion is bass. It's unfortunately the weakest of the Method's three CDs, its high moments marred by the uninspired and boring filler. While it refines both the Tweekend and Vegas sounds, it brings nothing new of its own to the table. Worth a listen, but not a "must have." ... Read more

Album Description

Multimedia phenomenon Brandy rose to superstardom in the '90s while only in her mid-teens, and was one of the decade's most successful new talents. Her string of smashes soared to the heights of the R&B and pop charts, as did her top-selling albums. The young recording artist and actress also reaped major acclaim in the television world with her hit sitcom Moesha, and the starring role in Disney's beloved TV adaptation of Cinderella. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

ALL OF THE BEST OF BRANDY!
IT HAS ALL OF BRANDY'S GREATEST HITS! THESE ARE THE ORGINALS RECORDNGS. THIS IS NOT A REMIX ALBUM OR SOMETHING THROWN TOGETEHR. THIS IS A GREAT COLECTION FOR ANY BRANDY FAN. :)

{ HALF & HALF }
a 90's fan from (syracuse,new york)
BRANDY'S FIRST TWO CD'S WERE GREAT;HER LAST TWO WERE NOT!
BUT BRANDY DID PAVE THE WAY FOR PEOPLE LIKE BRITNEY SPEARS AND
PINK!
IF YOU (DO NOT) HAVE ANY OF BRANDY'S CD'S PICK THIS UP! IF YOU
HAVE ALL OF HER CD'S:OR EVEN THE FIRST 2 DON'T!

Full Circle
When you think about purchasing a "Greatest Hits" or "Best Of" CD, usually you may get some of the hits but not all, then you have to still search around and make up your own "hits" cd with all your favorite tracks.Well that is not the case with this package.This is one of the few compilations that give you the full picture and the complete story.Brandy has released several solid efforts over the past ten years and the best of the best is represented here in all her hits.They even included
"Brokenhearted" (w/ Wanya From Boyz II Men) "Sittin Up In My Room" "Rock With You" and the remix to "I Wanna Be Down" (w/ Queen Latifah, MC LYTE, & Yo Yo)This is one cd where you won't have to press the skip button even once.

It's about time for a Greatest Hits CD
Brandy has been great from the start, from "I Wanna Be Down" to "Talk About Our Love". I've been saying all along that her record company should do a greatest hits CD of her career. It should have been called "A Decade of Brandy (1994-2004)

Amazing greatest hits album...5+++stars
When I first found out that Brandy was releasing a greatest hits album last year I was sort of nervous seeing that she only had 4 albums...but I love her and I knew I had to get it...I couldn't have been happier.
MY RATINGS:
1. "Baby" (10/10)
2. "Best Friend" (10/10)
3. "I Wanna Be Down" (10/10)
4. "Brokenhearted (f/ Wanya Morris)" (10/10)
5. "Angel In Disguise" (9/10)
6. "The Boy Is Mine (duet w/ Monica)" (10/10)
7. "Almost Doesn't Count" (10/10)
8. "Top Of The World (f/ Mase)" (10/10)
9. "U Don't Know Me (Like U Used To) (f/ Shaunta & Da Brat)" (10/10)
10. "Have You Ever?" (10/10)
11. "Full Moon" (9/10)
12. "What About Us?" (10/10)
13. "Who Is She 2 U" (8/10)
14. "Talk About Our Love (f/ Kanye West)" (9/10)
15. "Sittin' Up In My Room" (10/10)
16. "Rock With You (Quincy Jones w/ Brandy & Heavy D) (8/10)
17. "Another Day In Paradise (w/ Ray J)" (9/10)
18. I Wanna Be Down (Remix f/ Queen Latifah, Yoyo & MC Lyte)" (10/10)
It's a great album thats shows her success well. In my opinion, They could've left out ROCK WITH YOU (which wasn't even that popular) and replaced it with MISSING YOU or AFRODISIAC. ... Read more

Reviews (180)

Excellent - but (unfortunately) non-adventurous
I love Seal. From early on in the "Crazy"/"Bring It On" days, through the gorgeous "Kiss From A Rose", his music has been as sleek as a finely tailored suit. Deep rich vocals, gorgeous instrumentation and just-right production (primarily from Trevor Horn) are hallmarks of everything he's ever released.
This is as true as ever on Seal (IV). And while the disc represents a move toward more introspective and "I care about the world" type lyrics, most of these songs would have fit nicely on Seal 1, 2 or 3. That's mildly disappointing, because there has to be an untapped potential to his artistry.
Seal ups the ante when it comes to dance beats this time out, and the strongest songs are the ones that really move your feet. "Get It Together" is a monster, all Philly-style soul with excellent house beats and gorgeous strings. "Let ME Roll" is an even better use of horns, which meld perfectly with some outstanding electronica touches and an impassioned vocal. And "My Vision" is possibly the best blending of techno and ballad styled music to be released this year.
There are, as always, some gorgeous slow ballads on this disc - and fortunately, Seal has mostly stayed away from the audlt contemporary style that he seemed to enjoy on his follow ups to "Kiss From A Rose". Here 2 songs in particular, "Touch" and "Loneliest Star" show the guy is the equivalent of Sade when it comes to quiet-storm styled R&B set to both lull and seduce the listener. Seal's even open enough to give a reggae song a try, and while "Where There's Gold" is not a killer cut, it is nice to hear his great pipes trying their best to expand in range.
This is great material - I just wish that there was something really "new" here - supposedly, Seal was finishing a different album (titled Togetherland)that was more adventurous than anything previous, but he was unhappy with the results, and returned to London to work with Horn. Here's hoping that some of these tracks find their way to the public - it would be great to hear what other styles or rhythms he works in.

Seal branches out w/ mixed results
Seal really tries on some different styles on this album - reggae, classic R&B - and for the most part succeeds. The best tracks are "Don't Make Me Wait", a beautiful Ray Charles-esque soul ballad whose arrangement is quite traditional (piano with string flourishes), and "Where There's Gold", a downtempo, somewhat ominous track with a reggae bassline and a great lyric.

Overall this does feel like a compromise record - keep in mind that Warner refused to release the "Wonderland" album because they couldn't market it(maybe someday it'll see the light of day), and certainly a lot of tracks here feel like they're intended for the pop charts. There's few weak tracks (the syrupy "Love's Divine" and the bland "Touch") but also few standouts - nothing that grabs you on the first listen like the tracks on his 2nd album.

I wish Seal would try a different producer - I've always felt that Seal's best tracks are the ones where his voice can stand out the most & the backing music is spartan ("Whirlpool" being the best example), and unfortunately Trevor Horn feels the need to bring the synth in at every point (I would have loved to see them keep the acoustic-y feel from the intro & break of "Get it Together" through the entire song rather than ladling on the disco synth-strings & horns).

Although this album does stand up to his previous work, overall I would say that this album is the least enjoyable of the four. Still, the man could sing the phone book and I'd listen, and so even a below-average effort from Seal is still worth buying.

Seal Does It Again
It seems that anything Seal sings is destined to be good, and IV is no different. Like his three previous albums the music is top quality, dominated by Seal's powerful voice. The cuts vary from up-tempo R&B to soft ballads. This album is right in the middle of Seal's ability, and although he doesn't reach to try something radically new it is still a great listen.

From the opening notes of piano and Seal's voice on "Get It Together" it is easy to hear this album is worthwhile. Starting with the upbeat dance feel tune of vocal gymnastics, Seal rushes back to the scene. "My Vision" is classic Seal letting his voice carry the beginning of the tune, as the accompaniment is barely noticeable before they jump in with force. The music experiments with different levels of intensity all held together by Seal's voice. He gets back into more R&B sounds with "Let Me Roll." His slow stuff is good too, but how could it not be with a voice like his. "Don't Make Me Wait" is soft yet powerful, and "Love's Divine" follows suit.

Let's face it, we buy Seal albums for his voice. His is one of the best in the business, and even if he played the same music over and over and only changed how he sang, we'd buy it too. The music is the canvas on which he uses his voice to paint vivid pictures of soul and feeling. If you're a Seal fan, this album is definitely worth it.

Feels a bit incomplete
Seal's 4th album "Seal IV" is his first since "Human Beeing" in 1998 but it's far from as good as previous albums. He and longtime collaborator Trevor Horn desperately try to make miracles of a album that never reaches above it's potential. Seal's somehow raspy voice is always pleasant to listen to but none of the songs here comes close to classics such as "Prayer For The Dying" "Kiss From a Rose" or "Crazy". They have also tried to make a new sound, a soulish motown sound, which doesn't suit the image of true Seal music. This album is far from bad, with many decent songs like the catchy disco influented "Get it Together" the ballad "Lover's Devine" and up-tempo "My Vision". The sound of many songs are great, but the lyrics fall plain. There aren't songs with magical hooks either. I would have like remixes on a few songs. The potential is there but it Feels a bit incomplete and messy. listen before buying.

Amazing CD!!!!
I can highly recommend this CD to everyone. It is an amazing mix of ballads and more upbeat songs that plays wonderfully in the background at dinner time and at partys or just for you when you enjoy a relaxing evening at home. This is a CD that gets better and better, the more you listen to it. I have to confess that when I listend to it the very first time, I wasn't that impressed but the more I played the CD the better it got. But this is what makes great music, listening to pieces without getting tired of it. I love this CD and I am sure that you won't regret this purchase. WEll Done, Seal ;-))) I am a big fan ;-) ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Assignment: To write 100 words on 56 songs by the greatest artist the '80s produced. Even with single edits substituting for full-length versions in a handful of cases, The Hits/The B-Sides is a mighty testament to the man we once called Prince. (For that matter, we still do.) In addition to most of his singles, from "I Wanna Be Your Lover" to "Thieves in the Temple," from "When Doves Cry" to "7," this triple-CD set throws in some worthwhile new music and a full disc of the fantastic flips that made buying 7- and 12-inches a must even when you already owned the A-side. "You can be the side effect," he mutters herein. "I'd rather be the dope." Witness some of the funkiest pharmaceuticals around. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (54)

All The Goodies
Prince has always been a outgoing artist, whether he plays pop, rock, or R&B. I know that their has never been a compilation that sums up his full career, from 1978-1993. When this was released, it had become a glittering item in his catalog. Some may call it a greatest hits compilation, some might call it a box set, but it is a testament of one of the biggest stars in the 80's and 90's. One of my biggest disappointments were the tracks, they were edited. That's alright, because we all know his songs and albums. This collection will also tell us that he was leaving Warner Brothers soon, making his own record label called NPG Records. The B-sides disc is full of singles: that never made it on any Prince album and some unreleased material including the stunning, Power Fanastic. This is the ultimate Prince collection, in my opinion.

Royal Box but with a few missing ¿Nobles¿
3 CDs of the best material Prince did for Warners at the time? Well, that is such a hard task to perform that it seems that someone just didn't bother to and let this one go in a few areas. Don't get me wrong. Some of these songs are indeed the jams of whatever year they came out, and even after that, but doesn't something seem missing.

Let's go in chronological for the "Hits" albums. "Soft And Wet" off his first album is sexy disco laced R&B. Before the genre got out of style, he gave it a rocky funk pace on hits like the unforgettable bass jam "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and the similar paced "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad". Things get even more interesting when his royal badness gets into social commentary on "Controversy". 1982 brought "1999" and its relevantly funky dance title track along with the smooth pop of "Little Red Corvette". Then came a barrage of hit from "Purple Rain". The album that truly could classify him as the artist from a beautiful rock title track with light touches to masterful dance brilliance in "When Doves Cry" to rebellion on the right side rock of "Let's Go Crazy". The man could do no wrong.... Then came more unique eighties hits like psychedelic "Raspberry Beret" and smothering heat on "Kiss". "Sign Of The Times" is well represented on this set with good reason. Prince really made a difference its smart title track (smart stories that are still relevant today) and just made you happy with a fun duet still hot at time Sheena Easton on the commercial clash dance of "U Got The Look". Then with a separation from the Revolution, Prince made a funky R&B b line to grace the dance floors with hot steam with The New Power Generation on hits like hip hop laced "Gett Off", sexy pop rock of "Cream" and the sophisticated worldly "7". For even more appreciation of this early nineties feel for music, listen to "unreleased" songs like "Peach" and "Pope". Talk about a dirty mind! A brilliant one too, so what is the problem? Well, there are two main one. One is missing hits. I mean, I guess you can't have it all, but why cut out everything from "Batman"? Was it that much of a shame to him? "Batdance" was in fact a number 1 in the US and was a killer dance groove that made the movie have a new life. Oh well. That's not that much of a problem, because you can always by the albums for those missing tracks, but why do some songs have to be cut down to size ("When Doves Cry") and others are in a way to long forum ("Sexy MF"). Another oh well. Even Prince isn't perfect, or maybe he just didn't care.

The "B Sides" are pretty cool for the most part. Nothing touches the steamy dance funk of "Erotic City" with very special guests like George Clinton and Sheila E. Its one of those songs that managed to become a radio hit without trying as did the bouncy pop rock tune of "17 Days". Instant gratification with the Revolution on that one. Then early "Prince sounding" funkers like "Horny Toad" and light lovers like "She's Always In My Hair". Other than those, and the Gospel truth of "God", there is a bit of filler. Still good stuff and worth a listen.

In all, there is just too much missing here. I would love nothing more than to just think of what a great set of hits are on here, but with edits, missing hits ("My Name is Prince" also comes to mind now) and a little bit of excess on the B-sides, Prince fans will fell the strain. Still a must have, but get a few actual albums first and enjoy those. Don't get the overload all at once.

An Excellent Collection
Call him a genius, a wizard, a lengend, or just far ahead of his time. But the one thing you cannot call him is lazy. This magnum opus of music is far better than any greatest hits collection you can find of Prince, after one listen you can easily say that Prince Rogers Nelson is an icon.

Disc 1 & 2 are his released tracks from his Warner Brothers albums, and though the tracks aren't in chroniclogical order, it is well worth the funky voyage. With tracks like "Let's Go Crazy", "Dirty Mind", "1999", amongst others this album speaks for the legend in his own time. The Hits (disc 1 & 2) are sold individually.

Disc 3 is the real treat, they are the B-sides of the hits he released as singles. What makes this a prize is it's not like these tracks are not bad, they are excellent, as a matter of fact after one listen you'll wonder why Prince did not put thes on an album. The highlights are "Irresistable Bitch", "Feel U Up", and "She's Always In My Hair".

Warner Brothers released this when Prince opted out of his Warner Brothers contract, so to keep the fans happy they released the previously unreleased material.

To cut a long story short, this album is not a waste of time, listening and the most part money. 5 Stars all the way

Worth only for the B-SIDES But missing some hits
I have written quite a bit on Prince's Warner Bros. dispute,its aftermath and all the problems with their handeling of his music catalog however, things only got worse with the release of The Hits/The B Sides.I originally purchased this on its release date in 1993 and was looking forward to getting the Bsides I was missing on CD. Back then it was a little tougher getting a decent collection of his B-sides unless you had the original singles on vinyl. I've been a Prince fan for at least 20 years and have collected his work on vinyl (albums, maxi singles and 7 in. singles) so, this package was a treat a the time however, I couldn't say the same about the A sides (the Hits) after one listen. Most of the tracks are the single edits and therefore rather unattractive since they fare lighter than their original full length counterparts. The sequence is also rather off since it begins with When Doves Cry and somehow works its way into earlier Prince. I wasn't thrilled to find out that WB skimped out on his better work from albums like PARADE,SIGN o THE TIMES,THE BATMAN SOUNDTRACK (Batdance was a #1 HIT)as well as some of his ballads. Instead, we get complete throwaway stuff like Peach and Pope which are great songs but when were they hits???? I would have rather liked the inclusion of Scandalous, Batdance, Mountains, and Money Don't Matter Tonight. The liner notes for the collection offered a great deal of information and great pictures but that does not excuse WB from missing out on some of his better stuff. Listening to some of the B-sides such as Power Fantastic,For the Tears in Your Eyes and How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore? is the only real reason I have kept this disc set for over 11 years now. If you are really into Prince I would recommend this set for the B-sides and push for the original full length albums instead. The full length songs are best when left unedited for the listener experience, musical genius and overall appreciation of the music itself.

There have been many kings, but only one...PRINCE!!
There have been many Kings, but only 1 PRINCE....
Has there ever been a collection of music that not only defines an artist and his entire catalogue, but pop culture from 1978 to 1990. This is one of the best musical purchases I have made. After buying this collection I'll be ready for any song that Prince plays at his concert in August. DISC 1: I love this disc. There are only a few songs I have heard on here. I love the classics like, WHEN DOVES CRY, LETS GO CRAZY, 1999, I COULD NEVER TAKE THE PLACE OF YOUR MAN, ADORE (my favorite) , AND I FEEL FOR YOU. But I found songs like SOFT AND WET and UPTOWN completely funky. I loved the ballads like DIAMONDS AND PEARLS featuring Rosie Gaines. PINK CASHMERE is so smooth and he's gonna make her a coat of...guess what? ALPHABET ST. is funky and playful, I love the rap in the middle too. SIGN O THE TIMES is very socially-conscious and teaches a lesson with every lyric. THIEVES IN THE TEMPLE is very rockish probably the most different song on this cd. DIAMONDS AND PEARLS is one of the most beautifully written love songs next to Adore and Nothing Compares to you. Rosie Gaines sings her ass off on this one. The last song on disc 1 is 7, is a very catchy song that shows Prince loving through thick and thin. DISC 2: CONTROVERSY, is a very funky track were Prince is retaliating back at all the B.S. he encounters. DIRTY MIND, is a very 80s sounding track that talks of him just wanting to lay ya'. I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER, is one of my fave Prince tracks its so funky and just oozes his ability to combine funk, pop, and pure musicianship. HEAD, is one of Prince's nastiest tracks. Even to this day, it's a shocker. DO ME BABY, is one of my fave Prince songs and very sexy, probably one of the sexiest songs he's done. A true burner! From numbers 7-11 is the highlight of the entire collection. These are the best string of songs from Corvette, to I would die for you, to beret, to if I was your girlfriend, to my fave up-jam from Prince Kiss. LITTLE RED CORVETTE has some of Prince's most personal and heartfelt lyrics even though have a hint of sexuality. if you don't know the words...u don't know the song. Sexy M.F. to Gett Off, to Cream are some of Prince's raunchiest. And how can you forget the spiritual PURPLE RAIN I love it, it can bring you to tears. One of his true bests. DISC 3: Are songs that you would never hear unless you bought the vinyl singles and heard the B-sides, but there are good b-sides like 200 BALLOONS, EROTIC CITY, SHE'S ALWAYS IN MY HAIR, HOW COME..., and POWER FANTASTIC At first I was skeptical about buying this cd, (even though I only paid 27 for it, I bought it at one of those hole in the wall shops). It was well worth it. I am now a Prince fanatic. His music has so many levels. The music is one, everyone can jam to a beat or croon to a slow jam, but after that there are his lyrics, and there is so much truth honesty, and brilliance. PRINCE IS ONE IN A MILLION!! BUY THIS SET! YOU WON'T NEED ANYTHING ELSE!! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Power, Corruption & Lies established New Order's identity separate from its previous incarnation as Joy Division. Containing "Blue Monday," one of the most sacredly important dance songs of all time, this album truly stands not only as New Order's most defining moment but perhaps as the most standard-setting moment in alternative dance. Yet as definitive as they may be, New Order have outsmarted any copycats. Owing in substantial part to Peter Hook's prominent and melodic bass lines, New Order's songs have always aspired to a complexity that maintains the band's timelessness. Rarely formulaic, New Order's songs are seldom overwhelmed by a four-on-the-floor throb. But interesting rhythms are just one facet of this musical diamond. Their foreboding, grim, and often just plain heartbreaking lyrics present a contradiction to most dance-pop songs, whose lyrics are almost always uplifting or even evangelical. With this album, New Order cut a path for themselves that was rarely, if ever, explored by other artists. --Beth Bessmer ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Excellent, but these other reviewers are way wrong!
First things first, this album came out in 1983, not 1988 (it made it to the CD format that year). Its fab, but I must say Low-life and Technique are better, especially when you consider that Blue Monday and its b-side, the Beach were NOT on the original album. Thats why you never heard of it back then! They were added to it when it was put on the CD, email me if you don't believe me, I've got it on vinyl, with just 8 songs. 586 was Blue Monday's precursor and appears here originally and on this one, note the keyboard similarities? Anyway, a fab album by New Order. Age of Consent still rocks.

Not their best, but very close to perfect.
Right then, another album, another review. This is the start of New Order for real, not their confused (yet superb) beginnings. Basically, I own all their CD's (nearly) and I can safely say this is their second best album (After Technique) Simply because my incarnation of it does not have BLUE MONDAY on it. But that's alright as it's on substance. This is actually a blessing in disguise because with Blue Monday the Album is overshadowed by its sheer inspired nature (not to mention the fact that 586 is an even less subtle re-hash of it when placed right beside its better brother). It would, for instance be all too easy to forget the fantastic Age of Consent, the beautiful " Village" and the serene wonderful and amazing "Your silent face" possibly the best album track they ever recorded (Though this is contended by "Face Up" and possibly "Dream Attack") the rest of the songs on this album are catchy and likeable, the highlight being "Ecstasy" as, unlike low life's "Elegia" and Republic's last track it is actually an istrumental that it is fun to listen to. Surprised? All in all, it was an amazing development in the Pop Music world and without Blue Monday (probably one of the top ten singles of all time) Rave, Madchester, even Modern Music as a whole would never have existed. Not bad for the same bunch of lads who started Grunge, eh? Just skip 586. It's really not that worthwhile.

"A Thousand Islands in the Sea, It's a Shame."
this is one of my favorite albums of all time. (look in my "so you want to..." lists to see what accompanies it if you want to). I'll tell you what about 1/2 of the other reviews already have, and that is that the original album didn't include "blue monday" or "the beach". it's true that the album does flow together more smoothly without them, but they aren't entirely unwelcome (though the last song really SHOULD be "leave me alone"; it's like adding something on after "some girls are bigger than others", know what i mean?) this is very moving music that never, ever feels smarmy. it's cold and detached while being warm and involving. i know that sounds impossable, but it's true. ok, yeah, as previously indicated, "age of consent", "the village", "your silent face", and "leave me alone" really are the best songs on the album, but the others aren't bad songs at all, it's just that these songs are so superb. these songs are all etheral stunners, and this album was the first masterpiece of the new genre.

Overrated
I don't understand why people seem to consider this album a classic, or New Order's best. Summer's voice just hasn't quite matured yet, as evidenced on 'We All Stand' and 'Ultraviolence' and others; he still sounds uncertain. Lyrically, as in the future, many of the songs are weak; a lot of them are just vaguely existentialist nonsense laid over some pretty music. It seems like the pall of Joy Division is still over them - the same dreary mood, without the genius of Curtis to make it work.

That said, the only way it seems to me that you could form the idea of this album being a classic is if you only listened to the first track, 'Age of Consent,' which is a masterpiece in every way; music, vocals, lyrics. 'Blue Monday,' of course, is also strong, and 'The Village' is a catchy and endearing track, with more interesting lyrics than most. The others songs, though, have either decent lyrics or strong music, and some are just unlistenable. I don't think that by any means New Order peaked with this album; God help the if they did. Thankfully, they kept evolving.

New Order's best
While Movement is an excellent record, the vocals and lyrics are like Joy Division watered-down. This record represents a clean break from the band's past, and more importantly, the songs are brilliant.

While the vocal ability of the singer is questionable, even with the heavy straining in Age of Consent, the songs are very appealing. I especially love The Village, Blue Monday, and Ecstasy. This record is one of the best of the 1980s. It stands head and shoulders above most other New Order records (especially Brotherhood), although Technique is pretty good.

The only sore spot on the CD is "The Beach" - which wasn't on the LP I gather. It doesn't belong on the CD - at least not without a big "empty space" between it and the true last song. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Viennese trippers Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister fry up beats like a fine Wiener schnitzel. With crisp percussion, tender melodies, and subtle bass flavor, they more than know their way around the production kitchen. Take the remix skills of these two chefs de musique; add a dash of fresh electronic ingredients, including Roni Size, Rockers Hi-Fi, David Holmes, Alex Reece, and others; run it through a beats processor; and you have one sumptuous and definitely not calorie-free meal. Tastier sound bites can be sampled during the Roni Size "Heroes" course, as K&D strip down and reconstruct a new and improved recipe for downtempo soul. Lip-smacking good. --Daniel Shumate ... Read more

Reviews (118)

Lay back and groove
I bought this CD because of the overwhelming positive comments I read about it here. Consequently there is not much to add but rather to reinforce that this is an excellent CD. The Austrian duo of Kruder and Dorfmeister create a fantastic double disc mix of electronica that is earthy and laid back. The master mixers rework the talents of such diverse acts as Depeche Mode, Count Basic and Bone Thugs 'N' Harmony just to name a few. Of the two discs I prefer disc two as it is more uptempo. Disc one is more downbeat and if you don't watch out you could be (zzzz) chilling more than you wanted. The songs fit into a variety of styles that include dub and dropping big beats, jazzy trip-hop, ambient with bleeps and tweeks, r& b laced reverb beats, and acid jazz to create a lush tectural sound that is sophisticated. The end result is music that is sensual and intimate, stylish and visceral and at times even eerie. The cold edges blend perfectly with the warm earthy textures to create the sound that is uniquely the print of master mixers D&F. The laid back sound is the perfect back drop at the end of a hectic urban day of survival, music to chill to. K&D have their pulse on this wave of electronica. Their music is one that will carry well into the 21st century, a footprint in the development of electronica that is walking with sure steps.

A Definitive Session Collection
The perfect music for almost any mood. I use it both to hype up and to chill out. Just as the title suggests, this two-disc record reads like a jam session, with seamless tracks that transport you from jungle music (check out the resmoking of "Heroes" by Roni Size/Reprazent) to rap ("1st of tha Month" by Bone, Thugs 'n Harmony). You are convinced at the end of disc one that you've been listening to the same track (it probably doesn't help that some of the songs are not only long as hell, but also have redundant riffs...but i suppose that's what chill out music is all about).

Still, this is an excellent showcase for the talents of my favorite Austrian duo. Disc one's highligts include Heroes, Jazz Master, Going Under (whose singer's voice is just menacing enough to make you stop and take notice),Bug Powder Dust....aw, hell, the whole cd is excellent!!!

Disc two's highlights: Sofa Surfers (stoned or sober, you can imagine people lounging in an orpulent(sp?) den doing....stuff), EastWest(can now be heard on a couple of commercials), Going Under (more bass, more ambience this time), 1st of tha MOnth, Boomberclaad, and the last two tracks.

All fans of good music should have this in their collection. It is essential.

If you like this CD, check out the original work of the featured artists, you might like: "New Forms"-Roni Size/Reprazent(Check out Bahamadia on title track), "Lamb"-Lamb(watch out for the Filia Brazilia Mix at the end),"Exciter"-Depeche Mode, anything by Alex Reece and David Holmes.

wishful thinking...what if K&D worked with Elizabeth Fraser(of Cocteau Twins fame). Oh, the possibilities!!!!!

Excellent
There are over 120 reviews of this album so I won't say much that hasn't allready been said but this one is really good. I keep hoping that K&D will come out with another "sessions" LP and I think the reason they haven't is because it will be near impossible to top this one. Five stars...

Must Buy CD
I have been an avid fan of electronic music for 6 years. I have known about Kruder and Dorfmeister for several years, but have just recently gotten into trip hop. I wanted to write this review because of Disk 2. Now don't get me wrong, Disk 1 is awesome, but I have been listening to Disk 2 every night when I go to sleep. Last night, I looked in my CD player, and the cd was gone. I honestly felt like I could not fall asleep without this cd in the background. Turns out, my roommate took it. I actually opened her door and contemplated taking it from her, but I decided to grab a Tosca cd instead, but it just wasn't the same. Buy this, it gets better each time you listen to it.

Excellent!
I just recently started getting into downtempo chill electronica or whatever it's called (there are so many sub-genres of electronic music it's insane). I read all the rave reviews of this album and decided to order it along with some other artists.

I wasn't dissapointed. This two CD set is awesome! I absolutely love it. The reviews were dead on. Go ahead and make the purchase. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

SUPERB LISTENING
Now where can you find FRIDA & FALCO on the same disc? This is an excellent selection of songs. The version of SAFETY DANCE is exceptional, a rare find u probably won't find anywhere else...trust me on that. Highly recommend this CD.

The Ultimate 80's CD!!!
This is the one CD that you will never get tired of! With hits like Safety Dance, Rio, and Walk Like an Egyptian it's pure fun. It's great to dance to!

pretty good
good disc TEARS FOR FEARS and FALCO are always good but first CD was better

the first one was better
More Pure 80's is a great album, but it has mediocre content. The first album was much better and it included better songs. The song that I am really disappointed with is the song from the Eurythmics. Why was "Would I like to you" featured on this? "Here Comes The Rain Again" was a bigger hit than that.

Good 80's Music
Although IMHO, More Pure 80's isn't as good as the first one, there are several great songs on there from the gecade of excess. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The Series Takes Off!
This was a big one for the Costes Franchise. Looking back - wow. It was this sort of release that made it THE compilation for those in the know... well... this and the then underrated Paris Lounge vol 1 released on the same label.

You've got some great artists and mixes! 45 Dip features and there's a sweet remix of Cape Verde's Cesaria Evora's "Carnaval De Sao Vicente". If the bossa beat and taunting guitar in that don't get you dreaming of a sea breeze nothing will short of a trip to the French coast. I'm not much of a Pink Martini fan but this fit in well here. The coup though was adding in Mo' Horizons "Flyin' Away" as it is arguably the best song on their feature album: "Come Touch the Sun". Anyone else would've played it safe and added "Foto Viva". Doris Days "To Ulrike M." remixed by Zero 7 is a good start, masters of lounge De-Phazz pipe in, and before Lincoln used it, Mr. Scruff's re-jazz track "Get a Move On" came on later in the compilation.

HIGHLY recommended. Of all the Costes releases, this one and the third are the ones I play the most, and the ones I find being "borrowed" the most. It isn't without a misstep (I never much cared for Night Over Manaus). But it's hardly enough to say no to this 78 minute compilation. And if you do like the Hotel Costes Series, check Break & Bossa 5&6 and "Get Into the Martini Mood vol 1". Beware though: Costes, Des Pres Cafe and Paris/Berlin/London/New York Lounge are all on the same label. So if you get some look out for crossover cuts.

Listening to this CD make you feel like a million bucks.
One of the best of Hotel Costes Series. Classy, Chic, and Groovy!!

Lounge music at its best!
Classy mix of music and soothing sounds that can relax you at some times and get you out of your chair on others! A must have.

my favorite of the costes series
This CD is amazing! When I heard To Ulrike M. for the first time I instantly fell in love with it. There are at least 5 tracks here which make this album a must-have, but in fact the whole album is unbelievably well compiled and mixed. Essential.

BUYIN' THEM OUTTA ORDER!!!
I've just gotten hip to the Hotel Costes series by Stephane Pompougnac (so I'm 4 years behind with this review--please, bare with me!)...I'm one of those people who don't want to be left outta the loop when it comes to stuff--at any rate, I started buying this series outta order...I bought #5 first, #4 was too latin for me to purchase, #1 too expensive, and #3 was unavailable...soo, I decided on "La Suite" because of the unfamiliarity of the songs and artists on it. Well, some of them anyway. The ubiquitous "Jazz Music" by De-Phazz almost made me not buy this set, but I said, what the hell? It won't be the first time I bought a mix/comp CD with songs I've already seen or heard a million times already. How does that work anyway? What? Certain record labels/ mixers all bid on the same songs or something? ahem...As usual,I digress. All that notwithstanding, "La Suite" was an entertaining delight and voyage into chill-house, as I so aptly pen music such as that remixed by Pompougnac. This whole series is tempting me to go ahead and buy 1, 3 and 4 no matter the cost. Hey--I'm the type of music buyer who likes to own all volumes in a series, what can I say? Anyway, getting back to the review of "La Suite", it's not as good as #5 (or from what I could sample on #1 in Borders), but it does have some stellar moments with the opening "To Ulrike M." by Doris Days with a Zero 7 remix?? OK, Pompougnac, what gives? I thought these were supposed to be songs mixed by you? Other stand out tracks are from 45 Dip (Check these guys out on the "Acid Lounge in Space" Comp CD), Sympatique (Now, this is true Parisian music despite it's "cheesiness" as one reviewer stated), Mo'Horizons (nice, as always), Palais Mascotte (strong dance floor appeal), I:Cube (hypnotic with a 60s feel), Pascal w/Mister Day (nice disco-track), Mr. Scruff (the song says it all), Boozoo Bajou (nocturanal) and Streetlife (cinematic and groovy, baby). This is a worthy investment for any Chill/House music fan. The songs on Costes "La Suite" are refreshing and upbeat from beginning to end. Sure to impress even your most stiff-necked guests at your next get-together--you know the ones, they stand on the wall all night long with their half empty bottles of Corona trying desperately to look cool. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There was a time when you couldn't step into a dance club without hearing at least part of this recording booming over the sound system. The often over-played hit, "Situation," was a bubbling caldron of nasally synth noodlings, a whopping bass line, and drum machine wallops. Alison Moyet's looped laugh in the middle of the song ended up as a sample, over-used a thousand times over. Yaz was an interesting blend of Moyet's smoky blues and jazz tinged vocals with Vince Clarke's digital disco. Moyet's voice alone was instrument enough, and the melodies here perfectly showcased her incredible range. Upstairs easily moved between energetic dance floor exuberance ("Don't Go" and "Good-bye Seventies"), blues-inspired wailers ("Midnight"), and icy electronic minimalism ("Winter Kills"). It was an explosion of a debut, touching upon '80s gay disco, synth pop, and diva-ism in one fell swoop. The CD closes with the overlooked "Didn't I Bring Your Love Down," an infectious barn burner with a call/response break that blows the roof off of Eric's little techno-pop room. --Steve Gdula ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Catchy 80's Electro/Pop At It's Best!
Yaz appeared on the "New Wave" scene in 1982 with the hits "Situation", "Don't Go" and "Only You". Fronted by Vince Clark (ex-Depeche Mode) on synthesizers and an unknown female vocalist named Allison Moyet, Yaz (originally Yazoo) created catchy electro/pop. Yaz's debut album "Upstairs At Eric's" produced several huge club hits with "Situation" (here in it's entire "Club Mix" version), "Don't Go" and the moderately successful "Only You". The first two songs are synthesized discoish club tunes with strong vocals courtesy of Moyet. Club jocks pumped these songs thru their sound systems to packed dancefloors (I know cause I was one of the jocks that spun both these tunes, sometimes several times a night) worldwide. But the album also had other great songs such as "Bad Connection", "Goodbye Seventies", and "Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)" to name a few. If you enjoy artists such as Soft Cell, Depeche Mode, New Order, Human League, Heaven 17 and Ultravox then this cd is a must have. Highly Recommended!

A tentative 5-stars
Usually, every track has to sparkle to warrant 5 stars, but there are so many perfect moments here that it gets 5.

The problems? Someone should have known better than release "I Before E Except After C." "In My Room" sounds harsh, and meanders so much in its backing vocals that the entire track is annoyingly destroyed. "Goodbye Seventies" is a fluff song.

That's about it, though. The rest of album wavers between very good and utterly captivating. "Don't Go" and "Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)" are masterpiece dance tracks, with Alison Moyet's giant voice pushing over whatever synth lines Vince Clarke can throw at her. "Only You" is, quite simply, the best ballad to come out of the decade (that's a conservative estimate...maybe a hell of a lot longer than that). "Winter Kills" is almost as interesting, as Moyet whispers, hisses, and blasts her way through a spare background. "Too Pieces" and the very '60s-ish pop (vocally) of "Bad Connection" are the rest of the standouts.

The other tracks, "Midnight" and "Situation" are very good, but each has a slight flaw. "Situation" is a tad too long for the stark instrumentation to carry, and "Midnight" is one of only a few songs where Moyet ever sounds like she's crossed the border into histrionics.

Don't Mess Around...
Definitely an album that stands a strong testament to the 80's. It was (without doubt) one of the best releases back then and by merit and achievement-- it could easily qualify as one of the top 100-Best albums in the history of all music and time. Simply because it rocks!

I dig Alison Moyet's deep and dominating voice which shimmers perfectly along with Vince Clarke's semi retro rock, synth, electro and digital devotion. It's also not one of those outdated-sounding album's that sinks in its repetitive and minimal production value.

My favorites here are; Situation, Don't Go, Goodbye 70's and Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I).

I heard a rumor that this entire album would be remixed for the year 2004-- dare I say it's true, because-- How I yearn to see this album in remixed form today, especially when there are Soooooooo many great producers/dj's to choose from. I'll wait patiently until that day comes.

Go buy yourself this excellent Vinyl. It's got a bit a everything in it, and it's put together so well, with a really good voice...Those are 3 good reasons to buy this. Enjoy!

Yeah Yeah Yaz.
This album seemed a bit ahead of it's time in 1982, or maybe more like a sign of that time. It's a great blend of pop, goth, electronica, and new wave, topped off with strong vocals from Alison Moyet. There's a few upbeat dance numbers like the excellent "Situation", "Don't Go", and "Bring Your Love Down (didn't I)". There's also the morbid track "Winter Kills". But most of it's just good synth-pop. Any big fan of early 80's stuff like myself should love "Upstairs At Eric's". That's why I have this on cd, cassette, and vinyl.

Masterpiece
The most exciting and enduring synthpop albums were made in the early 1980's in England, and this one is without a doubt one of the very best. The renewed interest of late in minimalist beats and simple synth production are a direct throwback to Kraftwerk. Where Yaz (Yazoo) improved upon the Kraftwerk formula was with the addition of a singer--and what a voice! I could sing the praises of this group all day. "Situation" quite simply defined dance music in 1982, and helped mark the transition from disco to the golden era of 80's "dance music." It has been endlessly sampled for a reason. If you like a rich, soulful voice over a spunky synth backing, by all means, get this album. ... Read more