Reviews (67)

Now That's What I Call Music
Together Again(8) Fun Janet dance track
As Long As You Love Me(6) Okay try at an emotional number from a band with a bad rap
The Way(8) Good track! Now we're getting into my kinda music
Flagpole Sitta(8) Another good track
Say You'll Be There(7) Fun dance track from a band with a bad rap
All My Life(9) Very beautiful love song. One of the cd's best
Never Ever(2) Pretty bad track
If You Could Only See(10) A perfect track!
MMMBop(2) Boy this track sucks
Zoot Suit Riot(9) Fun catchy track

Shorty(4) Never heard of this track before this cd
Anytime(8) Another good heartfelt love song
Barbie Girl(9) Ya just gotta love this one
Karma Police(10) Radiohead on a hits compilation? Now that's what I call music!
I Will Buy You A New Life(8) A good track from a good band
Fly Away(8) Another good track from an equally good artist
Sex and Candy(8) Cool catchy rock tune

few decent songs, but nothing else to offer
Better than some of the other NOW compilations, but still lacking a lot. There's more rock songs & not as annoying pop songs, which is the only good thing about it. But HOW can you stick that MOST annoying Aqua song infront of an awesome Radiohead song?!?!?! Who picks these songs???? ANYONE could pick a set of songs & put them on cd, what makes these compilations special?? They should've stuck in some Sublime, Jamiroquai, Love Spit Love, & other good bands from this time frame...but that would be another series titled "Now that's what I call REAL music".
Here are my comments on a few songs I'm familiar with:

3. The Way - Fastball -- not a bad band, but I NEVER liked this song
4. Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger -- catchy, kewl riffs, overplayed
5. Say You'll Be There - Spice Girls -- their least annoying song that had a cool video
8. If You Could Only See - Tonic -- if you could only remember how much this song was overplayed!!
9. MMMBop - Hanson --mmmmm, this song should've never been invented?? at least the boys in this band played instruments, but still annoying
10. Zoot Suit Riot - Cherry Poppin' Daddy -- good fun song
14. Karma Police - Radiohead -- my fave Radiohead song from OK Computer
15. I Will Buy You a New Life - Everclear, 16. Fly Away - Kravitz, Lenny, & 17. Sex & Candy - Marcy Playground -- I liked all 3 of these maybe the 1st couple times I heard them, but they didn't offer much to musically stimulate me.

Overall, I like enuff of these songs that it should get a 3, but with the other crap thrown in, it must get a 2. Pick better pop songs at least!!

Now That's What I Call Music
1. Janet, Together Again: It was an ok song but not the best song on her Velvet Rope CD. C

2. Backstreet Boys, As Long As You Love Me: This was a popular song when I was in high school. I always liked it. A

3. Fastball, The Way: Fastball I have no clue who they are let alone who they were 6 years ago. F

4. Harvey Danger, Flagpole Sitta: This was a song I hated back in the day but I have grown to like it somewhat. C

5. Spice Girls, Say You'll Be There: I don't care what people say I liked the Spice Girls. A

6. K-Ci & JoJo, All My Life: It's was a good song at the prom but it got old really quick. B-

7. All Saints, Never Ever: Never ever again! F

8. Tonic, If You Could Only See: I loved this song 6 years ago and I still listen to it today. A

9. Hanson, MMMBop: MMMBop? More like MMMEwww. The only thing going for Hanson was their hair not their singing talent. F-

10. Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Zoot Suit Riot: I actually learned how to swing from this song. Not only is it catchy but it helped bring back swing. A-

11. Imajin, Shorty: I have no comment on this one. F

12. Brian McKnight, Anytime: This was a good song but it just isn't my type of music. C-

13. Aqua, Barbie Girl: I love this song it is one of my favorite on this cd. A+

14. Radiohead, Karma Police: I didn't like it when I heard it on the radio but over the years it grew to the point of actually liking it. B-

15. Everclear, I Will Buy You A New Life: This is a good song on a great CD. A

16. Lenny Kravitz, Fly Away: I liked this song and I still do. Sometimes I wish I could fly away. A-

17. Marcy Playground, Sex & Candy: I think this was a fitting song to be on the end of this cd. A

My Review for: Now 1
OK. Now, i'm reviewing for the very 1st in the Now series. Most of these arent played on the radio anymore, but, thats ok. On with the ratings of songs!

1. Janet- Together Again (4/5) Pretty nice song from Janet from her Velvet Rope album.
2. Backstreet Boys- As Long As You Love Me (3/5) I still like this from the BSB, but, I got way tired of it before. So, thats why I only gave a 3.
3. Fastball- The Way (5/5) Awsome! Fastball r awsome. Their best song. Even better than Out Of My Head that was on Now 3. I luv both songs soo much.
4. Harvey Danger- Flagpole Sitta (4/5) I never even listened to this before, but, its a cool song. Its pretty weird.
5. Spice Girls- Say You'll Be There (2/5) Ugh! Spice Girls are ok, but, theyre old! I'm glad that theyre not big anymore, cuz, they would be causin too much trouble. OK song. Pretty pointless.
6. K-CI & Jo-Jo (5/5) Love dis 1 too! K-Ci and Jo-Jo always have good, soulful songs.
7. All Saints- Never Ever (1/5) YUCK! All Saints is a TERRIBLE girl group, probably the worst there is. The girl thinks shes rapping, but, shes talkin idiotic!!! I'm soo glad they were 1-hit wonderz.
8. Tonic- If You Could Only See (5/5) Always loved this one! I will never hate it!! Tonic were almost 1-hit wonders, but, they had a few otha hits.
9. Hanson- MmmBOP (4/5) Hanson are cool. I havent lost much respect for them. Theyre a very underrated band.
10. Cherry Poppin Daddys- Zoot Suit Riot (4/5) Wacky song, but, I would never hurt comedy's feelings.
11. Imajin- Shorty (You Keep Playin With My Mind) (3/5) Again, 1-hit wonders. I think Imajin are rivals of B2K, but, even if one member left B2K (Omarion), they can still kick Imajin's butts anyday.
12. Brian McKnight- Anytime (5/5) Love dis too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Brian is VERY soulful on this, GREAT BALLAD! His best next to Back At One.
13. Aqua- Barbie Girl No Rating I dont know what to say about this. I dont like or hate it.
14. Radiohead- Karma Police (4/5) I never listened to this one, either, but, I do like Radiohead. Great song.
15. Everclear- I Will Buy You A New Life (4/5) Pretty good song by Everclear, but, definatly not one one of their best.
16. Lenny Kravitz- Fly Away (5/5) YEAH!! Now were talkin!!! Lenny @ his best
17. Marcy Playground- Sex & Candy (5/5) NOW WE STILL TALKIN! Easily my fav song on da album! Funny jam. These guys were nearly 1-hit wonders, also.

I review: NOW
NOW:

1. Janet, Together Again: Forgettable. Maybe if I knew who she WAS... C-

2. Backstreet Boys, As Long As You Love Me: And so the evil reign begins. Far better than N*Sync, that still says nothing. C-

3. Fastball, The Way: Fastball were a great band that did not deserve one-hit wonderdom. Still, I'm glad THIS was their only hit, as 7 years later, it still sounds fresh. Look for these guys, a new album's coming out this year. A

4. Harvey Danger, Flagpole Sitta: Average power-pop, but it gets an A for effort. Almost. B

5. Spice Girls, Say You'll Be There: It was okay back then. Now it's irritating. C

6. K-Ci & JoJo, All My Life: It's okay. I myself don't care for it, but I can see why others would. C+

7. All Saints, Never Ever: Like a bad Destiny's Child ripoff, except for the fact they predate them. D+

8. Tonic, If You Could Only See: It should be farther along the CD, but that doesn't change the fact it's a memorable rock ballad that will be sure to be covered by VH1 on the eventual "I Love The 90's" A

9. Hanson, MMMBop: I'd rather light myself on fire repeatedly. Words can not express how terrible this song is, and neither can a grade.

10. Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Zoot Suit Riot: One of the most recent dance favorites, I STILL hear this song plenty. It's insanely catchy, functional and a great attempt to bring swing to the masses once again, so it gets worthy praise from me. A strong B+

11. Imajin, Shorty: Annoying, irritating, and oddly B2K-sounding, despite them being older. And I don't care for B2K. F

12. Brian McKnight, Anytime: A beautiful, soulful ballad that, in my opinion, was better than "Back At One", which I hear more often. A-

13. Aqua, Barbie Girl: Talk about change of pace... This is a fun little piece of Eurocheese that's remembered by most, whether fondly or hatefully. It's Aqua, man. Perfect for small children and lovers of Eurocheese. I fall into the latter category, soooo... B+

14. Radiohead, Karma Police: Another sudden change of pace. Strange sequencing... Anyway, this song is perfection. I love Radiohead half to death, and this ranks among their best. Everyone should own OK Computer. This song's too good for a grade, but I'll give it an A+ anyway.

15. Everclear, I Will Buy You A New Life: Good follow-up to Karma Police in terms of sequencing. I love Everclear, and while I still prefer their American Family days, this is a good single with a great melody and great lyrics. A strong B+

16. Lenny Kravitz, Fly Away: Corny and fairly sub-par, the chorus redeems it all. Lenny's really a better ballad man, though. B+

17. Marcy Playground, Sex & Candy: If any song comes close to Karma Police in terms of quality, this would be it. The lyrics are strange but great, and the music's insanely addicting, despite sounding just a tiny bit derivative. The wonderful, wonderful vocals change that, though. A+

-The Good: Fastball, Tonic, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Brian McKnight, Aqua, Everclear
-The Awesome: Radiohead, Marcy Playground
-The Bad: Janet, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, Imajin
-The Horrendous: Hanson
-Overall: How some of the best AND worst songs in the last 2 decades can end up here, I don't know. But the good overpowers the bad. Just as long as someone kills Hanson. ... Read more

Reviews (219)

A Good Pop Album!
This album is pretty good. It contains a lot of good dance and pop music and many tracks on this album became classic such as Billie Jean, Beat It and many moore. The production is also good which is one of the key element to the albums sucess not to mention the style and mind of Michael Jackson which after this album suffered something that I don't know what is but i think it's serious. Though I Have said good things about Thriller many people may think it's weird that I gave it just three stars. Well the song The Girl Is Mine is not a very good song. That's the worst song on the album and there is some flaws with some of the songs on it. I also think that Thriller is a bit overrated I think it's no wonder it so so many copies but I Do not think it's deserve to be called a masterpiece because there is something on this album that is missing and I don't know what it is but I sure notice that when I have listened to it as a whole.

thriller era introduced me to michael jackson
I was born the day before motown 25 and beat it was number 1 that week, so you could say I was born smack in the middle of thriller-mania. I've known who michael is since I was 2 years old since he was still going strong. Watching Beat It and being scared of Thriller are among some of my first memories.

I didn't purchase the cassette thriller until years later, but I also had to own this when the special edition came out and eventually the SACD. It's an incredible album that just gives you this unparallel feeling you just can't shake off. There's something for everyone on this album, happy dance music, great vocals, great lyrics, everything!!!

this is michael's signature album! The best selling album in the world, the album to win most grammys, the album with the most top 10 singles off any album, the album that changed the music industry forever! Long live the king of pop! Now let's talk about the music:

wannabe startin something-this is a unique, original song written by michael alone. It's beat is a timeless classic dance beat that makes you want to get up and chant mamasemamasaoohmacusah....

baby be mine-you can tell this song is from the 80's, but it's also a groovy r&b jam

the girl is mine-this one was also written by michael and its a duet between him and paul mccartney. It has a nice melody and the ending is really hilarious!(in a good way!)

thriller-shamon, who doesn't know this song and video

beat it-THE ultimate pop/rock song of the 80's, need I say more? we all know this one

billie jean-THE ultimate song of michael's career and pop culture. Whoever doesn't know this song must be living under a rock!

human nature-this song has the prettiest melody ever, and its so sweet and soulful

pyt-a fun dance tune that features sisters janet and latoya doing the background vocals.

lady in my life-michael's sexiest song ever! Perfect for making out with your guy or girl HAHA!

although i don't listen to thriller as much as Bad, Dangerous, HIStory and Invincible, it's an awesome album and this is the album that changed the music industry forever! Without Michael's enormous talent impacting everyone from 2 to 92, the music industry would have come down. Give michael credit, he deserves it because he is the best ever, now and forever king of pop, rock and soul!

Greatest ever
Let me state first that I have never been a big fan of Michael Jackson. And when this album was released in '82, I though that it was extremely overhyped. But I'll say that twenty or so years later, this is the single best album I have ever heard. Every song stands on its own. And the one song, Baby Be Mine, that got the least airplay in the '80s can arguably be considered one of the best two or three songs on the album. the best and worst songs on the album are not that far apart. You can't say that about too many albums. Classic is an understatement. Greatest album ever assembled.

80's To The MAX!!
I was given this album (yes a record) when I was 12, My Thriller album was mislabeled with Merle Haggard labels by the record company!! This was the best album and I cried when I thought that it wasn't Thriller!! Not a big Michael fan now, but man was I ever way back then!!

This Album is Really a Thriller!
Wow...This is an amazing album. I'm not a teen yet, and even I love it! Well: here we go:

My background:
When I was 11 I was flipping through the channels on TV and I saw a biography on Michael Jackson. I always lived by the Down by the Bay ryhme: "Michael Jackson makes me gag" so I didn't really care. There was nothin on TV that night, so I made sure nobody was downstaris and started to watch it. They showed him performing at the Motown Anniversery in '83. They showed him doing Billie Jean, and I was amazed, I saw him do the moonwalk (my favorite dance move!) and started to enjoy it. Then they showed the Thrilelr video, which I LOVED. I decided to download the music off the net, living off of small 1:30 second clips, until I found the whole Thriller video and I was amazed. One day at Target, I saw the special ediion on sail, and I purchased it, and I was laughed at a lot a school, well, onto the review!

1."Wanna' Be Startin Something" Amazing, great starter, sure there are some weird lyrics (You're a vegetable...) but it sticks out with all the things yelled out such as "Hee-Haw", "De-dum-dum-dum-dum.." and "Mama see mama sa mama sa coo sa!" which they yell for a minute alone. Amazxing A+ (10/10)

2."Baby Be Mine" Ahh...it's okay, I don't hate it, but I don't love it. Don't get me wrong..it's still a great song, trust me, but it's my 2nd least favorite song unfortunately. B+ (8/10)

3."The Girl Is Mine!" Great! Not the best, but it's the BEST love song, unless you count "Billie Jean" as a love song. It's a sow paced duet with Paul McCartney, and it's rather cheesy. Why would two men, about 10 ages apart in age (I think) fight over a girl (heh heh). But it's a truly good song, and the fight at the end was great! A (9.5/10)

4."Thriller" There is definately a reason this is the title track, it's AMAZING! I love it, especially the keyboard in the background's tune. I lvoe the chorus, especially how they sing it in different tones/enthusiasm/mood every time. And did anybody notice how many vocal hiccups are in this song? It's awsome..and the video is to die for. At the end, Vincent Price performs a REALLY (I mean really) scary chant. The voice is scary, yet brilliant.A+ (10/10) I gotta say, you have to watch the video, I watched it the first time when I was 11, and it gave me nightmares (Seariously, I had 50 nightmares of the same thing that night, I dreamed he kept walkig towards me as the zombie, it was so scary)

5."Beat It" If there had to be a different Title of the album, I would say this should be it. It's my second favorite song,pure awsome. Nice 0s rock, with rock god Eddie Van Halen on the guitar. AMAZING AMAZING solo, and yo have to love the video, especiall that shirt he wears (Tuh) A+ (10/10)

6."Bille Jean" 3 Number ones in a row! This song is best known for when Michael did his moonwalk. I like the oo-oos in the background, the third best song by him, in my opinion. Decent video, but I like the outfit he wears when he performs it (especially the nice fenara!) A+ (10/10)

7."Human Nature" I never really cared for this song, but it is an overall great song..my sister really likes it, but it's kust not my taste of music. A- (9.1/10)

8. "P.Y.T." The most Poppish song, it's a great fast paced song. It's underrated, and it's a great song. Trust my word on it. A (9.4/10)

9. "The Lady in My Life" I can't stand this song..I have nothing to say. Definatly the worst song on th album. C+ (7.8/10) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fans of the celestial sounds of Enya and the lush trip-hop beats of Delerium and Enigma will love Balligomingo. Contrary to its Eastern-sounding name, Balligomingo is the baby of one Garrett Schwartz, a keyboardist-programmer who collaborated with a variety of musicians for Beneath The Surface. Though purely a U.S. and Canadian affair, the music does create an ethereal air of mystery and tension not unlike that of Asian underground pioneer Nitin Sawhney's recent Prophesy (though Balligomingo is far less profound). The buoyant, atmospheric tracks of Surface include various female vocalists who extend the songs' allure, a live band treated to sound like sweet computer rhythms, and a 15-piece orchestra. Most of the songs flow together, sustaining the album's dream sequence mood like a long summer rain. Occasionally, the vocals border on teen-pop, but mostly they blend into the foreground, helping to advance Balligomingo's lush world-beat-and-tone poetry muse. --Ken Micallef ... Read more

Reviews (51)

A very impressive debut
When you look at the debut albums of some of the great Trance bands, you find music that really seems to be looking for a direction. Enigma's MCMXC A.D. is a good example of this. Unlike later albums, like The Screen Behind The Mirror that have a very definate theme throughout, MCMXC A.D. jumps around a lot and contains few of the things that have become Enigma trademarks. Balligomingo's Beneath The Surface has a very definate feel to it. It's the kind of audible hallucinagen that put Delerium, Enigma, and Enya on the map, and has, fittingly, found a place in the 'Pure Moods' archive. ('Purify' is on Pure Moods IV.) But Balligomingo's electronic feel sends the CD off-course from the long-walk-in-the-woods sound of its Pure Moods bretheren. Actually, several of the songs are far more reminiscent of Sasha, Chicane, or Zero7. But comparing Balligomingo, as an artist, to any of these people would first of all be incorrect and secondly premature. Beneath The Surface is an incredible CD, but the songs do really blend together. Wether this is created by illusion through gentle song transitions or wether the songs are really just variations on a theme. The CD ultimately is what albums like Ultra Chilled and Chillout 2002 claim to be. Balligomingo's Beneath The Surface, while lacking the kind of musical diversity that makes singles, is the best chillout album I've heard all year.

The most hidden gem in music history
I do not understand how an album of this magnitude can go so entirely unnoticed in the music world. But then again, Delerium's Poem would have fallen throught the cracks as well if not for the publicity Sarah maclachlan brought with it. it is a sad world we live in knowing ... artists like britney spears, eminem, and creed make millions and absorb all the spotlight, while envelope pushing, sonically in touch artists like balligomingo, delerium, and massive attack have no business on the radiowaves. This album is so tight, you will have a very hard time going a day without listening to at least one song. The lyrics and vocals are deeper than deep and the bass rich rythms drive each song right into your soul. The only act to hold a candle to the rich sounds of balligomingo would be any of the many associated with Bill Leeb, who by the way, had a little to do with this CD. Listen, enjoy, and prepare to leave the planet. Peace.

"Take too much, but don't take too long".
Wow!! That is what you will say after listening to this for the first time. Balligomingo is the brainchild of basically one man, named Garrett Schwarz. The music acts like a tornado as it pulls the listener into its funnel of sound. This is one hell of a great debut. The singers are a little pop sounding at times, but the music is the star, and the singing is just the background. Let me tell you my five favorites of this magnificant album. 1)"Beyond". Incredible. Be prepared to be blown over by this one. 2)"Sweet Allure". Another spellbounder. The beats and rhythms come from all areas, and is just awesome. 3)"Heat". Garrett needs to release this one, this is a hit begging to be a smash. 4)"Marooned". The music shimmers on this one, and is reminescent of Enigma's sound with its own uniqueness. And the singing on this is perfect. 5)"Lust". The title of this one says it all about what you will feel after listening to it. After reading this please go buy it, we all need to do what we can to keep the talented Garrett Schwarz making more of this great music. And hurry up, Garrett, I am wearing this CD out.

Finally - Balligomingo is here!
I've been following Balligomingo for over a year now but it's been well worth the wait. This sonic soundscape of lush, female singing with ambient-pop and smooth electronic beats is enough to send anyone soaring, and we have Garrett Schwartz to thank for that. He is the master genious behind Balligomingo for most of this is surprisingly done on mixing sounds with a computer or programmer. The atmosphere is all so dreamy with downtempo chill-out amidst swirls of worldbeat and feminine lounge, but that's only part of the reason why Balligomingo is so effective in seducing the listener. The lyrics are steamy and hot while the singing is breathy and mysterious with artists such as Kristy Thirsk of Delerium and the Rose Chronicles getting us all sweaty and bothered on songs like the scorching "Heat". Even Bill Leeb & Chris Peterson of Delerium and Frontline Assembly co-produce to add their own ethereal touches. Jazz vocalist Beverley Staunton casts her spellbinding vocals on songs like "Falling" and "Lust" (which resonates deeper in bass than the others) while Camille Miller provide her vocals on the more familiar single "Lost" (which is featured on the Elevation 3 compilation) and Jennifer Hershman on my favorite track, "Sweet Allure". "Privelege" is another personal favorite with its wonderful string arrangments. I only wish that the song "Waiting" was on here which featured the vocals of kaRIN who sings with the electronic-goth group Collide. That song was featured on their sampler CD a while back, which I never received because of supplies running out. Overall, though, Balligomingo's BENEATH THE SURFACE is a worthy debut that will appeal to fans of Enigma, Enya, Zero 7, Delerium and Massive Attack.

Hope my review was somehow helpful.

An Amazing Talent; A Wonderful Masterpiece... more plz
I have a wide array of musical tastes, but of all of the music I own and listen to, Beneath the Surface is my favorite album. Every vocalist provides a unique and enjoyable talent to the album, and the music is just plain beautiful. I don't know how he does it, but Garrett Schwarz has an amazing ability to make music have this classical yet ethereal and otherworldly feel and when you are done it does nothing more than to leave you begging for more. I have had this album on my turn-table for quite sometime. If you are into soothing, relaxing, enjoyable, and, for lack of a better term, magical music... you'll love this. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn of Everything but the Girl have done their share of style-hopping, from jazz pop to Britpop to orchestral pop to contemporary R&B to jazzy R&B. Their seventh album, 1996's Walking Wounded, finds the duo landing, good as new, onto the dance floor with a batch of songs based around techno-derived beats. The shift toward electronics may seem extreme for a group that courted adult audiences, but given the huge success of their 1994 beat-driven remix single "Missing" and their fruitful collaborations on Massive Attack's breakthrough trip-hop record Protection, the rewards of embracing club sounds had already been well proven.Everything but the Girl's music has always focused on Thorn's lush, soulful voice--a tribute to its versatility, it weathered well through all the group's stylistic incarnations. Walking Wounded, however, introduces a second focal point in the insanely attractive, intricately sculpted beats of the jungle offshoot drum & bass. On cuts like "Before Today," "Single," and the title track, the interaction of a beat's minutely detailed rhythms and a voice that rides smoothly over the top makes for an elegant symbiosis. And even with the help of progressive dance specialists like Howie B. and Spring Heel Jack, Everything but the Girl retains a maturity that shouldn't alienate old fans.--Roni Sarig ... Read more

Reviews (58)

misery loves good music
EBTG's "Walking Wounded" is perfection.

Tracey Thorn's vocals are probably among the all-time most beautiful and clear, matched only perhaps by kd Lang's and the late Karen Carpenter's.

This album I find it hard to review. It's so incredibly close to my heart I couldn't probably do it justice. Ever since I bought it, sometime in 1997 I believe, it's been sort of the soundtrack to my life at particular moments. It's melancholic, pensive... if you think electronic beats are cold and distant, try this, as well as "Temperamental".

"Single" made me bawl the first time I heard it, it still does the same to me. Much like it's video, it leaves you with a sombre feeling, enough to make you cry and think. The combination of Tracey's voice, Ben's beats and well, THOSE lyrics, will just make you love the state you're in, especially if it's a miserable one.

Best tracks in my opinion: before today, single, walking wounded, mirrorball, big deal, heart remains a child, good cop bad cop. "wrong" is excellent too, though.

I don't have a way with words today but this definitely ranks among my top 5 favorite albums ever. Do yourself a favor and get it! You'll cry, but you'll love it!

Oh... the vibe is not always sad though... mirrorball is a happy song, makes me chuckle. heart remains a child is a joyous song as well.

"Good Cop Bad Cop" pretty much embodies the essence of those who love to love but never seem to find quite what they're looking for.

I'll stop here. This is amazing.

Electronic music that you can take to bed with you...
...among other places. "Walking Wounded" ranks as one of my favorite albums of all time.

I was a late adopter of EBTG falling in love with their most recent release ("Tempermental" in '99), and then devouring their work backwards. EBTG's sounds have morphed very significantly since the 80's but I would say that "Tempermental" and "Walking Wounded" are quite similar (Tempermental is my personal favorite). This band is always at the razors edge of innovation. As evidence, this album could be considered "modern" if released today despite its being almost a decade old.

Similar to "Tempermental" in theme, this CD is even more melancholy; centered around the pain in losing love, coming to grips with a new life, and suffering the understandably conflicted feelings of blame, optimism, and nostalgia as a newly single woman...

Aside from the extraordinarily addictive rhythms, the asymmetrical tempo of percussion and base, the ominous sounding samples that pepper this entire album, it's the voice of Tracey Thorn that stitches everything together, softening it, warming the clinical into the comfortable...as I note in the title of this review, this is one of those few electronic CD's that, despite the occassional speed in tempo, I take to bed with me.

Every song on the album is worth getting acquainted with, although my favorites are:

"Single"...if this isn't THE SONG to listen to post-breakup to stir your emotions (as if they'd need any more rousing)...

"Before Today"...just as with "Single", this song shares the same theme but is laid against more determination (vs. resignation); much faster, and less likely to make you...well, let's just say it's less likely to make you feel very emotional (forgive me, but I'm a man and would rather not be advertising the potential of this song to "make you cry").

"Walking Wounded"...erratic electronic tempo (which may be an intentional reflection of the kind of conflicted and pained emotions she attempts to convey in her lyrics) set against hauntingly beautiful vocals.

"Good Cop Bad Cop"...i almost always forget to play this song when I'm listening to this CD (it's track 9); just a gem of a song. Very simple lyrics (almost all hook) set to a background that oscillates between near silence, and machine-gun fast percussion.

I really couldn't say enough good things about this album. For those of you who've only heard what's been played on the radio, and love it, absolutely buy a CD from this group. I guess the only question would be "which one". As I mentioned earlier, "Tempermental" is my favorite album of theirs, but not by too wide a margin.

If you find yourself absolutely in love with this type sound I'm afraid I won't be much help in finding you a close match, although consider checking out "Zero 7", their new album "When It Falls" is a fantastic (albeit slower) type sound with similarly beautiful vocals against modern and interesting rhthyms.

Hope this helped.

"Out,, amongst the Walking Wounded..."
"Walking Wounded" is a bridge. A bridge that took EBTG from their pop-bossa nova roots, to the undoubtadbly ass-kicking house of trip-hop, ambient, lounge and adult pop. "WW" is a mixture of EBTG's past and future, a CD that explores the newly discovered by EBTG, clubland, and stands out as a classic trip hop album that any self-respected trip hop fan should have. Best songs from the album: Single( in which Massive Attack's influence from "Protection" is clear),Walking Wounded, Before Today and Wrong.
Gr8 CD. Get it now!!!

The Best
I only recently begun my voyage into EBTG territory. They got me into my trip-hop/drum n' bass fixation. Tracey has that beautiful honey dripped voice and Ben can never be topped by anyone else. These people are downright talented. I was floored to hear this record. Everytime I hear it there's something different. I love every song and continue to discover new things about it. I need to get into the older part of their catalog now! I will still religiously play this however. It will forever remain in my favorites section! For my CD collection, this is something special. I have over 1000 CD's which is usually well beyond someone thats 17 (Like Me!). EBTG is a premiere eclectic band! I can't recommend this one enough!

Can't Give Them Less Than Five
Recently, someone asked me who my favorite band was. As is often the case with questions like that, I couldn't come up with an answer and settled for a standby "The Smiths". Ha! That night I went through my CD collection and discovered that I own more EBTG CDs than any other artist. It surprised me a bit to discover this, so I began listening to them again, which I hadn't for several months. The only thing better than discovering a new band is rediscovering one. EBTG is amazing!

For one thing, Tracey Thorn is the Meryl Streep of vocalists -- evocotive, diverse, and always great. Like Streep, who has never given a bad performance, Thorn is a master of her field, a singer who inspires confidence just by adding her name to a project.

Having said that, "Walking Wounded" isn't my favorite of theirs, although I do like it a lot. I vastly prefer its predecesor "Amplified Heart" and its successor "Temperamental" since both are more polished and evoke a more consistent mood. My favorite song is "Mirrorball" which brings up pangs of nostalgia for high school -- never an easy mood to conjure. Also "The Heart Remains A Child" is beautiful and "Flipside" is a fun little venture into the brain of Ben Watt. "WW" seems less of a collaboration, vocally, since Watt isn't heard much here, although many of the songs are clearly about his experiences. The two had an intense chemistry on "AH" which they may have been just as happy to get away from.

All in all, EBTG have it all: great tunes, great lyrics, and they even have twins in real life - how cute is that? I love these two; I could listen to them everyday. ... Read more

Reviews (77)

wow
B2k's YOU GOT SERVED soundtrack is great, and it looks as though the movie will be too. the ONLY thing wrong with the cd was track 11 12 & 13. The artists have nothing to do with them and i didnt like their songs at all.
My ratings on each track[1 star being the worst-5 stars being the best]:
Badaboom-b2k:4 stars
Do That Thing-b2k featuring Lil'Kim:3 stars
Take It To The Floor-b2k:5 stars MY FAVORITE SONG ON HERE!
Sprung-b2k:3 stars
Out The Hood-b2k:4 stars
Streets Is Callin'-b2k:4 stars

Fizzo Got Flow-b2k[mostly Lil'Fizz rappin since it IS about him]: 5 stars I FOUND THAT WHEN HE SAYS NO IDEA IT RUINS THE BEAT, he's my fave person in B2K
Happy-Jhene featuring b2k[Jhene is Lil'Fizz's of b2k's cousin]:4 stars NOT ONE OF HER BEST SONGS, TOO MUCH TALKING
Smile-Marques Houston[older brother of Omarion of b2k]:4 songs NOT ONE OF HIS BEST SONGS EITHER, BUT HE IS ONE OF MY FAVE SINGERS
Smellz Like A Party-O'Ryan featuring Red Cafe[O'ryan is the little brother of Marques Houston & Omarion]:4 stars DEFINATLY A PARTY SONG

* THE NEXT TRACKS IM NOT SCORING BECAUSE I DONT EVEN LIKE THEM[11 12 & 13]

~IF YOU LIKE B2K I RECOMMEND
*JHENE-HER CD IS COMIN OUT AROUND MARCH 2004
*MARQUES HOUSTON-CD AVAILABLE NOW
*O'RYAN-CD COMING SOON, NO RELEASE DATE YET

Yall want all the songs? well here you go!
The songs are in order so nothing can go wrong!

Drop-Timbaland & Magoo feat. Fat Man Scoop
Southside-Lloyd feat. Ashanti
Down 4 U Part 2-Jhene feat. Lil Fizz
Find Out-Aceyalone feat. Riddlore
Badaboom-B2K feat. Fabolous
Uh Huh-Method Man
Flipside-Freeway feat. Peedi Crakk
Out Of The Hood-B2K
Sprung-B2K
Heaven-Nas feat. Jully Black
Comin' From Where Im From-Anthony Hamilton
Fizzo Got Flow-Lil' Fizz
Streets Is Callin'-B2K
Happy-Jhene feat. B2K
Release, Part 1-?????
Fizzo Got Flow-Lil' Fizz
Ante Up (sped up rmx)-M.O.P
Anxiety-Black Eyed Peas feat. Papa Roach
Do That Thing-B2K feat. Lil' Kim
Badaboom (rmx)-Fabolous feat. B2K
The Choice Is Yours-Black Sheep
Smells Like A Party-O'ryan feat. Rufus
Take It To The Floor-B2K
Smile-Marques Houston
Take It To The Floor (rmx)-B2K
Get It On The Floor (sped up rmx)-DMX feat. Swizz Beats
Fire Clap-Jahala feat. Kia Star
Time 4 Sum Aksion-Redman
We gon' Stop-Jahala feat. Kia Star
Joe Budden-Pump It Up

HOPE YOU GUYZ ENJOY! OH YAH AND GIVE ME BIG CREDIT

when was this cd in stores?
help i want the soundtrack and i can't find it at all and i don't know when it came out in stores so i can't buy it although i wanna get it so please someone tell me?

i need battle songs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i have all the battle songs but i was wondering what the song was before they battle daves crew. Its right before flipside by freeway and its got a deep bass sound to it. Its when the guy shows up and he switches to daves team. Its jsut for like 10 seconds but the song sounds mad good. if you could email me at ForumChild 360@hotmail.com

You Got Served
HY im looking for a song on the movie You Got Served the song is not on the sountrack the song is played on the movie in the second battle, plese is someone now the title and the artist,send me and @mail to amdsony@hotmail.com thaks for helpme. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin's self-titled first English-language album is a triumph of an omnivorous world-pop sensibility--but more important is that at its best, it's a real kick. The first single, "Livin' la Vida Loca," employs a revved-up ska tempo to praise a girl whose "lips are devil red [and] skin's the color of mocha." Martin is no less irresistible on the disc's other uptempo numbers, such as "Spanish Eyes," "The Cup of Life" (the 1998 World Cup theme which with he stole the Grammy telecast a few months before this CD's release), and the Soul Coughing-indebted "Shake Your Bon Bon." Ricky Martin loses momentum with its draggier ballads--even the much-touted Madonna duet, "Be Careful (Cuidade con Mi Corazon)," doesn't spark--but overall, it deserves its inevitable multiplatinum success. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (428)

What a nice surprise...........
Ricky Martin's self-titled album was more than I expected. It is pretty darn catchy with the usual mix of ballads and dance numbers. My absolute favorite song on the album is Private Emotion which I never get sick of listening to. The 2nd best song is I Count the Minutes with a very catchy chorus that you will be singing along with. She's All I Ever Had, Living La Vida Loca, and his duet with Madonna called Be Careful are also featured. The duet is a bit on the slow side but still quite good. I think I like his duet with Christina Aguillera much better (Nobody Wants To Be Lonely) but overall this cd is worth checking out. You have a variety of textures, exotic sounds, and different tempos to keep you from being bored.

Ricky Martin is an absolute DREAMBOAT!!!!!
Dios mio, is Ricky hot!!! I am (or, should I say, was) a hairdresser in a local Boston salon, and I was thinking of quitting my job to pursue a career in musical theatre, when one day, Carlos, the fiesty manager, put "La Vida Loca" into the CD player. Aye carumba, step aside C&C Music Factory, this hairdresser is gonna DANCE!!

Well, I did make a few mistakes on my customer's hair due to the Latin dance fever that swept over my body like cool rain on a hot August morning, and ended up being fired from the salon, but now that I have Ricky, nothing else matters!!!!

Aside from the smash hit "La Vida Loca," other infectious dance ditties appear on the album, among them, the sensual "Shake your Bon Bon." I will, Ricky, believe you me I will! "Cuidado con Mi Corazon," his duet with pop goddess Madonna, is my favourite song. Translated from the zesty Spanish language, the song's title equates to something like "Careful with my heart." Well, Ricky, if Madonna breaks your heart, you're welcome to share mine with me 4-eva!!!!!

This is one of the best dance albums to come out EVER!!! Own it, love it, dance to it!!

Emmm...I don't really hate this guy that much
I'm a guy that listen to mostly Metal Music. I can't stand most of the Pop music. But I don't really hate this guy. The guy is a good person. He's always worried about charity and all that stuff. The songs were just catchy songs. Dancing songs with stupid Lyrics but what did you expect anyway? I mean, what happened to this guy is more or less what happened to Vanilla Ice. Everybody hates Vanilla Ice today (Many of those that hate him used to love him). In some MTV crap, they told me one of his songs was chosen one of the worst songs ever. Well, MTV and the people used to love that song. No they turn their back. To me Ice always sucked so I don't change my mind because MTV tells me. The same is happening to Ricky Martin. Suddenly, everyone attacks him saying he has no talent and that he sucks and that he was a joke. I never listen to him. Quiet frankly, his music is only good for dancing ( For those that like dancing) but, don't be so mean. I mean. More than one of those that hates him danced with his music and probably had a good time. The guy is a good guy and he brought some "sabor" to the pathetic dancing skills of the average white American . Girls began to like all the dancing stuff and the guys had to begin dancing. The music sucks, is true but he was never tried to seem some kind of musical genius. Don't come here to appear as some kind of Pop hater and recommend Sum 41 or Linkin Park or Reload of Metallica.. I'm a metalhead so I know what good music with electric guitars is.
Then they go like "Chris rock said..." the hell with Chris Rock. Just leave this guy alone. It seems many like to express their antihispanic thoughts bashing this guy. He hasn't dissapeared either. He is strong as 5 years ago in the Latin music industry.
Ricky Martin is commercial as hell. This album was horrible. The Radio and MTV earned like crazy but he could and can make people dance at the end. Besides he is a good person that doesn't dislike his fans (Kurt, Avril....). I give him 2 stars because I made up with a girl thanks to one of his songs and because of all the charity projects that he is involved with all the time.

His career is "Livin La Vida" over
Remember how big this guy was back in 99? It's a really good thing that it's 2004 now and this guy is now a complete and utter joke. Shake your bon bon indeed...

Ricky Martin [US 1999]
Ricky Martin [US 1999]~ Ricky Martin was an album that was played so much that you were sick of hearing it when it came out. However, it is not a bad album. The lyrics are pretty stupid and downright inane. But the enthusiasm and the happy go lucky feeling of Mr Martin can not be denied. He is an accomplished performer. When he sings in Spanish it sounds more natural though. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Considered by many to be the Material Girl's most mature effort of the '80s, Like a Prayer upped the ante of controversy with its gospel-infused title track and the singer's emotional confessions throughout. It also unveiled the hit "Express Yourself," which ushered in the era of Madonna as a "stainless steel sexual icon." Musically, Prayer showcased her burgeoning songwriting prowess, with the beautiful "Oh Father" and the perky pop of "Cherish." Besides a throw-away collaboration with Prince ("This Is Not a Love Song"), the CD stands as one of her strongest works, eschewing the strong dance beat influences from her past--she saved that for the remixes--and concentrating instead on melody and structure. Like a Prayer also gave a hint of things to come with the delightful "Dear Jessie" displaying a maternal side worthy of her name. --Steve Gdula ... Read more

Reviews (127)

It's "Like A Prayer" to hear this album!
This album is probably Madonna's most personal album (although American Life may take that title). Every time I hear that title song, which was deservedly a huge hit, I picture Madonna dancing in front of burning crosses. With the content of videos today, doesn't the controversy seem overblown? "Express Yourself"is antoher great song (my favorite line: "If the time isn't right then move on!"). Being a Prince fan, I like "Love Song" as well. "Til Death Do Us Part" also has a nice beat. "Promise To Try" is pretty and "Oh Father" is haunting. "Cherish" is the sweet and cute. "Keep It Together" is nice. "Spanish Eyes" is also haunting. "Act of Contrition" always freaks me out, an interesting way to end this album. I love this album. For those who think Madonna is a singles artist, listen to this album! Buy it today!

Madonna's First Step in the Right Direction
Many music fans believe that, were this a fair world, Madonna's presence on the pop-culture radar should have expired about the same time as that of Cyndi Lauper and George Michael. But thanks to her constant evolution as a pop entertainer, Madonna's extinction has yet to take place. 1989's Like A Prayer was the first pivotal step taken by Madonna to ensure that she could mature as a songwriter and musician without fading into obscurity. Produced in large part by Pat Leonard, the album features the kind of deeply personal and introspective songs that would have previously been unheard of by Madonna. From the gospel-pop masterpiece that is the title track to the melancholic piano ballad "Promise to Try," Madonna's personal experiences weave their way into the pop soundscape. From the haunting "Oh Father" to the heart-wrenching "Spanish Eyes," Madonna uses despair as a gauge for her songs, instead of the consistent upbeat, perky attitudes she expressed in her earlier records. The melancholic stuff is balanced by more radio-friendly material like the bouncy "Cherish" and the soulful anthem "Express Yourself." Although the album does have its minuses (notably "Love Song," an awkward duet with Prince, and the throwaway trifle "Keep it Together" which acts as a Public Service Announcement for family values), Like A Prayer is one of the most profound (and listener-friendly) artistic statements ever made by a pop entertainer.

A Defining Moment
A favorite of Madonna fans, Like A Prayer is arguably Madonna at her very best. So many factors contribute to this rather grand statement, least of which is the music.

It's interesting to look at this album in retrospect. It was an interesting period for Madonna. In many ways, this was the last time we would see the Madonna that so many people fell in love with during her pop reign of the 80's. While the album contains several songs that are so associated with the material girl, only Like A Prayer was a number one single. Express Yourself, Cherish, Oh Father and Keep it Together were all released as singles and yet all failed to reach the top spot. Not that number one singles make a great album, but most of these songs have gained popularity over time. And yet this could still be called Madonna's greatest album. The writing was, for the first time, confessional and personal. The lyrics and melodies were more mature ("Oh Father" is one of the best Madonna songs of all time). It was still a patchwork of styles and sound, a trait of all Madonna's albums. Keep in mind where Madonna mania was at this point. She had recently split with Sean Penn, finished filming Dick Tracy, preping her monstrous Blonde Ambition tour, and cementing her place as a pop culture icon. Controversey came center stage before this album was even released. The Pepsi deal and the video exploded on the eve of the albums release. Thsi was by far the biggest controversey in Madonna's career thus far. Though it all seems rather silly now, it was all the talk in the Spring of '89. This was the height of Madonna's career. Erotica and the Sex book were just around the corner, a turning point that really determined who her fans were. Her celebrity would take on a different persona after The Immacculate Collection beautifully summed her 80's image.

So does all of this add up to the best Madonna album of all time? Hard to say. It is definitely my favorite Madonna album. But if you look at Madonna's musical career as a whole, it is obvious that this was the soundtrack to Madonna turning from pop star celebrity to icon.

THE EIGHTIES AT ITS BEST
THIS ALBUM PROVED THAT MADONNA WAS MORE THAN A POP TART. THIS ALBUM REALLY PROVED SHE HAD SOMETHING TO SAY. I THINK LOTS OF PEOPLE WERE SUPRISED AT HOW GOOD A SONGWITER SHE WAS. THESE SOUND HAVE SO MUCH HEART AND LEAVE YOU WITH YOUR HEAD A MESS. OH FATHER TIL THIS DAY STILL REAMINS MY FAVORITE MADONNA BALLAD. ITS SO HAUNTING AND SAD, YET A VERY SIMPLE SONG. I AGREE WITH MANY OTHERS YOU COULD NO LONGER DENY THE TALENT THIS WOMAN POSSESSED. I WAS ONLY 11 WHEN THIS WAS RELEASED AND IT STILL REMAINS ONE OF MY FAVORITE MADONNA DISCS TO DATE.

Madonna's Rubber Soul
Like A Prayer, Madonna's fourth studio effort, released in the spring of 1989, was the album Ms. Ciccone got down to business. She was 30, the age at which her mother had died of cancer, and she also was recently departed from an abusive marriage to Sean Penn. These facts, along with the fact that she was getting older, made for a more mature recording. Gone were the multiple bracelets, the Boy Toy belt buckles, and the Material Girl. This was her Rubber Soul.

From the opening hard-rock chords of the title track, you know you're in for something unique and refreshing. The gospel choir, chunky guitar, organs, and handclaps of the haunting 'Like A Prayer,' is followed by the deep funky bass riffs and jubilant horn section of 'Express Yourself,' making for a knockout punch opener. Following this is the much-touted but ultimately disappointing Madonna-Prince collabo, 'Love Song,' perhaps a mid-tempo extension of 'Express Yourself.' After this, Madonna lays bare her marriage to Sean Penn in the bitter, sarcastic 'Til Death Do Us Part,' a B-side to the hit 'Dear Jessie.' She next discusses her mother's death in 'Promise To Try,' which packs an emotional wallop, and ends the first half of the record.

'Cherish' is up-tempo, simple, joyous pop, which demonstrates Madonna's penchant for hooky, cheerful pop numbers. 'Dear Jessie' does 'Sgt. Pepper' just as good as Lennon and McCartney. 'Oh Father,' which spawns from the closing notes of 'Dear Jessie,' is a dirge-like ballad about Madonna's father. 'Keep It Together,' a pseudo-hip-hop song about family unity, is very good, but seems almost weak compared to Madonna's other work here. 'Pray For Spanish Eyes,' a B-side to the flop single 'Oh Father,' has to be one of Madonna's most underappreciated gems, a ballad about the demise of a gang member, with tender acoustics added. And then, the astonishing closer. 'Act of Contrition' mixes the like-titled Catholic prayer with new lyrics, chants from 'Like A Prayer' played backwards, handclaps, heavy guitars, and moans played at random. It ends with Madonna yelling about her reservations in heaven. It tees up the album perfectly, and will stand as one of music's highest achievements. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

A quintessential '80s pop artifact, Madonna's third album was a huge musical leap forward and ranks with Like a Prayer and Ray of Light in the top echelon of her works. Only the title track (a bit too obviously a '60s girl-group homage) and the fine-but-nothing-special "Jimmy Jimmy" slightly lower the quality bar. Most of the songs share a jittery dance-pop sound, edgy, distracted, and nerve-jangling but simultaneously invigorating and exhilarating and almost dangerously giddy--a perfect soundtrack for the mid-'80s. Highlights include the hedonist's credo of "Where's the Party," the subtle and pretty Latin pastiche "La Isla Bonita," and, towering above all, three stunning mega-hits. "Papa Don't Preach," with its gorgeous pseudo-classical strings intro, is a sumptuous airwaves banquet, as Madonna wrestles with the have-the-baby-or-give-it-up dilemma (abortion's not in the picture) in newly gritty tones. "Open Your Heart"'s marriage of jitter-pop and wistful melody underscores the singer's yearning but forceful stance ("You better open your heart to me, buster"). And "Live to Tell" is a riveting ballad, lushly melodic yet spare and haunting--a place, as the song says, where beauty lives. --Ken Barnes ... Read more

Reviews (54)

One of her most underrated albums.
MADONNA - TRUE BLUE

PAPA DON'T PREACH: is an absolute classic but the more that I listen to it I realize that there could have been so much more done musically with this song. Nonetheless it is brilliant. I give this a 4/5.
OPEN YOUR HEART: is perhaps one of Madonna's most perfectly crafted pop songs that she released during the eighties. Sheer perfection. 5/5
WHITE HEAT: has such a catchy riff to it and though i'm not completely sure of the theme, it offers up enough to bring the listener right into Madonna's little tale. 3/5
LIVE TO TELL: is the perfect ballad for Madonna. It's almost what makes this record. And boy did she ever live to tell. 5/5
WHERE'S THE PARTY: I find that this song is way to bubblegum for Madonna. While it is a fun, ambitious and upbeat song, I would just expect more from Madonna. 3/5
TRUE BLUE: This title track has the same bubblegum flavor as Where's The Party but in this case it actually works! Her voice is angelic on this track and she doesn't over do it. 4/5
LA ISLA BONITA: Madonna the true pioneer. Before latin pop was all the rage we of course had Madonna giving it a try in that late eighties. Not only did she give it a try she succeeded better than those of latin origin that came about in the late nineties. 5/5
JIMMY JIMMY: This is the one weak song on this record. I tried listening to this over and over and it just does nothing for me. 2/5
LOVE MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND: While I enjoy this song I can't help but think it sounds like some vacation package jingle that tries to get us to believe we can really go to The Bahamas for 499.99. That aside, this song is a nice way to end off the record, upbeat with a positive message. 3/5

Overall this is of course an impressive offering from Madonna. But does she ever really disappoint?

Totally True Blue
Being a teenager, adults think that all I listen to is rap but in reality I own not just rap albums but Madonna, Prince, Cyndi Lauper, Janet and Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston albums, albums that were popular when only I was a tiny thing. I find this Madonna album to be one of my favorites, one I even push Missy Elliot's aside (horror of horrors!). "True Blue" is 80's pop at it's best, I just love it. Madonna really sells the hit "Papa Don't Preach" with the screaming chorus and truthful words. "Open Your Heart" is a hard hitting track that is another one of my favorites. "White Heat" I really like besides the corny talking bit it's actully a well crafted song. My all-time fave Madonna song has to be "Live To Tell". It is a beautiful song from start to finish, the music is incredible, the faraway keyboard mixing with the guitar (sorry if I'm gushing) but this song ROCKS! "La Isla Bonita" is another favorite of mine. The chorus is real catchy. "True Blue", "Where's The Party" and "Love Makes The World Go 'Round" are pretty sizeable, I listen to them as well but I think "Jimmy, Jimmy" is kinda "Stupid, Stupid". This is an awesome album, one that should be in every music fan's collection. I recommend it, after all it is Madonna.

40 minutes of pure fun on one CD!
After 2 mega-selling albums with 1983's self-titled album and 1984's sometimes imfamous "Like A Virgin", Madonna avoids the third album jinx by releasing her greatest selling album to date at this point in her career "True Blue".

Released in August of 1986, this CD outsold it's two predecessors and it deserved all of the success that it got. Although it's certainly cheesy in some ways, "True Blue" is to me Madonna's album where a much greater maturity took the podium and her voice sounds so much better than it did previously.

While most of these songs like "True Blue" and "Jimmy Jimmy" border on the edge of 1980s bubble-gum pop music this CD is one of my favorites for two really excellent and thought-provoking classic hits which are "Papa Don't Preach" and "Live To Tell". The former while certainly straight-out pop in nature has a very dramatic and pleading sense of urgency and a great orchestral sound to back it up. "Live To Tell" is in my opinion Madonna's greatest ballad and having a really dark yet bright sound with a really dramatic undertone about someone surviving a horrific crime or accident (whatever you call it) and living to tell about it. I really love the haunting keyboard effects and the echoing beat.

"Open Your Heart" is a long-lasting classic with those memorable tinkling keyboard effects but it is really starting to show it's age with those tingling keyboard effects but it's still great to listen to.

I strongly recommend this for Madonna fans because it is just plain fun and people from anywhere on the intelligence scale can really enjoy this album because it's just plain fun and is a great time capsule for a great year in music (In my opinion). The remastered edition has really improved sound quality and included are two extra remixes of "True Blue" and "La Ista Bonita" both of which are good.

In a way it makes me sad to think that Madonna has lost her way in making such great music like this with her latest atrocity that is "American Life" which sounds far more dated than "True Blue" does.

The Queen of Pop serves up another masterpiece
True Blue (1986.) Madonna's third album.

By the time 1986 rolled around, Madonna had achieved a pretty high amount of popularity. Although her 1983, self-titled debut LP failed to sell well at its time of release, her sophomore effort Like A Virgin won over a massive audience. Not surprisingly, following the releases of those two albums, people waited patiently for the next Madonna album. And in 1986, her third LP, True Blue, was released. How does this one measure up? Read on and find out.

Madonna's third full-length LP consists of nine tracks total, and of these nine cuts, FIVE of them went onto become massive Madonna hits! That's over half the album! The title track is the kind of catchy pop tune that you've come to expect her to deliver, and it's not surprising that it has become a huge hit and remained such over the years. The opener, Papa Don't Preach, was yet another hit. There are some excellent lyrics in this song, and the instrumentation only adds to the experience. Perhaps the best instrumentation on the album comes from another one of the hits, Open Your Heart. This is another extremely catchy song, and one of Madonna's finest. Not surprisingly, eighties stations still play it on a regular basis. The slow-paced pop ballad Live To Tell is also excellent. And, of course, we have La Isla Bonita (that's Spanish for The Beautiful Island), Madonna's attempt to fuse her pop stylings with a Latin-flavored sound. This little experiment worked well for Madonna; the song became another massive hit. And then, of course, you have the four songs that were never hits. Not surprisingly, these songs are also excellent. White Heat and Where's The Party are excellent pop-oriented tunes that should have been bigger hits. The same can be said of Jimmy, Jimmy, and Love Makes The World Go 'Round. In the end, this is another solid, five-star effort from the Material Girl.

THIS TEXT REFERS EXCLUSIVELY TO THE WARNER REMASTERS EDITION OF THE ALBUM. Many of Madonna's albums were recently rereleased as part of the Warner Remasters series of album reissues. The liner notes have been expanded, the sound quality has been improved, and bonus tracks have been added! In the case of the True Blue album, you get rare remixes of two of the tracks! That's pretty cool. The reissue also restores the original cover art - Just the picture of Madonna, with no words whatsotever. This is a damn fine reissue.

Can I really say anything more? If you're a Madonna fan, or just a fan of eighties pop music in general, True Blue is an album just waiting to be added to your collection. Madonna's songwriting abilities matured on this album, and the five big hits stand as solid proof. No eighties pop music collection is complete without this album.

A pure 80's gem!
this is one of my favorite madonna albums and is number 5 on my top ten list of favorite madge cd's. here is a track by track review!

Papa don't preach:9/10 this song caused some controversey for madonna because it is about abortion. anyway this song is a fast song that has a amazing chorus and it has a tendency to get in your head.

Open your heart: 10/10 an extremly fast song that has some amazing verses and the chorus rocks!!! there is quite a few drums in this song and it give it a edge of rock music,superior to the edited Imacculate Collection version. in the video she plays a stripper.....

White heat:9/10 possibly the best track on the cd! lots of synthesizers on this track and it has a addicting chorus. i could do without the male voices in the beggining though. i can't believe it wasn't a single!!!

Live to tell: 9/10 this is the only ballad on this album and it rocks! i usually can't stand ballads but madonna has produced some of the best ones ever! this song is very emotional and can get you a little depressed... but is definetly a standout.

Wheres the party: 11/10!!!! this is the best track on the album! it is a great song to play at parties and on fridays. it's 5 minuits of pure dance pop! my favorite part is when at the end she says "We can make it all right, we can dance and let the party last all night" 7 time fast! Why wasn't it a single!!!!!!!!!! she would have made millions!

True blue: 9/10 the albums title track is worth many a listen. it is slightly slower then wheres the party and is dedicated to sean penn! the chorus and the bridge are the best parts of the song. "True blue baby madonna!"

La isla bonita: 10/10 a true gem! it has many spanish lyrics and the beat sounds like it was made in spain. the song sounds (i know this isn't a word buts it's the best way to describe it) islandy.

Jimmy Jimmy: i know people are going to think i'm crazy but...10/10! this song is total ear candy and seems slightly faster then where's the party. i don't know why people hate this so much!

Love makes the world go round: 5/10 the weakest track on the album. it has a good message about peace but the beat doesn't click with me.

On the remastered version of this cd there are two extremly rare dance mixes of True blue and la isla bonita.... this album is worth buying just for them!!!
If you like this album i reccomend you get all her 80's and 90's albums. her new material is quite good to. i also recommend "Believe" by Cher

~all hail madonna! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Any record that leads off with Dick Vitale's ubiquitous jabberings is asking for trouble, and this third volume in the Jock Jams series is musically ill-equipped to pull out of the ensuing tailspin. The collection of inoffensive rap songs and R&B-tinged dance numbers does have a few highlights. KC and the Sunshine Band's "That's the Way I Like It," regardless of what sort of material it shares company with here, is a classic, and Blackstreet kick out a decent rhyme with Dr. Dre on "No Diggity." On the whole, it might even make a passable soundtrack for an aerobics class. Besides that, however, you'll have to swim through a lot of musical filler and testosterone-driven flotsam to find anything that rises above an overwhelming and acute mediocrity. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Non-Stop Fun!
Jock Jams Volume 3 is quite possibly the best in the series. It stars off with Dick Vitale's It's Awesome Baby speech, which kicks right into Tribal Dance by 2Unlimited (Remember them?) which is full of energy. Right after that is Republica's super hit Ready To Go and Tito Nieves's I Like It Like That, which is definately a classic. Quad City DJs have made it on to most dance compilations, and this one is no exception. C'Mon Ride The Train is one of the best songs on the album. Freak Nasty provides a pretty good track that is a combination of dance and rap. Crush provides yet another dance classic with Jellyhead, and then Blackstreet gives us their hit No Diggity with Dr. Dre. The next few tracks however are nothing exceptional until you hit Livin' Joys song Don't Stop Moving, which is as close to perfect as you can get. Then Rednex performs a strange combination of country and dance on Cotton Eye Joe, followed by a great Jock Jam megamix, which features many other popular songs at that time which didn't make the compilation. The album ends with Ray Castoldi's chicken dance. Overall, this is a very fun album that works well for parties.

Wham! Bam! Slam! It's Awesome, Baby!
Jock Jams Volume 3 is one good album. It will definately get you pumped up.

Every song on this album gets my blood pumping. Hearing Dick Vitale first just set me up for the rest of this fast cd. "C'mon & Ride It," "I Like It Like That," and "That's the Way I Like It" are probably the three most well-known singles, but other great songs like "Da' Dip" and the thunderous "Tribal Dance" make this album super.

This album has something for everybody on it. Ending with "The Chicken Dance" was classic. This album is a great buy with 22 tracks on it, and it more than satisfies you with fast pumping entertainment. What are you waiting for? "Don't Stop, Get It, Get It!"

Another entry into the Jock Jams series!!!!!
This is the best of the Jock Jams series. This is great. I like all the tracks such as Trible Dance, Ready To Go, I Like It Like That, Cmon And Ride It The Train, Jock Jams Megamix, and The Chicken Dance. I like the track of No Diggity. You can use these Cd's while you work out or if you need music as a part of a sports program. If you like Jock Jams! you definetly will like this one. This is highly recommended. This comes in pretty handy.

It REALLY gets on your nerves!
My sister got this cd and she plays it all the time. It gets soooo annoying. I was sick of it the second time I heard it. The only reason I even gave it 2 stars is because it is good to make up gymnastics routines to. But other than that it is a TOTAL waste of money!

funnerds review
I LIKE JOCK JAMS OVER ANY OTHER CD.BUT,ALL THE MIX NEEDED WAS ABOUT 15 SECONDS ADDED ON OR,MADE IT LONGER THE REST OF THE CD WAS GREAT! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Top Freestyle Group
The Cover Girls greatest hits is just that! Their greatest music off of 4 albums. "Show me" was their first big hit and "Because of you" was another dance hit for them. Besides Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam there was no other group who really made freestyle big.

"We can't go wrong" was a smash hit ballad for the group and it peaked at #2. However, Michelle Valentine had taken over the lead vocals after Angel Sabater left the group and she relishes the lead on the funky "Wishing on a star". Their version of the song was actually a bigger hit than the original by ROSE ROYCE and it fit the group really well.

"My heart skips a beat" and "Inside outside" are essential 80's dance and freestyle and show why the group was a stay on the dance charts. A thumping remake of the TEENA MARIE classic "I need your lovin'" is also featured as the girls pay tribute to LADY T! This package sums up their collection really well and any fan of 80's/early 90's dance and freestyle will find this rewarding.

Good cover girls greatest hits album for a good price
The Cover Girls greatest hits album does it's job well. This collection released on the freestyle label Mars contains a lot of their hits counting four from their 1987 debut album and My heart skips a beat and All that glitters isn't gold from their 1989 out of print and hard to find album We can't go wrong and then we go into three tracks taken from their 1992 album Here it is. The Cover Girls version of the oldies classic Wishing on a star is actually one of the best covers ever done. The big question is why on earth did Funk Boutique get released as a single? When I listened to my copy of Here it is I dicovered that the Cover girls only sing the first parts of the song and the rest is just boring until you hear them at the end of the song. Last but not least is the ballad thank you that is very beautiful. If you want this album don't expect I need your lovin' from The Cover Girls recent satisfy album that is on Warlock's version. A good cd if you want to hear the best from Margo Urban Louise Sabater Caroline M. Jackson Sunshine Wright and Michelle Valentine Buy It Regis

Show Me, Show Me, How Much You Love This! Freestyle!
NYC-based latino group "The Cover Girls" where the live example how can overproduced dance-pop would work just fine. This Greatest Hits resumes the girls career in music industry. Although never reconigzed as a strong force in the 80's scene, the Cover Girls where one of the top acts of freestyle. "Show Me" their first single show an easy to swallow-way to sing catchy songs that fitted, great beginning hittinhg # 44 back in early 1987, "Because Of You" although less appealing that "Show Me" it broke them into the top 40 scene at #27, make it their first single to be played in massive radio at the end of 1987, "Inside Outside" came as a redeem of their freestyle ways, great closure for their first album promotion, wich feature pure dance-love songs, except for "Promise" wich in fact was thier first ballad and second single to hit the top 40 at #40. With Capitol Records promotion came "My Heart Skips To The Beat" a danceable more poppish song than freestyle, but still had that latino flavour, produce by Cole & Clivilles, became thier thrid top 40 at #38 at the end of summer 1989 caught between Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson hysteria, the Cover Girls will try to appeal to mature audience with the ballad "We Can't Go Wrong" hitting the top 10 for the first time at #8 at the end of 1989, with the whole buss, became sodas adevertisement and opening concerts to NKOTB, as the Cover Girls seems to reach a star status, although different from Abdul they wouldn't be MTV favs, lead singer Sabater, left the group, confusing fans and industry, the next single flop, but continuing with the force, and with Epic records, The Cover Girls reach for a new funky way with their new single in 1991, "Funk Boutique, an instrumental maine song, with a funky beat and the vocals in the back, it didn't click in the radio reaching a modest #55, the girsl waited til their next single "Wishing On A Star" a remake of Rose Royce, done in a proper way, as luck stroke the girls, the ballad became their second top 10 single reaching the #9 spot, odd enough, that the Cover Girls were known for their freestyle-funkyness appeal, the ballads had became their friends and top singles, for that said, "Thank You" became their next single and last to hit the top 100, spotted at #75, this ballad just didn't work for the radio and the fans, for the rest, the Cover Girls achieve much in the 80's and 90's, and didn't became a mimick of themselves, their easy to dance a sing a long music were the perfect blend to a decade that needed less complicated music, this Greatest Hits includes all the needed hits and the escence of the Cover Girls.

Where is "Don't Stop Now" ?
I loved this single and it is obviously missing from this disk.

Great 80's Batman!!
What can say? This album drips of the 80's and I love it, love it, love it!! Can't get enough synth-pop and layered vocals? Here's your album! The best songs are, of course, their hits: Show Me, Because of You, My Heart Skips a Beat and Wishing on a Star. I love trips down memory lane and this album gets me there! ... Read more

Reviews (41)

This makes you re-evaluate Counting Crows.
A surprisingly strong collection of songs from Counting Crows.
In a funny way, I was reminded of the first Elton John greatest hits album. It served to sum up that portion of his career, and proved he was an amazing artist with an astonishing number of great songs.
So I pop the CD in my sound system, and one song after another just made me smile. I sang along, one thought recurring:
"I forgot they sang THIS song!"
I found myself wanting to tell people how great this record is! Their sound has always had a funky retro flavor to it. The benefit to that is now the music hardly ages. It still sounds fresh.
The non-single album tracks and new tunes fill out the song selection nicely, balancing the uptempo tunes like "Angels of the Silences" with stuff like "Omaha". The Vanessa Carlton version of "Big Yellow Taxi" is included, not the one found as a hidden track at the end of their last CD.
The best thing about this record, which is exactly what "greatest hits" albums should do, is make you want to go over their previous albums to find other gems you might have missed before.
An excellent compilation...

Big Stars
I love these guys, I've heard every song the've ever done and every rarity, cover, etc.
The two new songs are really good, "Friend of the Devil" is good and "She dont want nobody near" would had fit on Hard Candy perfectly, its another great song. And the inclusion of Einstein is wonderful. Also, My favorite crows song "Recovering the Satellites" was included, i couldn't believe it! Its my fave. Omaha is the only song i might skip on this cd. There are some HITS missing though, if u were wondering. Here what this album would have been, if all the hits off the radio had been included:
"Round Here"
"Rain King"
"A Long December"
"Hangin' Around"
"A MURDER OF ONE!" (August and Everthing After)
"Mr. Jones"
"Recovering the Satellites"
"American Girls"
"DAYLIGHT FADING!" (Recovering the Satellites)
"Friend of the Devil"
"HAVE YOU SEEN ME LATELY"(RTS)
"Einstein on the Beach"
"Anna Begins"
"If i could give you all my love" (Hard Candy)
"COLORBLIND"(This Desert Life)
"She Don't Want Nobody Near"

Newcomers will have to buy the other albums to get those songs, I dont think its a coincidence that hits from Recovering, August, and Desert life and hard candy are missing.
I guess thats a pretty good idea, since the albums are full of so many gems. August: Raining in Baltimore, Perfect Blue Buildings. Recovering: Catapalt, goodnight elisabeth. Desert: High Life, S R and his C Dream. Candy: Miami, Hard Candy.

I guess none of us will be happy with this greatest hits playlist, since we all have our own favorite songs. I'm just overjoyed "Recovering the Satellites" was on here. Somebody probably saw "Omaha" and got really really happy. I just hope this isn't the end, and more albums are to come!

For the Record; heres my favorite Crows songs, and the ones i recommend you listen to, over and over and over.......

1. Round Here (of course)
2. Perfect Blue Buildings

3. Anna Begins
4. Raining in Baltimore
5. Murder of One
6. "Recovering the Satellites" and every single song on that album
7. Speedway
8. St. Robinson...
9. Amy hit the Atmosphere
10. Miami
11. Baby, I'm a big star now (Rounders soundtrack)
12. Mercy
13. The Ghost in You (Clueless soundtrack)
14. Black and Blue
15. Good time

Great Compilation
I am a relatively new Counting Crows Fan, but after hearing some tracks off this album, i knew i had to pick this one up. I bought it, and thank god i did, because it is basically the only thing i have been listening to for the last two weeks. Every song is way above par, and I've actually never skipped a track, for all the times that i have listened to the album complete.

The first few times I listened the music was just relaxing and great. Then after a while I start picking up what he is saying, by listening very carefully to the lyrics, which i might add are very meaningful, and deep. Once i grasped what the songs were saying, the quality jumped through the roof. Great stuff and i highly recommend picking this album up.

A Great Compilation
I have not been a Crows fan for very long so I am not familiar with their earlier albums. But as far as I can tell, Films About Ghosts is a great compilation of their best stuff. I went to the Counting Crows/Wallflowers concert last December and it was one of the coolest things ever. I was glad that this album had just come out so I could hear some of the songs that I was unfamiliar with. The atmosphere of their music is very different than anything else and that is summed up very well on the album. A great CD for anypne new to the band.

A collection of great music.
While I do believe owning "August And Everything After" is a must, this is a great collection for fans old and new. Sure it's missing a few favorites, specifically "Murder Of One", but what's here is all wonderful. It not only includes the hits like "Mr. Jones", "A Long December", "Hanginaround", and "American Girls", but it also has the favorites "Round Here", "Omaha", and "Einstein On The Beach (for an eggman)". Plus it's got covers of "Big Yellow Taxi", "Friend Of The Devil", and the new track "She Don't Want Nobody". Overall, it's a great 16 songs, in a nice little package. "Adam Duritz" may not have become "Bob Dylan", but there's no doubt that they're one of the best bands of the last decade. ... Read more