Amazon.com

Norman Cook's bubble-gum techno songs--put out under a variety of guises over the years, including Pizzaman and Freak Power--are essential staples on any international dance floor. Fatboy Slim, however, is the former Housemartin's most successful incarnation, launching a Top 40 crossover hit and popular advertising jingle with last year's "Going out of My Head." You've Come a Long Way, Baby picks up where the smash single left off, cheekily pairing acidic synthesizers and drum machines with big, dumb vocal samples. It takes considerable effort sitting through an entire album of these energized tunes, but taken in small doses, songs like "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Soul Surfing" are like rays of sunshine. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (281)

*I* am the funk soul brother!
Holy macroni. 253 people before me have reviewed this in-every-way-pleasing work. What on earth can I say that has not already been said? Probably nothing, but I'll be on top of the list for a couple of weeks maybe, so it worth saying this:

This album makes you feel cool.

Ok, if I had gotten it three years ago when if first came out, I would have felt a great deal cooler, but when you are into the music you know what? Those three years just don't matter. ....

The rhythms, the grooves, the timing. Yeah, it's mostly about the timing on this thing. He has it right. He'll push a loud electronic whine just to the point where it holds your attention and you'll say, hmm, that's a bit loud I wonder if I am pissing off my neighbors, but then he breaks it down, and screw the neighbors, that was perfectly done! That was just right! It's not like they don't play their Hawaii Five Oh soundtrack a little too loud, after all.

I buy a lot of electronica these days, and some of it grows a bit stale a bit fast. I have regretted some high-star reviews I have given in the past. Not this one. I waited. I listened to it a hundred times -- no, not in a row, I may like the stuff, but I am not a psycho -- and here's the conclusion:

This stuff makes you feel happy. It makes you feel hip. It's got great energy, great texture, and absolutely perfect timing. Over and over again.

Are you on the fence? Go on, hit the button. I promise: you won't regret it.

Here, tell you what, if you buy it, and you think it's lame, you can blame it on me.

HE's THE ONE...FATBOY SLIM IS THE MAN!
This review is for the newcomers to electronica like myself: I am a hip hop/pop/R&B cat, but lately, songs by Sonique, Alice Deejay, Paul Van Dyk, ATB, Groove Armada (shall I go on?) as well as my first rave in LA have turned me on to the more electronic side of things...and while this universe is huge with many underground DJs, no other DJ/artist has impressed me more than Mr. Norman Cook, aka Scanty Sandwhich, most commonly known as the one and only, Fatboy Slim.

There are three major cuts on this album. The "Rockafeller Skank" is probably the most popular (check it out now...) and it's impossible not to dance when you hear this song. I like the way it updates the 'surfer' sound to the year 2000. Then there's my favorite, "Gangster Tripping" - it sounds a lot like Fatboy Slim's remix of the Beastie Boys' "Body Movin". Both "Body Movin" and "Ganster Tripping" will have you bobbing your head and shaking your rump. Then, there's the very MTV friendly "Praise You". I actually like this song a lot...it's a relaxing, mellow song that's great for driving, especially on long road trips. The rest of the album is good too, but the three songs I just mentioned are indeed, true sonic gems.

But wait...you say 'three songs isn't enough to be sold on Fatboy Slim'...well, you're right. But do you like Groove Armada's "I See You Baby" (shakin that...)? Well, it was mixed by Fatboy Slim. How about "Because of You" by Scanty Sandwhich? That was Fatboy Slim too. Basically, FB Slim's trademark is making music that is truly FUNKY, with frantic, playful drum beats...and I think that's so cool. He's not afraid to appeal to headz like myself who appreciate hearing a familiar tune every now and then. I loved the way he played with young Michael Jackson's voice on "Because Of You".

This particular genre of techno/electronica is called 'Big Beat'. If you liked "Block Rockin Beats" by the Chemical Brothers (too phat...), or songs by Prodigy (remember "Breathe?) your ears will be Fatboy Slim-compatible. Music can be WAY TOO EXPENSIVE these days...so you've got to be extra choosy when buying whole albums. Be sure the album (or artist) that you invest into is worth your hard earned currency. I think Fatboy Slim is great, and he's definitely not a one hit wonder. I'm impressed enough to buy his music, and as an emerging journalist in the music industry, I'd have to say that along with Paul Okenfold, Fatboy Slim is a true pioneer of electronica, making him an instant legend in the genre of techno/electronica. Newcomers...(i.e. 'I like Alice Deejay' - which is actually trance) start with this one. Then proceed with some more dance compilations to find out who else you're into...otherwise you might get stuck with a CD with one good song, and by then you can't get your money back - but there's no chance of that with this album...

Knyte (Trust Me)

The big beat classic!
This is one of my favorite techno CDs, along with mr.deviant's "Techno Obsession".
Here it is, the big beat classic by which all others are judged. Fatboy's signature style of building up a song, tearing it down and quickly exploding it in the listeners face is present on serval of these tracks. "Praise You" and "T.R.S." will get the casual listeners attention, but tracks like "Acid 8000", "Soul Surfing" and "Gangster Tripping" will make them fans for life.
This CD came out in 98, so if it's not in your dance collection by now...you need to pick it up today!!!

PRAISE HIM LIKE YOU SHOULD!!!
Six years after it's initial release, I've finally gotten around to getting Fatboy Slim's "You've Come Along Way, Baby!"--although I'm ashamed to say from one of those used CD bins. HEY! One man's trash is another man's treasure! The reason for my tardiness is I'm usually turned off by artists, groups, CDs or songs that get too much attention or airplay! In fact, I usually stray away from them! Fatboy Slim was/is definitely one of those artists. All that said, I was thouroughly impressed with this guy's skills as a DJ/mixer, although at times some of FBS' music becomes repetitive, nerve-racking and down right noisy. That notwithstanding, songs like "Right Here, Right Now", "You're Not From Brighton" and "Acid 8000" are winners (IMO)! Is "You've Come A Long Way, Baby!" a classic?...depends on who you ask...but without a doubt it should be in every club heads's CD collection.

A Solid Party Album
When I first heard this, I thought it was a masterpiece and a classic dance record. It truly impresses at first, given that it has a lot of catchy and appealing tunes. However, the more I listened to it the more repetitive and boring it became. Yes, Fatboy Slim (or Norman Cook if you prefer) realy knows what he`s doing, and he certainly is one of the best in the big beat genre, but most of these songs are way too formulaic to deserve classic status, even if they truly impress at first. Sure, this is an enjoyable record with some stunning moments ("Right Here, Right Now", "Love Island", "You`re Not From Brighton") and it`s a great choice for a party, still for a home listening it`s a bit too much, becoming annoying and irritating at parts. For a mainstream electronica album it`s quite a strong effort, containing plenty of impressive and addictive samples, but it`s not as great as some claim it to be.
Fun and entertaining. ... Read more

Reviews (112)

Decent Listen...
I'm a person who prefers the now sort of dormant trip hop genre of music... That music style has always had a bit of tough time getting into mainstream which is fine, but it's also a shame with so many talented groups going unrecognized. Having said that, Esthero is a good amalgamation of trip hop, chill music, a pinch of rap, which I'm very picky about, and even a little hard rock. I particularly love the songs Breath From Another, Heaven Sent, and Country Livin. I think if anyone could get this style of music revived again it's Esthero.

She has an almost Bjork like voice at times, or a Lisa Stansfield feel, and there's a jazzy undercurrent which is cool and unique mixed with all the other sounds.

The first several songs or so (except for Anywayz) are great, good beats, definately worthy of playing in the car.. I'm disappointed in the 2nd half of the CD where the song quality seems to trail off except for a fairly decent Indigo Boy.

Overall though, it's hard to find a CD with more than one song worth playing so I don't regret buying it.

I'M SPEECHLESS....
I don't know what to say.
I'm awed.I'm out of words.

I always was curious about Esthero based on thier impressionable
Dali-inspired video for their debut single "Heaven Sent",a soaring song mixing hip hop Jeat beats,etheral strings,indie rock angst,and Esthero's lovely Ming Xia-meets-Nelly Furtado voice.It was a beautiful thing.Esthero fell out of my mind until
an affilate reminded me of them.I picked up the album pronto and
I'm speechless...

The album is just,OFF THE HOOK! Esthero's heavenly,etheral vocals and Doc's airy hip hop-inspired grooves.It's just awe-inducing."Breath From Another" opens with the title track,a hypnotic,trip hop groove that drifts,featuring a rugged rhyme,
and an intoxicating flow,the song just floats into beauty.
Of course there's "Heaven Sent" as well as "That Girl",which features some well-placed trumpet parts."That Girl" was featured
in the 1998 slasher flick "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer".It was the only good thing in that movie.:) "Country
Livin'(The World I Know)","Shallow Me","Half A World Away",and
"Superheroes",and "Indigo Boy" all keep the otherwordly flow going.Aw man,I can't even explain to you how much I love this album.I haven't owned it in at least two weeks and it's already
a gem to me.Esthero is a BAADD woman!

If you ever are to get your hands on Esthero's debut,PLEASE do
YOURSELF a favor and pick it up.It's that good.
(P.S.Thanks so much Paula Jefferson!!)

Ageless Music
Sounds as fresh today as it did when i bought it in 1998. I recommend it to everyone i know that loves music and it has yet to dissappoint. Its great for driving at night or making love with mellow grooves that soothe but don't lull and lyrics that make you think and draw responses from deep in your subconscious. Every time i listened to it i would have a new favorite song, each one will grow on you a little bit more with every listen until the whole album embedded in your soul. One of the best tracks and probably the last one to grab me is "Superheroes" with a laid back bass line that'll move your pelvis and Esthero's singing at its most sultry, a line like :

I could be sweet
I could be young, and fresh
If I weren't so old and used
and wet and wet, I am wet

can still turn me on everytime i hear it.

aEsthetically faboo
Mellow, calming. You can sing along or just sit back. Indigo boy...is a song about...I still have no idea, even after listening to it over 2 dz. times. That's the beauty, pleasing music and you don't really understand what they're talking about. Enjoy

Stirring, yet relaxing at the same time
This disk does a wonderful job of blending hip-hop, rock-ish, and latin rhythms and sounds into a pallet of very smooth music that seems to get better with repeated listening.
The singer has a gorgeous voice that sort of reminds me of Björk's or Emiliana Torrini's, and she can sing out, as well, like both of said singers.
The opening song is sort of Nelly Furtado-ish but a lovely listening experience, and "Heaven Sent" is a great rocking, stirring song with perceptive lyrics. Other songs such as "That Girl", "Country Livin' (The World I Know)" and "Swallow Me" retain a sort of jazzy sound, while the breezy "Half A World Away" really shows Latin influence.
Well done, and I know I'm sure to love it even more over time :) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Working with Blur on their Think Tank album clearly made an impact on Norman Cook. Palookaville, his fourth outing as cartoon dance hero Fatboy Slim, has a distinctly beatnik theme running through it. It also relies more on real instruments and proper songs, rather than Cook's laptop and fun floor fillers, swapping instant thrills for something longer lasting. That said it's unmistakably a Fatboy Slim record, and a pretty phenomenal one at that.

The trademark beach party anthems are still there. The Latino shake of "Wonderful Night," "El Bebe Masoquista"'s electro-funk, and single "Slash Dot Dash" with its snarling surf guitar all prove that there's life in Bigbeat yet. But it's the mellower tracks that stand-up to constant rewinds. "North West Three," a dreamy twilight tune dedicated to wife Zoe Ball, is a gorgeously romantic swayer and plinky hobo ditty "Put It Back Together" delivers a ramshackle shot of optimism in the Think Tank style, complete with a drowsy Damon Albarn. Meanwhile, the moody sub-bass rumble of "Long Way From Home" and road movie rocker "Push and Shove" find the middle ground and demonstrate that Cook's imagination is as active as ever.

All the usual cut'n'paste musical bric-a-brac's there. All the wackiness and cool grooves remain. It's just that this time they sound just as good in the living room as they do on the dance-floor. --Dan Gennoe ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bristol's Massive Attack released a classic with their first album, Blue Lines, but only those who were paying careful attention noticed; soon, they were overshadowed by the likes of Tricky and Portishead, who were colleagues. But not so after the release of Protection, which sported a massive hit and was just as critically acclaimed as their first album. (The hit was the title track, for which Everything but the Girl's Tracy Thorn lent her divine pipes--a move that made the act's name, and also presaged EBTG's move to the dance floor.) Eschewing the showmanship of their scene mates, Massive prefer subtler soundscapes and using a diverse range of vocalists (including Horace Andy, Nicolette, and Tricky) who give them a number of flavors and moods with which to work. Protection is an understated album with a rich palette; it reveals more of itself on repeated listens, growing better--and deeper--each time. --Randy Silver ... Read more

Reviews (73)

"Protection" left vulnerable by high expectations
When you release one of the most influential and unique releases of the past 20 years, what do you do for an encore? This is the no-win situation that Massive Attack had to face with their follow-up to 1991's seminal Blue Lines debut. Whereas that album simultaneously combined smoky hip-hop, inspired soul, and laces of "rasta", this album eschews many of those hip-hop and reggae elements in favour of soft jazz ('Weather Storm', 'Better Things', 'Heat Miser') and electronic-pop (such as the title track and 'Spying Glass'). Soundwise, it's a slightly uneasy mid-point between the raw urban flavour of Blue Lines and the unsettling bleakness of Mezzanine. Overall, Protection is another high-quality release, but it falls well short of these two benchmark albums. Musically and creatively, it is solid as expected (with the exception of their grating cover of 'Light My Fire' - but I didn't like the original either so there you go). However the combined danger and sensuality that marks Blue Lines and Mezzanine is conspicuously absent on Protection. Even Nicolette's raspy voice on 'Three' and 'Sly' rings somehow hollow. The album also fails to set a consistent groove: of the 10 songs, there are 2 jazzy instrumentals (both of them superb), 2 poppier tunes sung by Tracey Thorn, 2 eclectic cuts rapped by 3D and Tricky, 2 loungy rhythm-based grooves by Nicolette and 2 disappointingly un-reggae tracks by Horace Andy. This grab bag of vocalists and styles overall simulates the disjointed feel of a compilation disc. It not only lacks the cohesive flow of Blue Lines and Mezzanine, but is a bit bumpy in terms of quality as well. The cuts by 3D/Tricky, Tracey Thorn and the instrumentals are absolutely ace, while Horace Andy's usually amazing voice grates on both 'Spying Glass' and 'Light My Fire'. Nicolette's tracks are kind of in the middle, highly listenable but not the CD's bread and butter. Overall this is not the Massive's strongest release, but mediocre Massive Attack is better than 90% of other bands at the top of their game. It's a very good album that, however unfair it may be, is forced into comparison with their near-untouchable debut. If taken on its own merits, Protection will not disappoint.

Hits and Misses
Well, Protection has its hits and misses. I think the female vocals and lyrics are more impressive than the male vocals (except for Horace Andy, he's always good) in this one. Tracey Thorn shines in "protection" (bold lyrics) and "better things" and Nicolette, sounding like a modern day Billie Holiday, twinkles in "three" and "sly". Craig Armstrong's piano over the rubbery, slip and drag instrumental in "weather storm" is awesome. Tricky and 3D in "karmacoma" and "eurochild" are ok but lacks something that I just can't put my finger on. Martina sings a better version of "karmacoma" on Tricky's first awesome album, Maxinquaye, but under the title of "overcome".

I think more could have been done with "light my fire (live)" or it should have been left out completely. It just sounds like a space filler. Still, this CD should not be over looked by any trip hop enthusiast. Check out Massive Attack: Blue Lines and Mezzanine, Portishead: Dummy and Tricky: Maxinquaye for a better time.

Music to take a bullet to
The only thing I got out of listening to the title track, Protection, is fleeting remembrances of the movie The Bodyguard. This was not a good film. I am a great admirer of Tracey Thorne's voice and, as I said elsewhere, would listen to her sing the phone book; but this is not the phone book. This is teenage emotionalizing. Though I resonate with the idea of self-sacrifice, the whole point of self-sacrifice is to actually DO it, not to talk about how you would or should or might do it should the situation arise. The track is basically like listening to somebody saying, "You know, I'd like totally run in front of a bus to save somebody, knowwhamsain?" The whole point of self-sacrifice is that it is difficult to do. It certainly is not difficult to talk about doing, though. I don't know Tracey Thorne, but I am not really uplifted by the thought of her hypothetically jumping in front of someone to take a bullet for them.

Underrated 90's trip hop
While "Protection" might not be as good as their first album "Blue lines" and a bit overshadowed by other albums it's far from a bad apple in any way, actually one of my favorites with a distance. It's a bit unever though, some songs are close to perfection but some feels forgettable by now. The first song, the title track "Protection" is sang by Tracy Thorn from "Everything But the Girl" it's this albums best song and was a hit back them aswell. Tracy's haunting lyrics and voice fits the hip hop beats and samples perfect. The hook is also memorably good. "Karmacoma" is the normal Horacy Andy trip hop with rapping. "Three" is rather odd, decent song sang by Nicolette but could have been better. "Weather Storm" is a song to remember since it's slow jazz, completely diffrent from the rest of the songs here, it really showed the many influents Massive got. "Spying Glass" is reggae. "Better Things" is another Tracy Thorn song, it sound like a train, it has good beats and beautiful sound. Defenitely one of the highlight to not miss out. "Eurochild" is yet another rap song. "Sly" is with Nicolette, beautiful sound. "Heat Miser" is another highlight, it starts with fast piano playing and the sound of someone breathing deep. It got this mysterious feeling, great for a horror movie. Those kind of song is partly what makes Massive so pleasant. The album closes with a live remake of the Doors "Light My Fire" quite allright actually. Overall this is a very good album, forgotten by many but it has many highlight's worth taking a look at. A very good variety of sound and genre's and many songs with the great mysterious Massive sound. Recommended for anyone that likes something diffrent.

ANOTHER M.A. CLASSIC!!!
"Protection" is another classic Massive Attack album that breaks the mold in what trip-hop/dub music is. Not as strong as their debut "Blue Lines" or the phenomenal "Mezzanine", "Protection" still impresses with its sinsiter grooves, nigh-disturbing lyrics and poignant vocals. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A heaven sent masterpiece
In Search of Sunrise 1, is one of the most cherished pieces of music ive ever listened, really it takes you to a level that is trully spiritual particularly with inspirational songs like Gouryella's "Walhalla" and Lange's "I believe", this compilation likens inspirational music to the Chilean folkloric group Illapu - album "Multitudes", who although a different genre and inspirational meaning to their words, is very uplifting, because it touches the heart, and makes you realize the connection of the music to our whole existence, and the goodness of which abounds us, ISOS1 is mixed by Tiesto, an individual who not only has superior mixing skills but a heart which is able to translate to others the awesome beauty of the musical art of uplifting trance at its best, so if you are reading this i recomend you to buy it and listen to it and be inspired, and realize the beautiful gifts God can give us in our lives, including all that is full of goodness around us.
Although i must say i am disgraced of how trance today is identified as a musical catalyst to pleasure drug use especially the youth which degrades the body and soul...music is not there for that use. I agree with Tiesto on this point too!

All I can say ISOS1 is a inspirational masterpiece and Tiesto, you r awesome! Someday i hope well meet up and chat :)

Great Mixing & Track Selection
I think this is one of the best Ablums from Dj Tiesto, along with -Live at Innercuty-. If you don't know much about electronic trance music but you find it interesting or something, then get this album, it's melodic tracks will touch your soul.

Best out of the ISOS series
This is the best out of the 3 ISOS series. This one isn't as hard as ISOS II but not as soft as ISOS III. Track selection is very good.

A gift from heaven! Tiesto ROCKS!!
I love this guy. I have been collecting trance cd's since the early 90's and I have to say ISOS is simply the best mix of collective tracks I have heard in sometime now. I have a few of Tiesto's cd's already including Magic 5,6, and 7. I picked up Nyana a few months back and wasn't entirely pleased with the track selection. But Tiesto has won me back!! Yes!! ISOS starts out cool and melodic to slowly get your vibes going then kicks in midway with BT's track, and finally adds the extra intensity for the last 4 tracks that will have your head doing moves you never thought possible. I particularly love track 13, Lange's remix of Remember by The Morrighan, that does things to me no other track has done since...jeez,Velvet Morning. Absolutely superb!! Another cool perk I like also about the cd is there are great female vocals incorporated into many of the songs. Not only can you dance...you can also sing along if you want to. BTW, I also have ISOS2, and while very good, does not match up to the first release IMHO. Best I've heard since Paul Van Dyke's 'Politics of Dancing' and George Acosta's 'Miami' CD1. Just wish it was a 2CD album. But stop listening to me. Go out and get the damn thing already!!

The best trance-CD ever
Simply put, the best trance-CD ever. Ferry Corstens "Live at Innercity" comes close, but nothing beats this album. ... Read more

Album Description

More than an anthology, Underworld’s 1992-2002 'Best of' album includes unreleased tracks as well as some mixes available for the first time on CD.16 re-mastered tracks from the original. Over two and a half hours of music.

Underworld 1992-2002 is not the full story.Underworld's back catalogue is too vast and rich for that, but it's a gripping one all the same, marking each step along the twisting road from (to paraphrase the Clash) Romford to the world. If Underworld's music has ever chimed with a moment in your life, these are good memories. The best. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Fans Should Venture Into This Underworld
Unless you have been following the English band's entire career since its formation in the early-90s, and through its radical transformation from rock to ambient trip-hop to intelligent dance music, and hence have every single they've ever made, '1992-2002''s variety of the band's stylistic trends should provide an enjoyable retrospective glance at Underworld's classics.
The highlights on Disc 1 are definitely the trippy 1994 hits 'Mmm Skyscraper I Love You' (with otherworldly lyrics - '..and I see Elvis, and I hear God on the phone...'- and a muted, eerily perpetual beat); 'Dirty Epic' (the complexity of this dub track rivals the best of Orbital and q-ziq); and 'Dark & Long' (close your eyes, pretend the world just exploded and you're floating through space - the impact of this long and amazing track).
Those songs led to the opening track of Disc 2: the incredibly dark and energetic 'Cowgirl' astounds with its ever-increasing layers of rhythm and melody. 1994 track 'Born Slippy' is a modern dance classic, the monotonous lyrics have become the symbol of Danny Boyle's druggie hit 'Trainspotting'. The film's extended soundtrack belongs to Underworld's composition, which masterfully represents the addled mind of an addict. 'Push Upstairs', from Beacoup Fish, is a classy dance track, visualized very well in an amazing video everyone should check out - it dilutes the song's pretentiousness with fuzzy gorgeous landscape images; by itself 'Push Upstairs' wears itself out after three minutes. 'Moaner', on the other hand, benefits from its regularity - it starts off with an instrumental accelerating beat that doesn't let up until the last second, and then starts from the beginning with the supplement of emotionally charged lyrics. 'Moaner' would be a craze at any club.
The rest of the tracks do not particularly stand out, but they do emphasize the quality of Underworld's highlights. Complex and stunningly vivid, '1992-2002' is Underworld's reminder that they are one of the most complex and gifted trios in contemporary dance music.

Must own collection
This is not only a greatest hits collection, it's a collection of Underworld music that is making it's debut on CD. The stand out disc of the 2 is disc one which contains remastered classics from Underworld. The standout tracks are Rez (first time on CD), Bigmouth and Dirty which are both previously unreleased tracks. It's great to hear the early techno tracks from this group that in my opinion, revolutionized what people thought dance music should sound like. Disc 2 features two Underworld classics, an original cut of Cowgirl (you may remember this one from the movie Hackers) and Pearls Girl, my personal favorite Underworld track that is very difficult to find. Underworld creates techno and dance music the way it should be, each track is a long and ever evolving journey into the subconscious. If you've never given the group a chance, this is the place to start. Good techno like this is tough to find, if you dig this CD I must also recommend the Chemical Brothers greatest hits and mr.deviant's "Techno Obsession". Both of those CDs belong right up there with this one by Underworld.

An excellent collection
Two discs of pure techno heaven. However, some prodigy fans will hate this because most of the tracks are repetitive, but isn't most music repetitive?
Oh and as requested, I want to recommend another instrumental CD, a killer instrumental CD, by Mr.Deviant called "Techno Obsession". It's a killer mix of power rock and hard dance music. Check it out if you don't fear any conspiracies.

THE Underworld collection
This is an excellent retrospect on the band Underworld. It's a million times better than the Chemical Brothers dissapointing hits collection. Disc 2 of this collection contains all the hits that fans from "Born Slippy" on will recognize and enjoy having on one disc, but the stellar disc here is disc one. Disc one contains some very rare tracks including some I have heard on old rave compilations that were presented in edited form, here you get the uncut versions. Tracks like "Bigmouth" and "Dirty" will bring back some old school rave memories for sure. Disc one is Underworld in their experimental stage, before they found their winning songwriting formula found on the "Beaucoup Fish" CD.
This set is worth every penny, and I agree with another reviewer here that mr.deviant's "Techno Obsession" is a killer hard dance CD worth picking up too : )

Disc 1 Provides New Content ; Disc 2 Fails to Do So
I wish Underworld had simply released only the 1st disc, and charged less for the set. Disc 1 is great, as it offers several rare tracks; Big Mouth, Dirty, mmm Skyscraper I Love You, & Spikee. These songs are all great, and make the CD worth purchasing... or at least purchasing used. Disc 2, however, is less exciting. It contains 9 tracks, 4 of which are either identical or slightly modified copies of songs from Beaucoup Fish. CD 2 is basically filled with slight variations on songs that are already in any Underworld fan's collection. I wish that instead of re-releasing a bunch of songs that people already have, Underworld had released more rare material. If anything, I think that the original songs are better than the remixes. In general, the originals tend to have longer and more complex lyrics. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

So rich and full of color
Well,I'm not an expert in "chill music",I'm just starting to explore it,but this cd has the quality of reminding me of a vacation I had when I was a teenager,were everything was sofisticated,wordly,charming,we would spend all day at the beach,chill out at sunset,and then spend all night in hot spots and cool nightclubs.
When I listen to this cd and close my eyes,I can see my self on a beautiful beach,having a great time,and I think that sometimes,that's more than enough to make a cd worth it's price,when you can be transported to a great place and relax a little,without leaving your place beside your stereo!!.
I recommend speacially the songs "Talking with myself '98" and "Transfatty acid".

A Must Have
This kind of CD you just need to have. Picture this: Room with dimmed lichts, fireplace,Wine,Cheese and the lady you love arround you! Cafe del Mar Collection, in total 6 cd's is a Must Have, buy without listening. Nice songs, instrumental pieces, always with the smooth sound of synths.

It's Not lounge
If you surfed your way to this page, chances are you like Downtempo, Lounge, Chill style. This CD plays in a different register. The tempo is more on the outskirt of Dance music. Jose Padilla's vocal choice on songs # 9, 13 and some others is anything but original. It even emphasize the Dance tempo. I wish if it was more subtle ...

Cult following
This is a CD that a German DJ (Caterina) gave to David Smith on the finale episode of Joe Millionaire 2 (it took a sharp-eyed viewer to recongnize the CD cover from a brief showing). Many followers of this show REALLY want to know about this woman- she is from Berlin, Germany and is involved in the DJ/music industry there. This is my introduction to this type of music and I look forward to listening to this CD many more times. I like to make my music fit my mood- not vice versa. Definitely good relaxing music!

soft chilling
Great music to unwind to on a weekend day. I own most of the Del Mar series and Volumes 3,4 and 5 are where its at. Takes me back to the poolside bars in the Greek Islands where I was first introduced to this series. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Goldfrapp's Black Cherry inhabits a dark alley, bristling with urban menace and throbbing with a deep electronic pulse--a far cry from their breezy debut, which gently led the listener to a fairytale aural utopia occupied by Parisian pop, whistling divas and baroque masters. Having given up the countryside for a neon-lit studio, Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory have infused Black Cherry with an intensity and brooding claustrophobia that's both exuberant and sensual. Simultaneously mellifluous and mechanical, tracks such as "Train," with its fiery industrial rhythm, steer Goldfrapp dangerously close to the ailing electro-clash scene, before veering back to more familiar territory with the likes of the sultry, downbeat "Black Cherry" and languid dreamy ambience of "Forever." Elsewhere our Hampshire-bred heroine gets deep down and dirty on "Twist," an ode to oral that finds Goldfrapp waxing lyrical to a fierce driving Kraftewerk-esque synth. No Felt Mountain to get lost in, but at least there's "Hairy Trees" to make up for it. --Christopher Barrett ... Read more

Reviews (57)

This black cherry is sweet.
Ever so the hybrid band that Goldfrapp is, they are really a success creatively (if not commercially). If you like their debut Felt Mountain, Black Cherry will definitely be on the top of your CD purchase list.

Brighter and more sensual than their 2000 debut, the duo comes back with an album that perfectly blends the new wave 80's sound with a touch of industrialism that's seldom seen. On the excellent debut single, a mechanical experience is created while the vocal of Alison Goldfrapp adorn the hyper rhythm. Elsewhere on the album, a dreamy landscape unravels with Forever.

On Black Cherry, you'd get a little of everything without ever losing sight of the road ahead.

Sexy, Stylish, Superb
Amazon.com's house reviewer seems to imply that Black Cherry is a weaker effort than its predecessor Felt Mountain. Not so, grasshopper! Different, well, yes, but that's the idea isn't it? Although Felt Mountain might have higher highs, it also has lower lows. You can throw Black Cherry on and listen right through without a single weak or "off" song on the entire album. ... Alison Goldfrapp vamps and vixens and uses that golden angel voice of hers to slither and sex-ate all over the place. The most powerful single song is Goldfrapp's soaring, pulse-pounding riff on Donna Summer's "I Feel Love," with Alison doing her fave Giorgio Moroder honor with the S/M anthem "Strict Machine." Following that is her best ballad to date, the ethereal "Forever." Both "Forever" and the title song "Black Cherry" give us a deeper and more direct Goldfrapp, far more affecting than anything on Felt Mountain. She's not hiding out behind lush instrumentals here. The album generally seems to revel in a kind of retro late-1970's decadence: it is straight synthesizer and drum machines from beginning to end, none of those John Barry-esque horns from the first outing. But it really doesn't matter. Black Cherry is a more mature, more stylized and, ultimately, better work than Felt Mountain. And, come on, given how good Felt Mountain was, that's really saying something. Get Black Cherry and make your ears happy!

Kinky in L.A.
There are already well written, articulate reviews here so I'll just say that Black Cherry grew to become my favorite of the two Goldfrapp albums. In fact, I made "an emergency" copy to keep in the office, for "difficult times"... Deliciously kinky and decadent (LA style) it always brings a smile to my face, all the more so since I've recently been to LA (1st time in America!) and absolutely LOVED it. Not much of a review, this, but I just couldn't resist expressing my delight and I note I'm not the only one to do so...

Sonic Excellence
This is one of the best CD's I own. If you must compare it to Felt Mountain then think of it as a comparrison between sex on bottom and sex on top, both are great. I don't even want to try and over-think this album because the sheer joy lof listening to something so powerfully transportational cannot be eclisped by fumbling analysis. Listen, just buy the record and if you want you can name your first-born after me as a small way of saying thanks fer the heads up.

Excellent Black Cherry!
Experimental ElectrobeatZ meetZ wonderful and nature talented Voice. She definetely needs no vocal coach. "Train" is a lil bit 70s glam-influenced and "Strict machine" can be a dancefloorfiller. "Black cherry" is such an great album, I love it! To see "Goldfrapp" live is also very interesting to watch. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Not exactly dance-pop as commonly defined by Erasure or the Pet Shop Boys, Dirty Vegas's self-titled album nonetheless fits into the genre. In fact, "trace-pop" is arguably the best definition, as it is the likely offspring of Madonna's Ray of Light and Electronic's seminal debut CD. Promising, yes, but the songs become rather indistinguishable from one another, mainly because the vocals--compressed and folky--lend a sameness to tracks that are otherwise diverse in tone and pace. About half the album really shines. "I Should Know" marries a thumping techno beat with a euphoric Disney-like wonderment. "7AM" boasts the best melody on the album. The instrumental "The Brazilian" showcases the song's strength underneath the homogenizing vocals. And finally, "Days Go By," featured in a popular car commercial, mesmerizes with synthesized bongos and cosmic rhythmic brush strokes.--Beth Massa ... Read more

Reviews (104)

The best album of the year by far
Okay Ms. editor at the top, I don't know how you can compare this to Erasure nor Pet Shop Boys, and to even mention Madonna in the same sentence is absurd. This CD is wonderful.. the lyrics are amazing, great writing, very nice and mellow with a few faster tracks. This is not trance nor house nor any it is its own, this is raw, brit, intelligent, no one hit wonders, 'days go by' to me is not the best song on the CD. I actually skip past that song now after hearing the rest. The songs don't all sound alike if you understand electronic music. The songs 'lost not found', 'all or nothing', and 'simple things part 2' are all wonderul. You want a cd with great lyrics and something with meaning with a story, you have come to the correct place. Every single song on this cd has emotion and meaning, it is a good soundtrack for ones life. I cannot wait for the next cd.

Great - but lacks mainstream appeal
I have listened to this album all the way through at least 20+ times. I, probably like everyone else, bought this album for "Days Go By," but soon fell in love with the rest of the tracks. I don't even listen to the single anymore. This album lacks main-stream appeal with it's darker grooves and different brand of vocals. I am a fan of darker electronic music though. Despite the fact that Dirty Vegas is "Electronica," they do include a lot of acoustic guitar on this album.

The album starts out with the catchy "I Should Know," starting out with a solo acoustic guitar and then diving into the dance beat. "Ghosts" (Track 2) was my favorite track for a very long time. The dreamy melody goes great with the point of the lyrics "All I ever wanted was to feel the way you feel." The mixing from this song to "Lost Not Found" was impressive, but I fould track 3 to not be as rewarding. The single "Days Go By" is initially the highlight track but after repeated radio plays, I found this song boring. "Throwing Shapes" (Track 5) and "The Brazilian" (Track 10) are more trance songs than the rest. I was a big fan of the dark "Candles" (Track 6) and its lighter follow-up "All or Nothing." "Alive" and "7AM" (tracks 8 & 9) I found to be more vocal and not as satisfying as some of the other tracks. "Simple Things Part 2" is quite possibly the best song on the album. The depressing lyrics and less techno guitar riff followed by DV's cover of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall Part 2" make this song really impressive.

This album is great driving music, especially at night. The variety is impressive and every song on this CD puts an image in my head (especially "Candles"). I disagree with some of the other reviewers on this site. This is definately a worthy album of your money. I look forward to Dirty Vegas' next release.

GOOD!!
Dirty Vegas knows how to make people move. It's hard no to dance (or try to dance) with these tracks. My favorite tracks are Days Goes By, 7am, Alive, Ghosts, and I Should Know. Very good album!!

drive, she said....
Crowded House meets The Crystal Method. Believe it.

Careful...it can get addictive!
On a road trip from Philadelphia, PA to Grand Junction, CO - I was introduced to Dirty Vegas. Yeah, I had seen the car commercial and dug the groove, but it wasn't until I had the opportunity to hear the entire album that I could really appreciate what I was hearing.
Dance music and acoustic guitar? Crazy, but it works. I love way the songs are crafted - I like that you can understand the words and sing along. I like that it's peppy one minute and a little laid back the next. I liked it so much, it was the ONLY cd played in my car for 4 months straight!
So - if you are looking for something a little different or maybe you just want to change your own theme music - pick up this cd! :) ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Ever since Björk's vital, effusive 1993 debut, her musichas been increasingly intimate, gently private, and concerned withseclusion. It's typical then that Vespertine's first single iscalled "Hidden Place." The studious solitude is rewarding, though.Vespertine is a lush, gorgeous swell of midpace electronica,symphonic strings, and Björk's uniquely alien, spectral vocals.There are fantastical wonders here. "Cocoon" (another eulogy towithdrawal from the world) is delicate as a breath, Björk soundingtoo fragile to be flesh as she lauds "a beauty this immense." "PaganPoetry" and "Aurora," likewise, are adrift in an enchanted reverie.When she chooses, she crafts killer tunes; "It's Not up to You" is aslovely as anything on Post. Yet, frequently,on such tracks as the yearning, glancing "Undo," Björk seems to besimply thinking aloud, reveling in this wildly rich and visceral music.She's reclaimed cutting-edge electronica, so often the province ofgeeks and technicians, for the poets and the passionate.Vespertine is a landmark, a revelation, and a truly fabulousachievement. --Ian Gittins ... Read more

Reviews (352)

Not as good as Homogenic, but still quite amazing!
Bjork's newer music is something of a pop music anamoly, since it's not always catchy immediately, but subsequent listenings reveal that the tunes are filled with hooks & catchy rhythms. Vespertine is Bjork's 2nd best album, after Homogenic, and it's probably her most approachable. The music is definitely classifiable as electronica, but it doesn't rely on heavy beats. There's not a drum to be heard on the whole album. Rather, the beats are apparently soft samples of ordinary household items, though they don't much sound like that either. The rhythms on this album are sound like a puppy clawing its way across linoleum. They're very subtle, and very soft. It rewards listening on the best set of headphones or stereo equipment that you have available (though ironically, Bjork said she's crafted the album intentionally to be heard via MP3 files on small computer speakers. This explains the lack of guitars & drums... those instruments don't translate well once they're compressed in the MP3 format). I'll give some impressions on the album's tracks...
1. Hidden Place - The 1st single off the album, Hidden Place has one of the more overt pop choruses on the disc. Bjork's vocals are some of the best on the album here, and the choir in the background make the expereince almost mystical. For a few seconds in the middle it almost morphs into a spacey dance tune. B+
2. Cocoon - This is one of the album's best songs, but it doesn't immeadiately reveal itself as such. The lyrics are seductive and sexually explicit, but the song's exceptionally tasteful. There's no insistence here. The song lets you come to it. By that, I mean it's got a tune, but you have to work for it a bit for it to emerge. The bleeps that make up the music are "soft" and make the music a perfect evocation of the lyrics. A+
3. It's Not Up To You - This is the most obvious "Pop" song on the album, but that's by no means a bad thing. The song's msucial build-up is impressive. The procession starts with an insular minimalism, but, by the finish, there's a boy's chorus and one of Bjork's most transportive melodies. A+
4. Undo - Most similar to Homogenic's "Insecure," this tune repeats it's key lyric ("It's not meant to be a strain / It's not meant to be a struggle uphill. ") like a mantra. The beats envelop us into the song, and it's one of the most accessible, since the whole procession is about the accessibility of the music. Bjork invites us into her world here, and we're glad to enter it. :) A
5. Pagan Poetry - Almost ominious in both its music and sheer confessional tone, this is one of the album's more immediately accessible moments. The song's stunning climax in which Bjork repeats "I love him" then resolves herself by saying "This time I'm going to keep him all to myself" feels like genuine soul searching. The emotion here is tangible and incredible. A
6. Frosti - An instrumental made on a music box that is fine, but doesn't rock my world. It's the first instrumental on a Bjork disc, and doesn't detract from the album's theme, but doesn't strike me as relevatory either. B-
7. Aurora - From the snow crunching at this track's start, Bjork invokes the spirit of winter and wishes she would meld with it. The song's vocals soar here. It's gorgeous... My only complaint is that this makes a more obvious album opener. A
8. An Echo A Stain - Somewhat scary, this track is almost an oddity on the album, but it's a great oddity. The lyrics again feel confessional, but here they're talking about something darker (a lack of communication perhaps? an unrequited love?) Bjork sings "Feel my breath on my neck & your heart will race" as if it's a threat, and when she says "Don't say no to me, you can't say no to me" we can feel the song's obsession as a tangible thing. Awesome. A
9. Sun In My Mouth - Pretty, but it's not something that manages to move me. The song builds to a crescendo, but it doesn't seem to invite me for the ride. B-
10. Heirloom - The moment on the album that most feels like a dance song, this is a solid tune. It's very accessible, but doesn't betray the rest of the album. Gentle, yet booty-shaking, it's an original. B+
11. Harm Of Will - Like Sun in the Mouth, pretty, but even more inscrutable. The lyrics are nonsensical to me, and significantly, Bjork didn't write them ( film director Harmony Korine did). C
12. Unison - Perhaps Bjork's best song ever. It's confessional, beautiful and epic. A+

Overall, an excellent album... Probably the best in 2001 so far. I am excited to be seeing Bjork for the 1st time at Radio City Music Hall in NYC in a few weeks, and am especially glad she'll be doing material of this calibur.

A Downer
When Bjöork hit the music scene with "Debut" back in 1993, no one expected that the Icelandic sugarcube would change the face of popular music by revamping every aspect of pop music-making. She even got Madonna almost begging for collaboration on her "Bedtime Stories" album.

With hits such as the painfully pleasurable "Violently Happy" and the cheerfully twisted "Big Time Sensuality."

Her sophomore album also succeeded in capturing catchy tunes with unique arrangements. "Post" produced such hits as Bjöork's sharpest number "Army Of Me" and the funny "It's Oh So Quiet," which permanently imprinted Bjöork's mark on the pop world.

After her overwhelming success Bjöork released a remix album titled "Telegram" and then released her darkest collection of songs on "Homogenic" in 1997. With heavy production and intricate melodies, the third album became an example of the artist's evolution and a masterpiece of modern music.

It is hard to ignore Bjoörk's impact on today's music. She is one chick who is not afraid of experimenting with sounds. Bjöork is the last person to stick to pop/rock templates for her songs and that is the reason why her musical style still stands unchallenged in its originality.

"Vespertine" is her comeback to full length recordings after her short, but successful stint as an actress. On the cover, the Icelandic princess sports the infamous swan dress she wore to perform at the Oscars. Her leading-role debut in the critically acclaimed "Dancer In The Dark" proved that the guru of quirk is a multi-faceted talent. However, music is where she specializes -or used to.

The album opens with the subtle but warm "Hidden Place." The video for this single follows Bjöork's bodily fluids being exchanged across her face. It might seem gross, if not totally disgusting, yet it grabs you like no other video these days.

Bjoörk does not stray from her avant-garde style with her fourth full-length release, but she follows a milder approach that takes away some of her zest. The songs "It's Not Up To You" and "Undo" are doze hymns and "Cocoon" is simply a sad excuse for a song.

Since her second release, "Post," Bjöork has been ice shovelling her way into balladry, which she successfully blended into "Homogenic." However, an album almost full of slow numbers is a first time for Bjöork.

Some of the songs on "Vespertine" sound like a collection of B-sides. "Pagan Poetry" starts off with ambition, but then merges off into the bland atmosphere of the album.

"Frosti" is a jingle-bell instrumental track that opens for the sappy "Aurora."

The melancholy does not stop there.

"An Echo, A Stain" sounds like a trip down someone's digestive system after a heavy meal of bean burritos.

This trend goes on as the album fails to progress. The title for the song "Sun In My Mouth" sounds catchier than the song itself.

The album takes a late turn with "Heirloom" and "Unison," but whatever Bjöork captured there gets killed with yet another bleak track - "Harm Of Will."

This is the only album Bjöork has released that lacks musical adventure. Compared to the poppy "Debut" and the striking "Homogenic," this album seems like a fall more than a rise. "Vespertine" lacks Bjoörk's signature catchiness.

It is unlikely that Bjoörk will see her fanbase growing anytime soon with the release of this dull album.

[gasp]
all i can say is...wow. ok, i'm only 14 and this album has totally changed my perceptions on the beauty of music. i used to think that rock and pop songs were the shat but after listening to songs like "an echo, a stain", "harm of will" and "cocoon" i think that bjork is on a totally different playing field than other artists. she has to ability to create her own dreamworld and you can tell that she knows what she's doing and that she has crafted "vespertine" in a way that is very abstract and just how she wants it. this is such a relief from the now dominating rap songs out. this is true, beautiful, meaning music with mindblowing lyrics. wow.

hidden place - - 9/10
cocoon - - 10/10
it's not up to you - - 8/10
undo - - 10/10
pagan poetry - - 9/10
frosti - - 7/10
aurora - - 9/10
an echo, a stain - - 11/10
sun in my mouth - - 8/10
heirloom - - 8/10
harm of will - 10/10
unison - - 10/10

THE HYPE IS RIGHT!
As a fan of Bjork after seeing her preform on this HBO show, (I forgot the name) I would be blessed by purchasing her latest studio album, Vespertine.

Mind you, before I purchased any of Bjorks albums I downloaded all of her songs that I liked, most of them were from Homogenic, and some of the most memorable were from Post. I started to fall in love with her song after song, and it's obvious that downloads don't par with cd quality audio. I just had to buy her cds. (except for Debut, which only has a couple of good songs and really isn't Bjork's moment.)

Although my favorite Bjork songs are probably "Hyper-Ballad," "Unravel," "Hunter," "Pluto," and "All is Full of Love (Stigmata Mix)" I consider Vespertine to be her best album, and that's saying a lot when it can conquer the behemoth, which is Homogenic, although Post seems to be her moment, based on many magazine lists.

This is not her most personal album, that belongs to Homogenic. But I can say that this is her most sensual album to date and emotional. This has been the most critically acclaimed album of the years it's been released, which made me some to the assumption that the Grammys don't pay Bjork much attention. This was ripped off of an Album of the Year nod. I mean atleast best alternative album. Every song is a listener, although I do tend to skip over "An Echo, A Stain," redundantly. The whole cd. is mellow, and it fits bjork like the infamous swan dress she wore at the Oscars.

It's hard to choose the best songs, and the realeased singles are obviously some of them, otherwise they wouldn't have been singles knowing Bjorks sense of musical perfectionism. I would have to say that the best song is probably "Unision," "Aurora," or "It's Not Up To You," which should have been the first single off of this album. It's just too hard to decide, but the album as a whole is just perfect, and lives up to her other albums.

It's sad to hear that Bjork's upcoming cd. "Medulla" will be more of a vocal album. Bjork's vocals are good, but I've always been enchanted by the music in the backround, that she composed obviously. I'm so excited for a new cd. though. How long has it been? No more compilations, or singles, a new album, let's just hope it lives up to her others, but I can kind of tell based on stories I've heard that her new cd. probably wont touch her previous, which is her best. I'm still excited and anticipating though.

Bjork you are one true artist, and this album defines that perfectly. Buy it, and only from Amazon.com because they have the best service. Competition is nada!!!! If you like Bjork I reccomend Kate Bush, who is also an underated talent. Her cds. worth buying are: Hounds of Love, The Sensual World, and the Red Shoes, trust me these are the only ones you need to buy.

As for people who don't know Bjork it's better to start off the way her albums came out, because she is one of the only female artist that makes a better album after the other, which is why I'm anticipating "Medulla." If you pick up this album first, that's OK, but don't expect the others to be better, althugh some might be more fond of Homogenic from it's lack of mellowness, or Post for it's playfullness, but Debut doesn't even touch this masterpiece. Buy this Now.

I would love to live on Planet Bjork
Bjork never ceases to amaze. With her latest album, verspertine, she takes you on a journey. From the first song, Hidden Place she captivates. On Cocoon it, as you listen to it it seems as if she is laying right next to you on a balmy morning and singing in your ear. As the album progresses you are totally mystified! On Aurora she takes you by the hand and leads you through a snowy wonderland. By the end of the album you are so worked up, because the album is so beautiful you wanna play it again to go on that journey again. This is by far the best album I own!! It is about time we got some real music! ... Read more

Album Description

The soundtrack to this motion picture features new music from The RZA (Wu Tang Clan) with Lil' Flip, Ol' Dirty Bastard, WC and E-40, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, The Crystal Method, and much more. There are three editions: regular, clean, and deluxe. The deluxe edition includes a 12-page comic by Takashi Okazaki and a bonus DVD with an animated short, a story board animatic and making-of footage, character designs, Blade Manga art, a weapons gallery, behind the scenes footage of The RZA scoring the film, and more. Exclusive liner notes from director David Goyer. PARENTAL ADVISORY. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

help
what is the song that is played when blade jumps out of the building after being rescued and the three of them jump into the vehicle and drive away with the fourth guy? Sounds kinda like a reggae/hip hop mix.

Blade Trinity
The song that plays during Abby's target practice is The Crystal Method's "Starting Over."

What song is this?
What is the song that they play in Blade Trinity when Abby takes out her bow for the first time at the police station when they rescue Blade? They also play it when Blade, Abby, and King pass through the security inspection right before they get to Drake thinking that it was Dr. Vance? Also what song is it when Abby is taking target practice with her bow? If you know, please please e-mail me at Ruffnole55@aol.com

RZA - Fatal sample
the song sampled in RZA - Fatal track is by Velvet Underground and is called 'Venus In Furs' from their debut album 'Velvet Underground & Nico' released in 1969. In case anyone wants to know.

help me?
does anybody know the song which is played in the background of the blade 3 movie trailer because its not on the soundtrack album and i like the song ... Read more

Reviews (76)

Anthony Stewart Head sings songs he actually wrote
I have certainly enjoyed hearing Anthony Stewart Head sing bits of songs on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," covering "Green Eyes" and "Freebird," not to mention last year's musical episode. However, if you expect to hear Head strumming an acoustic guitar and singing on "Music for Elevators" you are going to be surprised by the fact that these are mostly original songs by Head and George Sarah with music that is much more techno pop than anything else (although there are some strong jazz elements at times and an acoustic guitar song, "Talk to You," that is the exception to the rule and my favorite song on the album). There is a duet of the Beatle's "We Can Work It Out" with Holly Palmer and "Last Time," written by Joss Whedon, which raises immediate speculation as to whether this song was intended for "Once More With Feeling": the lyrics would suggest that if it was it was intended for Spike, or maybe Riley, if the musical had been done a season earlier. If you look over the liner notes you will see that James Marsters, Amber Benson and Allyson Hannigan appear on some of the tracks, but they are not really featured enough to be recognizable. In fact, on many of these tracks it is the music rather than the vocals that stand out. Taken altogether "Music for Elevators" is an ironic title, which offers a collection of music that will expand the musical horizons of Head's many "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" fans. This is not especially music for that first cup of coffee in the morning either, but I do not think anybody is going to be terribly disappointed by what they find here.

Buffy's Giles goes Electronic - and it works.
I admit to being a rabid Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanatic, so the idea that I ordered this CD from the actor who play's Giles on the series is no shocker. The surprise is how much I genuinely _like_ the album. George Sarah provides smooth back beats and grooves that highlight ASH's soulful voice, and the lyrics keep you throughly engaged. "Owning my Mistakes" is my favorite track so far. . ."Well, there's nothing ever come from guilt / better give it up, give it up and move on." I loved listening for the brief cameos from BtVS's James Marsters (Spike), Amber Benson (Tara) and Alyson Hannigan (Willow - don't worry, she has a speaking bit - not singing). My only wish is that ASH used more of his lovely deep baritone range, rather than keeping in his tenor. If you like Portishead, you'll like this record. And if you love BtVS or ASH - you'll love it.

Genuinely Inventive and Very Good
I bought this album out of curiosity for the most part. And, being a Buffy fan, it was something I should have even if I didn't like it. I already knew from the show that Anthony Head was more than adequate as a singer, but a lot more than a good voice goes into being a musician. So Music For Elevators turned out to be quite a surprise, and a good one at that.

Head is responsible for most of the words and a good piece of the eclectic music on this album. George Sarah is responsible for most of the sound except for Heads voice. The combination is quite effective. Anthony Head's voice lends itself to an intimate style, the musical delivery adds interest, but is very careful to leave the core content and it's style the predominant elements. Considering how many times I've had to sit through a 'star' album that has been over-produced in order to disguise the more obvious faults this is a refreshingly genuine piece of work.

It's hard to critique the debut album of someone whose creativity you really do admire. One wants to gush, and there is a lot to praise here. But if Head has a weakpoint, it is as a lyricist. His words are far from terrible, and they address some interesting subjects - a father's lament in 'Babies,' the depressing side of Los Angeles in 'This Town In The Rain.' But he always hovers on that ever-dangerous border between trite and meaningful - and doesn't always land on the good side. He does really try to say a lot in his songs and there are certainly no abject failures. Just be prepared for a dash of almost boyish awkwardness.

Among the very good is the aforementioned 'Babies,' a very unusual cover of 'We Can Work It Out,' the almost metaphysical, very environmental 'One Man's Rain,' and 'Change' where the content almost runs away with the music, but not quite. Over all this is a very satisfactory album - speaking as someone who buys very few 'pop/rock' albums in any year. Maybe that's something I should change...

WoW...
That is all I can say...I was skeptical about this album, but after track 1, all doubts were removed.

This is simply one of the best produced albums I have heard in a while. They music and Anthony's voice are a perfect fit.

Music for Elevators
Once again Mr. Giles (Anthony Steward Head) out performs himself. The creativity on this CD was astounding. Much better than I thought it would be. The music on this CD can be classified as almost new age. ... Read more

Amazon.com

You might expect the debut album from a woman who has collaborated extensively with Tricky and Orbital to be both wondrous and strange--and you'd be right to. What you might not expect is the depth of Alison Goldfrapp's beguiling, distracting 21st-century noir visions on Felt Mountain. She and her fellow composer Will Gregory can mix in Brechtian cabaret; classical instrumentation; left-of-field electronics; decadent, Gainsbourg-style French pop; and the odd piece of whistling on just one track ("Felt Mountain"). "Oompa Radar" almost reaches Tom Waits heights of infamy from the way familiar instruments come together in such a simultaneously comforting and alienating style. The baroque "Paper Bag," meanwhile, uncannily recalls Joe Meek's toy-town visions of 1960s grandeur. All this and a seductive vocal to die for. --Everett True ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Layers Of Quality!
One word to describe this c.d. would be interesting.The combination of part time Orbital vocalist,Alison Goldfrapp and film music composer,Will Gregory have certainly delivered a weird and wonderful(at times) c.d.I have to say it's certainly way more film soundtrack then Orbital this c.d.

The tracks themselves are very moody and atmospheric and they are very rich in sound and texture.Think of Portishead at their most moody meeting the grand string sweeps of John Barry.Golfrapp herself has a voice that is sometimes Beth Gibbons and on other occasions a sixties sounding Shirley Bassey.It is not a conventional c.d. this at all,I hadn't heard of half the instruments used here.So guitars,drums and bass are nowhere to be found on this c.d.You'd imagine that with music of such a vast and sweeping style that you'd have long,marathon tracks that slowly build up in atmosphere,but no most of the songs are the conventional 4/5 minutes in length.Many of the songs have absolutely no lyrics but consist of orchestral sounds to back up and enhance multi-octave vocal solo's.In fact I think a lack of lyrics actually enhances these songs as they are songs that create and build on an atmosphere,leaving the listener a very broad possible amount of moods to explore in these pieces of music.You never know are they sad or happy for instance-to take it at it's simplest level.In fact the mood of the tracks will almost certainly be dictated by the subjective mood of the listener.My own particular favourites are "Paper Bag" and "Lovely Head";yet these change regularly.This is an album of great depth and I have to say when I first heard it I thought it was pretty bad-but on each subsequent listen it was like a vast video role playing game where you constantly discover new elements and almost 'windows' to each track.

Yeah it would make the perfect film soundtrack-and this would be my only fault with this c.d..You really have to be in a certain mood to sit down,listen and appreciate this c.d.It would be a great c.d. to unwind or destress-if you ever felt the need.It certainly is not the sort of c.d. which makes you want to jump up and party!But it certainly provides for an interesting listen.Just wonder how they are going to follow this one up?

4.5 stars...float away, but beware of the undertow
It just takes one listen to Alison Goldfrapp's seductive voice to fall under her spell. It all sounds nice and comforting, but once you notice the lyrics of the songs and hear the unorthodox musical flourishes on Felt Mountain, you realise you're in for a slightly more twisted musical journey than you had expected.

A spectacular combination of myriad styles, ranging from Shirley Bassey, John Barry, Bjork, Portishead, Angelo Badalamenti, Burt Bacharach, and Kurt Weill, Goldfrapp and composer Will Gregory have put together an album that sounds oddly familiar, yet highly original. When Goldfrapp starts singing the jazzy chorus to 'Human ("are you human/or a dog"), it sounds like a lounge act from another planet.

Along with 'Human', the dark, sultry 'Lovely Head' ("Frankenstein would want your mind/your lovely head"), the bitter 'Paper Bag ("brown paper bag makes for a hat/when it rains on your head mate/cheers for that"), and the more conventional-sounding 'Pilots' kick off the record in fine fashion. However, the next three songs, the spacy, often indecipherable 'Deer Stop', the gentle, processed yodeling and dreamy scat singing on the title track, and the bizarre brass band flourishes on 'Oompa Radar' all take you into a musical twilight zone, where no musical influence, however odd, is safe.

Felt Mountain's brief sidetrack into the realm of the extremely eccentric sets you up for the album's finest moment, the utterly beautiful, yet sinister 'Utopia'. Over a steady beat and lush instrumentation arranged by Gregory with operatic backing vocals, Goldfrapp sings "I forget who I am/when I'm with you/there's no reason/there's no sense" before gently intoning "fascist baby" in the chorus. Just when you think the song is about a lover's emotional dominance, Goldfrapp returns with stranger lines like "my dog needs new ears" and "I'm super brain/that's how they made me". The song is amazing, both in the way it sounds, and how hard it is to pin down thematically.

Both Goldfrapp and Gregory shine equally bright on Felt Mountain. Gregory's musical arrangements have a definite cinematic quality to them as well sounding electronic (sans samples) while still emanating warmth. Goldfrapp's vocal talents are second to none; at times I thought wrongly that a theremin was used on the record, but it was in fact Goldfrapp's stunning voice. As she closes off the album in eerily gorgeous singsong-like "la la la"'s that slowly fade out, it's like seeing a beautiful girl run off giggling mischievously right after showing you something disturbing and grotesque. Felt Mountain overflows with unsettling beauty.

Truly an amazing experience
I had been EXTREMELY into Goldfrapp's singles Twist and Strict Machine for about 9 months before I even considered checking this CD out. People told me this album was really really strange - and while that's not a reason to avoid it, I did. However, I listened to Utopia which had originally been just ok in my opinion, and it COMPLETELY envloped me in it's beauty. I watched the video for Human and fell in love with Human. I had to buy this CD - so I did. I must say, in my opinion this CD is one of the best CD's out there. It's truly amazing.

Lovely Head (9/10) - The first single with a very strange video (it has 2 videos, both very strange). Great opening track. The whistling in the beginning really does add to the song. Overrall a great chill song.

Paper Bag (10/10) - Absolutely gorgeous song with a genius intro. This is probably tied with Horse Tears for the most emotional song on the CD. Very very chill song that could easily induce tears. One of the best on this CD.

Human (10/10) - Another genius intro (GREAT video too!) - This track really builds up over the entire course of the song, climaxing at the last chorus. It's the most upbeat song on the CD with a mix of electronica and big band sounds. The big band sounds have a very James Bond quality to them, mixed with the violins of course. It sounds like it could actually BE IN a James Bond movie. An AWESOME track and one of the best songs on this CD.

Pilots (10/10) - At first I didn't really like Pilots but now Pilots is seriously one of my favorite Goldfrapp songs. Accompanied by a very original (and great, of course) video, this song has strange lyrics that fit extremely well. Very, very chill song. The chorus on Pilots is beautiful. The violins in this song are eerie, alluring, and gorgeous all at once. Also one of the best on this CD.

Deer Stop (6/10) - One of the weirdest songs on this CD. Possibly THE weirdest on this CD. The vocals here are very... different, specifically near the end of the song. The violins here are very very nice but the rest of the song is just ok. This song is strange and not exactly in the best way... I mean the whole CD is strange but this song is strange in a VERY different way...

Felt Mountain (6/10) - This song is even weirder than Deer Stop. Yet again, strange in a VERY different way, and not exactly the best. Allison is singing on this track but it's either in a different language, or she's using her vocals as an instrument. At some parts it sounds like a different language, but during the verses it sounds more like she's using them as an instrument.

Oompa Radar (5/10) - Easily ties with Deer Stop as the weirdest song on the CD. Or maybe this one is the weirdest song by itself. Deer Stop is actually very pretty whereas this song is... very drug-induced sounding. So eclectic you may actually look at your speakers with that "wtf?" facial expression for the entire duration of the song. At least Allisons vocals are great as usual. The end of the song is actually pretty trippy too.

Utopia (10/10) - My absolute favorite song on the CD, and my favorite Goldfrapp song pretty much. This song is so AMAZINGLY gorgeous, genius, and unique. Also it has a beautiful video. Try driving around in nature during the twilight hours when the sun is setting and blast this song. It's literally an experience - a wonderful one at that. SERIOUSLY one of the BEST songs on the CD, and one of the best Goldfrapp has ever made. This song is reason enough to buy the CD in my opinion.

Horse Tears (8/10) - A piano-driven ballad that makes a great closing track. It's a really good song with a very lovely chorus. Great song - the violins make the song along with Allison's vocals.

Basically... BUY THIS CD! (if this is your kind of music that is). It's an amazing experience. This CD will continue to be constantly played in my CD player for many many many years to come.

mediocrity at its best!
Sorry to be the dissenting opinion here, but this album is not that great. Allison Goldfrapp is unconvincing, and lacks the charisma to be heard over this overproduced and highly derivative mess. High-tech glitchery and slick production (yes, even horn sections and strings) can never make up for weak songs and a weak performance. Must I remind you all of some of the formerly successful members of this lame music genre; Deep Forest, Enigma, Dead Can Dance, Enya, and Portishead, to name a few. This is commercial pop music for the middle-aged. Yawn. Skip this and go strait to Bjork's album Vespertine.

Talk About Your Androids' Dream...
I got this album after hearing one of her tracks on a TV commercial. At the first listen, I thought, "This is a nice enough album. A little eccentric in spots, but I like that." At the second listen, I already had gotten hooked on certain parts of some of the tracks. By the third listen, I was completely addicted. Now I can't stop listening to it!

It's mellow *and* dramatic without being >ahem< melodramatic. The vocals range from extremely intimate, for-your-ears-only, and childlike, to operatic and machine-filtered. The lyrics are somehow very affecting despite (or because of?) their frequent nonsensical quality.

There is a nice blend of organic and generated sound in the instrumental layers. (It's often difficult to tell which is which.) There's probably nothing that would have prepared me for the eclectic mix of styles, such as the tuba/polka sounds of "Oompa Radar."

Overall, a perfect album for summer listening. ... Read more

Amazon.com

To remain relevant after a decade in the music industry is rare indeed; for a dance act, it's virtually unique. Singles 93-03 ably demonstrates how the Chemical Brothers have managed it. Having first carved a reputation as DJs the Dust Brothers in the early 1990s, the two history graduates narrowly avoided calling themselves the London Dust Explosion before spearheading big beat, becoming a huge live draw, collaborating with Noel Gallagher and having Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis play "Hey Boy, Hey Girl" at his wedding. It's been 10 years of fun, frolics, and gigantean left-field beats for Ed Simmons and Tom Rowland and, as this faultless singles collection testifies, continual reinvention.

From the seething siren, pounding breaks, breathy vocals and spellbinding post-acid electronica of album opener "Song to the Siren" to the ingenious collaboration with the Flaming Lips, "The Golden Path," Tom 'n' Ed have somehow managed to carve tracks that appeal equally to radio, clubs, and the live arena. Alongside the cement-cracking bass of "Leave Home" and "Block Rockin' Beats" comes the high-inducing sonic debauchery of "The Private Psychedelic Reel" and dancefloor filler "Star Guitar," to name but a few of the many highlights. Ingenious, boundary-baffling stuff, this compilation offers a hypnotic historical tour of one of the most creative careers in dance music. --Christopher Barrett ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Great CD that's missing a few tracks....
I agree with a lot of the other reviewers of this CD, it's lacking some key tracks. "Music Response" & "Under the Influence" are CB classics!!! Yet, they aren't here. I only recommend this collection for new listeners and die hard fans (like myself) that want to hear the new tracks included. Don't get me wrong by the 3 star rating, this is killer music! But, my score would have been higher if the track selection would have been better. I guess they didn't want to give away ALL their best stuff on one collection.
If you're looking for new techno and this collection doesn't offer enough new material for you, then I HIGHLY recommend mr.deviant's "Techno Obsession". Any fan of the Chemical Brothers will dig his music!

Excellent sounds from on high!
This CD collection is one of the best electronica albums out right now, it ranks right up there with Air's "Talkie Walkie" and mr.deviant's "Techno Obsession". With this collection, you'll see why the Chemical Brothers rule electronica with an iron fist. All the best tracks are here, sure some greats are missing, but you can't please everyone. Plus, the new tracks are worth the purchase price alone. The Golden Path, for example, is one of the best Chemical Brother tracks I've ever heard!!!!
If you're a new fan of electronica or dance music, this is the holy grail that you've been searching for!!!!!!! A must buy!

Best tracks are missing, but...
A lot of people have said in other reviews of this collection, that the Brothers have left the best tracks off of this collection. This is true. Also, there really aren't enough new tracks or remixes to get longtime fans interested in this collection. With that said, I think this is an excellent CD set for new listeners to hear what the Chemical Brothers are all about. This collection serves as nothing more, in my opinion, then as a way to get new listeners hooked on the Brothers and convince them to buy some of the old CDs.
The only thing I think longtime fans would dig about this collection is the very detailed history of the band in the CD's liner notes. The CD booklet is loaded with rare photos and info about this reclusive group.
The only track I haven't found on another Chemical Brothers disc is the Mix 2 of Under the Influence which is really cool. For this track, the Brothers combined some of the sounds from Out of Control and used them in a creative way during Under the Influence, not bad.
New fans will love this and will get an education on the greatest innovators of dance/techno music. However, longtime fans will find the collection lacking and will just keep playing the Chemical Brothers CDs they already have, but may find the CD booklet very interesting.
PS - I also agree with another reviewer here that recommended mr.deviant's "Techno Obsession", that's a killer disc and Chem' fans should dig his material too.

The brothers work it out.
I absolutely LOVE the chemical brothers. So I'm a little bit biased, but oh well. Even though this is a singles collection, it doesn't feel like it. I'd say it's a great introduction to the chems, and for the fans it's a great disc to have, especially for the 2nd disc, which contains "The Duke" which is wicked, and the excellent "Delik." The thing that I love about the chemical brothers is how passionate they are about music. They love what they do, and it shows. To me they are just on another level all together, making other similar dance artists seem as if they are just churning out mediocre tracks, just blending in with the rest of them. But when you listen to the chems...you immediately sense something different. The music stands out, the tracks carry a certain strength. "The Golden Path" is easily a contender for track of the year, representing everything they are about in one psychedelic house track. Just how do they get some of the sounds they use??? Brilliant. As far as the chosen tracks for the collection, I would've added "It Began In Afrika." To me that is one of the most forward thinking dance tracks ever. Sounds absolutely HUGE in a club. I find myself listening to the chemical brothers more after purchasing this, going back to "dig your own hole" and "surrender" quite a bit as well. I highly recommend this collection, Plaid "Parts In The Post" as well as Sean Fry "For The Good Of All Concerned" if you're more adventurous and looking for other great electronic music. Cheers

My drug diary
Listening to the singles of the Chemical Brothers is like trying to remember a party years ago when you were on drugs and you lost your mind. The is like a soundtrack to all my drug abuse in the past. "Leave Home" reminds me of staying up all night many times. "Block Rocking Beats" reminds me of hanging out at a roof party in Williamsburg in 1996. "Hey Girl Hey Boy" reminds me of the time I went to Cyberfest 1999 in San Jose. "Star Guitar" reminds me of the last time I went to London. All these songs catch a moment in time: you always are thinking where were you when you first heard it. They have a few new songs here with K-OS and Wayne Coyne. They are famous for their collaborations with Schooly D, Noel Gallagher, Jonathan Donahue, Bernard Sumner, Richard Ashcroft and others. In one way, the Chemical Brothers were a singles band. These are the songs that had the impact. As a full-length album band they are great too. It's all about remembering good times and good nights out. Just get yourself high. ... Read more

Album Description

Wikkid Lil' Grrrls is a sexy, sophisticated blend of hip-hop, jazz, dance, rock and soul. Add Cee-Lo Green of Goodie Mob, Sean Lennon and a crew of producers including Dr. Dre cohort Camara Kambon (Eminem, Mary J. Blige) and Wikked Lil' Grrrls is as wikked cool as Esthero herself. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

This is a story about a musician named Amon Tobin
Once upon a time, the only video games that had soundtracks worth buying separately were Japanese RPGs.Occasionally, a Western game would come along with a great compilation soundtrack (see the Grand Theft Auto series), but for the most part, music composed specifically for games was unable to stand alone as an artistic work.

Fast forward to the end of 2004.UbiSoft was making the third installment of their popular Splinter Cell series, and the need for some creepy, paranoid music naturally arose.Some inspired soul (whose name is lost to history) suggested that the job be offered to electronic artist Amon Tobin, perhaps thinking that his bass-heavy groovalicious style would adapt well to stealth based gameplay.The Powers That Be agreed, and gave Amon a lot of money with which to score their still-developing game.

When Amon returned after completing the soundtrack, the results were better than anyone expected.CHAOS THEORY struck a perfect balance between spooky ambience and jackhammer beats, often shifting rapidly between the two, but throughout it all there was an undeniable sense of beauty which did not exist in spite of the chaos but rather arose from it.Indeed, this chaotic beauty led many who listened to make comparisons to another artist, Aphex Twin.

But CHAOS THEORY was much more than an Aphex knock-off.Amon had put UbiSoft's money to good use, hiring an all-star lineup of studio players to make the soundtrack the best it could be.These studio session gave CHAOS THEORY a very organic feel that is usually missing from video game soundtracks, and was definitely absent from Aphex Twin's 2001 album, DRUQKS.

The album started off with "The Lighthouse," and while it wasn't necessarily the best track off the album, it was still pretty darn close, with a jerky bass riff that immediately created a sense of paranoia in the listener.It was the perfect setup to an album which cultivated a wide range of emotions, most of them disturbing.CHAOS THEORY never really let up on these emotions, instead, Amon simply switched from one emotion to another, from paranoia to panic to uneasiness and back to paranoia, often within a single track.

All involved with the project were so pleased that it was decided that Amon's soundtrack would be released several months ahead of the actual game.The reason for this was simple: where most consumers hear music in a game and then would desire to purchase the soundtrack, hearing this soundtrack actually made people want to play the game.Reviewers across the land encouraged everyone they met, even those with no interest in video games, to purchase the album, and all who heard the free MP3 of "The Lighthouse" provided on amazon.com were more than willing to fork over the cash to hear the rest of CHAOS THEORY, with the result that Amon Tobin became obscenely wealthy, and nobody payed any attention to the drivel that MTV played anymore.

And they all lived happily ever after.

Let Down
Amon Tobin, in the course of five months last year, became my favorite musician on the planet. Discovering his albums one by one (in a disjointed order) was such a delight that they were the only albums I listened to for weeks on end. I eagerly waited for word to come from Ninja Tune about when his next album would be released, and had a countdown when I finally had its January release date.
Months later, I am still somewhat disappointed. I was highly intrigued with the concept (especially seeing as how he would be the perfect candidate to score a futuristic sci-fi world-from-hell movie), but once I listened to it several times, the gimmick still stunk: a score for a computer game just does not translate into a full-lenght album. Granted, I haven't played the game itself, so I can't comment about how the music fits into playing it (though I imagine it would work rather well). You can still count on Amon to create an amazing soundscape with only samples (and here, live samples), but whereas his first four masterpieces took you on a real musical journey, this one is more monotonous, and arguably better fitted for a video game than the others would be. Here's hoping his next album is much better - what am I saying, of course it will be!

In 1 word Awesome!
Having always been a fan of the Splinter Cell games, I never really noticed until last night playing Chaos Theory, how good the actual music from the game was. I listened to the soundtrack and could not believe how awesome it sounded. Music for video games has evolved so much. I am a huge fan of this kind of music as well so kudos to Amon Tobin!
This soundtrack is put together very well. It does not sound corny or anything it sounds really great!

very well done
this sound track is very well done especilly like the little guiter riff in the Lighthouse

BRILLIANT
This CD is incredibly immersive.I listened to some of Tobin's earlier stuff and thought, yeah it's cool, but it's missing something.It's all here.He put an amazing group of international musicians together, and it shines amazingly.Tobin mixed, conducted, and produced it.Amazing talent.The drummer is amazing, especially on Ruthless.My favourite track is Kokubo Sosho Stealth.It's dark, has nice drum and bass, and harmonics.This is just like HALO 2.Not as good without the music.Now we just wait for the game. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Greatest Tiesto mix - aptly named release
This CD is a must have for all Tiesto followers, and should be the first CD to buy if you are new to this wonderful DJ. I like all types of Trance and appreciate the variety that exists within the genre--from Diggers to Oakey. I would have to say if you are looking for a CD that you can dance to and that takes you on an uplifting journey, then Heaven Beyond is a must have. "No More Tears," the 2nd track on this CD, by itself is worth the money.

One of the best Trance CDs ever !
This CD shows Tiesto as he was prior to year 2000. At the time, though not yet recognized as a top DJ, he was in fact at his prime. If you are are into Trance and are looking for melodic and possibly melancholic music, then this CD is for you. The choice of tracks is absolutely perfect, there are no fillers - everything is just quality Trance.

one of a kind
When I first listened to this CD about a year or so ago I was blown away. I have yet to encounter another cd that more fully embodies emotional trance. Having listened to many other tiesto albums, I can say without a doubt that this cd is like no other. Tiesto's Magik 5 is simply masterful.

Super-terrific (after magik 6)
One thing that's been made obvious, it's difficult to get tired of listening to DJ Tiesto's stuff. It's bummmpin sound all the way around. Not every song on this thing was a smash hit, but nothing was disappointing either. Track 2, Allure "No more Tears" is the best of 'em and it defines the title of this album "Heaven Beyond" cuz it is heavenly.
Another one to add to ur collection.....but it's money well-spent!!

Waoooooo.......!!!
Perfect Just Awesome my second favorite Dj at his best.
DJ Tiesto the true master of Trance out of this world.
Highly recomended CD!
Good Luck,
Hildely ... Read more

Amazon.com

With dark shades of dub and songs that stretch with patient grace, 100th Window finds trip-hop legends Massive Attack seeping through your speakers with the same eerie intensity they mined on 1998's revelatory Mezzanine. The burden of high expectations has been a constant for this band since they released the classic Blue Lines in 1991. Under pressure to produce yet another record that changes the playing field of dance music, the collective has turned in a brooding, orchestral work that profits greatly from collaboration. The breathy, distinctive voice of Sinead O'Connor elevates a song like "What Your Soul Sings" into a deeply affecting, candlelit nocturne, while Horace Andy's stylized vocal washes through the string-laden "Name Taken." O'Connor also shines on "A Prayer for England," a remake of "Safe from Harm" off Lines, as her barely contained emotions artfully collide with Window's stark, distorted production. It may not turn the world upside down again, but Massive Attack retains the power to keep you transfixed and blissfully off-balance. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (227)

Brokenhearted
As I sit writing this review of Valentine's Day, I am brokenhearted for various reasons. One reason is the brand new Massive Attack album, which I bought three days ago mere minutes after it was officially released. I've been waiting excitedly for this album for five years, but sadly, nothing lasts forever. I won't argue with those fans who claim Blue Lines as the best Massive Attack album, but I am a ridiculous fanatic for Mezzanine which is certainly one of my favorite albums of all time, in any genre. But the group tension that made that album so mindboggling and gutwrenching are gone. The true musical mastermind of the group, Mushroom, quit due to creative differences, and Daddy G announced a "vacation." So now Massive Attack is made up of the last original man standing, Robert Del Naja (3D), plus new songwriting collaborator Neil Davidge. Del Naja is certainly a good songwriter and is qualified to keep Massive alive, but this album is probably the beginning of the end.

The big guest vocal star this time is Sinead O'Connor who sings three songs, reminding us that once upon a time she was known as the incredible singer that she really is. Sinead also gets to unload some of her politicized lyrics in "A Prayer for England." Reliable Massive friend Horace Andy lends his always breathtaking and crystal-clear voice to two songs this time, but not even he can save the bland material he's working with. And "bland" is the key word here. Four songs are dragged down by the atrociously poor singing (a better word is vocalizing) by Del Naja. You already knew he has a flat voice, though on previous albums he actually functioned well as a counterpoint to Tricky or Daddy G. But here he just can't carry a song on his own. Musically, the super-advanced Massive trip-hop is still in effect, though without the punishing grooves and creeping dread of Mezzanine. Especially missing are the dope basslines, which are only present in the album's two best songs - "Special Cases" and "Butterfly Caught." Otherwise the music is still innovative, but heartbreakingly bland and featureless. Also, the album closes annoyingly with a basic synthesizer loop that repeats ad nauseam for eleven minutes (after "Antistar"). This can be ignored. The Massive magic still peaks out occasionally on this album, but we're seriously headed for light ambient territory here. Oh well, they've had a good run.

A brand new Massive
I've just recently became a huge fan of Massive Attack, and I nearly died when I heard they were releasing a new album. I was anticipating this CD and it delivered all the goods. This is a new Massive and it's an amazing one.

The songs are completely modernized. Massive Attack started from the roots of Hip-Hop, and Hip-Hop has influenced almost every song they've released. But with one member gone, the remaining two Massive members have to struggle through to get a good image of Massive Attack out to the new age, and they do it well. With sounds from Radiohead and Portishead influences, Massive Attack changes their image completely.

"What Your Soul Sings" is delivered well by Sinead, mixing with the synth sounds of 3D and Daddy G. The song has a very mellow, calm sound, which Massive is known for. "Everywhen" is another amazing accomplishment, with smooth sounds, hard beats and a very serene sound from Massive native Horace Andy. "Prayer for England" is a modernized, beautiful remake of "Safe From Harm" from their Blue Lines CD. And "Antistar" shines with a huge Radiohead influence.

This is Massive Attack for the new generation. Their wisdom and knowledge in the music business has brought together an amazing CD. Any Massive Attack fan must check this CD out, along with fans of Portishead and Radiohead. And being a Massive Attack fan, it's sad to say that there are no vocals from Daddy G in this CD, as well as no Hip-Hop influence from the great Mushroom. Let's hope this is not a farewell CD to the great Massive Attack.

OK at Best.
The fact that fans of Massive Attack are comparing their latest work (favourably) with Madonna's wretched music sums up very nicely everything that is wrong with this album. It adds absolutely nothing to their catalogue and Sinead O'Conner was a singularly uninspired choice for a guest vocalist. Finally, this is a "Massive Attack" album in name only, as two of the three absolutely essential bandmates left, leaving 3-D to his own devices to inflict this turgid dross upon us.

I'm a long-time fan of Massive Attack and have given this album many chances. I was a bit on the fence regarding it, but seeing so many desperate 5-star reviews from people with such obviously low expectations reinforces how far this band has sunk. My copy is already residing in the trash-bin.

Simply beautiful
Massive Attack does not fail on their fourth release with an album very similar to their third release Mezzanine. The songs flow very well from beginning to end and has a very haunting feeling to it. If you are a fan of Massive Attack and loved their previous release this CD is definately for you. Do not be fooled by bad reviews, this album is grossly underrated!

A Unique Vision of Electronica
"100th Window" is Massive Attack's forth album release to date, released in 2003. Though they've been well-known for a decade in the UK, this album gave them their biggest US success to date though still lowkey. This often overlooked group is one of the leaders in electronica/ techno music. Their unique style gives listeners an unforgettable experience through every listen. Whether their music is through deejaying and/or live instruments, they've always stayed on top. Though they've always been an incredible act, "100th Window" may be their best to date. They prove that they've wonderfully evolved as artists.

The dark and eerie theme displayed in these tracks give new meaning to electronica music. All of the sounds and instruments combined wonderfully give listeners the intended sensation. The variety of haunting styles keep listeners interested in every song, starting with "Future Proof". The intimacy is always present through the darkness. As the theme becomes deeper, the heartpounding effect becomes stronger. The strong and personal lyrics blend wonderfully with the background. The only other artist to accomplish such emotional words with electronica music is Madonna on her "Ray of Light" album. Their performances wonderfully express them soulfully, including guest vocalist Sinead O'Connor ("Nothing Compares 2 U", 1989) in "Prayer For England", "When Your Soul Sings", and the hit single "Special Cases". Despite the songs clocking in at over five minutes, Massive Attack never lose contact with their talents.

"100th Window" is great for several occasions, especially great during sex. Such tremendous music quality will surely continue pleasing listeners for a long time. If their musical evolution continues in the future at their past rate, their next album should have exciting expectations. ... Read more

Album Details

Includes an 8-Page Booklet with Liner Notes by J. Black. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

One of the best electronic albums, no dobut...
In 1976, Jean Michel Jarre, in his small dinning-room studio and with a relatively low budget (A Mellotron, a pair of organs [Eminent for his trademark phased strings and I think the Farfisa is there for some background sounds], and, of course the legendary synths ARP2600, VCS3 and Synthi AKS [these two last synths are more or less the same], plus the little known 'RMI' synth, which I assume to be the RMI KC1, one of the first commercial digital synths and a Rhythmicomputer [again, I guess it is the Farfisa one] for the occasional 'percussion' sounds), popularized electronic music with Oxygene, one of the finest albums of all time, combining catchy melodies with an atmospheric feeling into an accesible, but not stupid sounding album.
This album breaks the theory that music has to be unaccessible in order to suggest images to the listener; I see Oxygene as a person's soar through different landscapes, from the undersea in Part 1 to the jungle in Part 4... sometimes the landscapes are a bit desolated (Part 1) but this is not the 1974 angustiating mass of arpeggios everyone knows.
I firmly recommend Oxygene to everyone, as well as the follow-up Equinoxe. In fact, I'd buy them together.

(A note: call this 'New Age' and expect to get bad opinions from many people!)

The Classic of Modern Electronic Music
When Jean-Michel Jarre released Oxygene back in 1976 there was hardly a market for electronic music. German pioneers such as Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, and Klaus Schulze had all achieved recognition but, unfortunately, not much fame. With Oxygene, Jean-Michel Jarre brought electronic music to the masses and he did so without compromising the music. Oxygene, split into six parts, is a musical journey through surreal ambient soundscapes, electro-minimalism, synth-pop, and proto-techno. Even today the sound as well as the compositions stand out, so if you want to know how techno, ambient music, and trance started out, you definitely need to listen to this masterpiece!

Oxygene
Oxygene~ Jean Michel Jarre is a modern classic. Produced and released in 1976 it was way before its time in the use of synths and keyboard programming.

Still good after all these years
This guy did Oxygene with a bunch of monophonic synths and a Farfisa (no, really!) organ. What a beautiful example for today's lame brains of electronica who can't even record a 10-seconds loop if they don't have the latest Clavia Nord. Anyway, the music in Oxygene is good, sometimes great, sometimes a tad boring, but overall a very enjoyable album and an amazing work considering the time it was conceived.

overrated pop synth album
upon reading reviews and listening to friends adulation over this album, i was eager and excited to listen to this cd. sadly, after listening to oxygene, i was a bit disappointed and frankly don't know what the fuss is about. jean michel jarre perhaps made electronic music accessible to the masses, but this is not the greatest electronic album ever as some reviewers here have suggested. there were artists before him that made electronic music of a higher quality than this. personally, i found his album to be very pop and commercial. this may be fine to some, but it seemed like jarre was able to use existing electronic elements and produce them into a catchy (sometimes corny) melody. making electronica melodic may be an admirable effort, but frankly the melody just isn't as good as ppl make it out to be. yes it has melody, but at times the songs sound very cheesy and as if one were at a polka. thats just my opinion. i think
tangerine dream, kraftwerk, tonto's expanding headband, and perhaps juan atkins have done more important and better quality electronica than this. this album is ok, but is overrated. personally, i enjoyed his later addition, oxygene 7-13, more than i did this album. ... Read more