Amazon.com

Released in Europe in 2001, La Revancha Del Tango’s sexy combination of chillout programming and authentic tango music became a lounge favorite and led to massive sales. Lightning struck twice when it was released two years later in the States--the domestic debut attracted the attention of electronic music hipsters, tango freaks, and world music geeks. And rightfully so. The Gotan trio of Philippe Cohen Solal, Christoph H. Müller, and Eduardo Makaroff write the album's strongest material themselves, but their imaginative incorporation of Frank Zappa's "Chunga's Revenge," Gato Barbieri's theme from the movie Last Tango In Paris and, not surprisingly, Astor Piazzolla's "Vuelvo Al Sur" into the Gotan world shows just how broad and inclusive their tastes really are. Naysayers may complain that this album can be heard in every hip restaurant and clothing boutique from Paris to Los Angeles, but sometimes the cream does rise to the top and gain mass acceptance, as it has here. Also includes a bonus disc of four remixes. --Tad Hendrickson ... Read more

Reviews (27)

WoW! This cd is the best!
I had heard Gotan Project previously sampled on NPR and I thought it might be an interesting cd to purchase, but I never thought it would be this good! I love it. I really like ambient and low-key music right now, and this really fits my mood. It is not so upbeat that it makes you nervous and overly excited, but it is great to just chill out to, and is also great background music because tango is inherantly sexy. Each song on this cd has its own taste and flare, and honestly I don't think I can even pull a favorite from this album because they are all favorites! The bonus disc has the video for Santa Maria, which is really cool and sexy! This album is a must have for any music listener!

Bandoneon beats
First off, a warning: I've read some of the less than ecstatic reviews of La Revancha del Tango,which accused the music of being too "backgroundish" and only fit for commercials. There is an element of truth in this. But accusing the work of Gotan Project of being too "backgroundish" is like accusing Bob Dylan of being too folksy, or Eminem of being too rappy. I think that's the whole point of La Revancha del Tango: cool, collected and inconspicuous "mood" music that will subtly blend into your day. It's not blaring blasting in-your-face dance music, thank goodness, since we have enough of that on the market already. It may not be the most brilliant or original of albums either, but it certainly has an understated elegance about it: classic torrid tangos, chilled out and urbanized with an ambient contemporary touch. Great to read, relax or do homework to, filling the silence without shattering it, and the bonus disc remixes are a nice funky addition. Here's to the new post-millenial tango.

Tango's Revenge
I think it is one of the three records that redifine the concept of electrotango, like Bajo Fondo Tango Club and Tanghetto- Emigrante (electrotango). Santa Maria is a hit, Queremos paz is a great song, and all the songs in this record are incredible.

Sexy, addictive, cool music!
By now you probably know that the Gotan Project is a fusion of electronica and tango ("gotan" is "tango" rearranged). I have no exposure to tango music, nor was I specifically looking for such. Instead, I was in search of downtempo, lounge-type music and accidentally stumbled across La Revancha del Tango. What a CD! I love all 10 tracks. There's a fair amount of bass beats, but the tempo is mostly slow (I assume this is tango). Not many vocals are found (but are in Spanish) and there's some vocal samples which I can't identify...but it doesn't matter; it's the sound and the mood which are entirely sexy and addictive. I listen to this CD all the time now.

One surprise is the cover of Frank Zappa's "Chunga's Revenge." Yes, it's Zappa and somehow it works!

The bonus disc has some remixes that are a bit too fast for my current interest in downtempo music and not as good as the originals on disc 1, IMO. However, the video for "Santa Maria" on the bonus disc is really great. It's very sexy and stylish, just like GP's music. Shot in B&W w/ an obvious lean towards cubism and patterns, it puts a smile on your face.

Great CD!
I first heard "Vuevo al sur" on my Musicmatch radio station and after hearing "Triptico" I knew I had to buy the CD. I really enjoy the CD and it's great background/party music. Not all of the songs are as hypnotic as my 4 favorites (the above two, Santa Maria, and Chunga's Revenge), but the video on the extra disc makes it worth 5 stars!

Also, a note for the music fan from Lemon Cove, CA: "tango" is actually described as a Latin American genre and the word has numerous meanings. We are most familiar with the international definition of the tango, which would be Argentinean. There is, however, a "tango" tradition in Brazil, such as the 'tango brasileiro' (check out Darius Milhaud's pieces based on Brazilian music). The Brazilian tango is based on the Cuban habanera, but nonetheless carries the title of "tango".

So, according to your logic (as so eloquently stated in your review), the Russians may actually have their own style of caipirinha. Probably made with vodka (blech!). ... Read more

Amazon.com

Thievery Corporation's Eric Hilton and Rob Garza have always treated the line between acoustic and electronic music as a drunken sailor might, unpredictably falling on one side or the other with equal frequency. By this measure, The Richest Man in Babylon is their soberest effort to date, striding confidently into jazz, soul, world beat, and other styles with a direct, reverential approach. The band's last record, Sounds from the Verve Hi-Fi, featured a set of classic jazz tunes unadorned with remixes or reinterpretation. But the songs on Babylon are originals, incorporating not just jazz but Afro-beat, Brazilian dance, Persian and Indian music, reggae, and psychedelia, all while making expert use of new and old collaborators like Sleepy Wonder, Lou Lou, and Shinehead. Icelandic singer Emiliana Torrini makes an instant impression on the first track, "Heaven's Gonna Burn Your Eyes," her voice freeing the song's melody and structure with just a few hypnotic bars. It's hard to call this an electronic record at all; even their dub-influenced tracks miss a certain studio sheen, as if Hilton and Garza simply waded into a sweltering Jamaican beach party and hit record. But while it misses the ambient, ethereal edge that made The Mirror Conspiracy a downtempo classic, Babylon satisfies with organic energy and tasteful eclecticism. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (78)

One of the Best Records of 2002.
Eric Hilton and Rob Garza of Thievery Corporation are two undisputed masters of cool who have released one of the richest and most engaging albums of the year: "The Richest Man in Babylon." To call these guys mere chillout gurus is to do this duo a disservice. On this album, they've taken cafe lounge to exciting heights, incorporating reggae, Eastern influences, and African styles into their already tightly-woven grooves. "Heaven's Gonna Burn Your Eyes" gets things right with its frosty vocals from Emillana Torrini. "Facing East" grooves along thanks to its (surprise) Eastern flavor and its sitar, while the electro-laced "Omid (Hope)" delivers airy vocals, mid-tempo drum loops, and light touches of synth bleepery. Reggae gets tossed into the mix in the form of "Exilo (Exile)," and the stellar title track stands out wonderfully. Using both electronic beats and real instruments, Theivery Corporation weave together a multitextured album that cements the duo's reputation as one of the classiest recording acts around. "The Richest Man in Babylon" is more than just music to listen to. It's also music to live by.

Thievery make it their own
The Richest Man In Babylon shows Thievery's style crystallised; the influences that have all been prominent on 'Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi' and 'The Mirror Conspiracy' are here made Thievery's own, being incorporated with Thievery's smooth measured breakbeats and synth atmospherics. The production is uniformly excellent and sounds even slicker than 'Mirror', and is more cohesive. Rob Garza and Eric Hiltons unflinching attention to detail is apparent everywhere.

The presentation has changed from 'Mirror's spying 'n' flying references - the outlook is more earthy, less technical. The CD came with a booklet of excellent black and white photojournalism images on good quality paper. The images feature people from areas which have inspired Thievery's music.

Their early dub style of 'Sounds' is most apparent in the 'Outernationist', and also appears in 'State of the Union' and the 'Richest Man in Babylon'. The title track is certainly the most commercial track here, featuring some Wailers style horns and a regular song structure.

The latin/bossa influence which came to the fore in 'Mirror' is represented by 'Meu Destino' and 'Exilo', both featuring male singing (as opposed to MCing) by Patrik De Santos and Verny Varela. The sound is lighter than previous Jazzanova-esque grooves such as 'Samba Tranquille'. 'Meu Destino' features nylon acoustic guitar by Ramon Gonzales.

Eastern music is represented by 'Facing East', and 'Interlude'. 'Facing East' features santur and tabla, and vocals, which are joined by a breakbeat a minute in.

However Thievery's strongest developing style is in the ambient-pop-breakbeat style which this album confirms as their trademark. The sublime, Cocteau Twins echoing 'Omid' is the direct descendant of the superb' Shadows Of Ourselves', LouLou singing on both. 'All That We Perceive' is sung by Thievery regular Pam Bricker, and bears resemblance to 'Lebanese Blonde', which she also appeared on.
'Heaven's Gonna Burn Your Eyes', the first track, was initially a surprise in that it bears resemblance to Air with it's string machine and heavily compressed bass. Thieveryness is restored by a trademark breakbeat 2 minutes in. With repeated listening this sits well as an intro to the album.

There is a new direction in the form of Liberation Front, a funk track with excellent horns credited to Rick Harris. This is a standout track.

The only filler is From Creation, and this is not bad, just dull.

Is this a better album than 'The Mirror Conspiracy'? It is certainly more polished, easier to listen to in one sitting. 'The Richest Man In Babylon' is more able to put Thievery Corporation in the mainstream, and this is music that everyone should hear.

GREAT MUSIC
In my opinion probably the best CD they made so far.
I can surely recommend it to people who are also fan of Siddharta, Buscemi, Buddha Bar, etc.

A Chillout Masterpiece
I can't believe how much I love this album. I had heard of Thievery Corporation from Yahoo's Launchcast, so I downloaded a couple of tracks that I thought sounded good. I liked them, but I didn't end up buying this CD for some time. When I got it, I was blown away. This album must be taken as a whole, even though there are standout tracks. As a whole, it is one of the best chillout CDs of all time. Emiliana Torrini's vocals add a unique flavor to the tracks she appears on, but my favorites would have to be the more middle eastern tracks. The beginning of "Facing East" still gives me goosebumps whenever I hear it. And the more reggae influenced tracks are great too, like the title track with a great beat and soulful vocals. Most of all, what I love about this album is the organic feel to it. When listening to this, you forget that it's a CD playing on a stereo, and you can almost see groups of musicians jamming together and taking turns on who sets the tempo and regional influence. It's really amazing to behold. And rarely do I find a good chillout CD that I can put in my car stereo and not feel geeky about rolling down the windows and cranking up the volume. I highly recommend this if you're a fan of eclectic world beats, and even if you're not, buy this anyways. Thievery Corporation will convert you.

Truely Amazing
This cd even now is always in my playlist. Thievery Corporation never ceases to amaze me, no where else can you find the musical combinations they create. This cd has a more 3rd world country interpretation to it. Many people said it didn't sound like thievery corp but that is what is so great about this cd, they don't limit themselves to a linear sound, they take a worldly approach. If you haven't heard this cd buy it, turn down the lights and lay back in your house, maybe throw back a bottle or two and listen to this amazing cd. ... Read more

Album Description

Shaking off the conventions and cliches of the EBM and futurepop genres, VNV Nation have crafted a work of art. From haunting, quiet beauty to introspective depths, to dance floor anthems, "Matter + Form" is an album crafted to move not only bodies on the dance floor, but hearts as well. VNV Nation is the new face of electronic music. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

What is truth
VNV Nation is one easily one of best bands in the EBM/futurepop genre as well as in general. I first discovered thema couple of years ago with their last studio album "Futureperfect". I was completely awestruck by their abilities to fuse haunting lyrics and melodies with a blend of industrial and synthpop beats. Ronan Harris writes some of the most beautiful lyrics I have ever heard (i.e "Beloved").

I finally obtained a copy of "Matter + Form". I personally love this album. I think it is great that the band continues to evolve with their sound. I think it would be dull for a band like VNV Nation to stick with one particular sound. It may work for bands like AC/DC but I think in VNV's case, they should be allowed to grow as a band. While there is no "Beloved" to be found on this album per say, the songs are far from lacking a good hook. I dug the industrial-influenced tracks "Chrome" and "Arena". They really set the tone of the album and I hope the band plays one or both of those songs live next month in concert. "Colours of Rain" is a beautiful haunting instrumental. "Homeward" is another personal favorite track of mine that I find myself hitting the replay button on.

I thought "Matter + Form" is a solid follow-up to "Futureperfect". I thought the general overall sound of "Matter + Form" was more aggressive than the band's previous two albums because of songs like "Arena" and "Perpetual" (another personal favorite track of mine). It is definitely one of the best albums of the year so far. I can't wait to see the band live in conert next month.

Uninspired
Whenever I've listened to a VNV Nation album, I've always been struck by how interesting and innovative the group is, even if I don't particularly enjoy every song on the album.There's still a sort of appreciation for trying to create something truly unique, something only VNV Nation could do.

Most of the tracks on Matter and Form are sub-par for what I expect from VNV Nation, and come nowhere near matching the quality of their earlier works.

There's an intro track on M+F, however it does nothing to set the mood for the rest of the album; it's essentially a minute and a half of sci-fi sounds that make you anticipate something dark and unknown, which really doesn't fit how the rest of the album feels.

Chrome is the only song on this album I have any sympathy for, as you can tell that a lot of time was put into the song to make it so great.It almost sticks out like a sore thumb on the album since the majority of the lyrical pieces on M+F are slow and ballad like (think Airships from Futureperfect, which I wasn't particularly a fan of).

The instrumental pieces are great tracks to fall asleep to, most of which are boring techno pieces that sound like the same 10 second sound clip looped over and over for a few minutes.

I'd recommend purchasing Praise The Fallen, Empires, Futureperfect, or if you can find it, Advance and Follow instead of this album if you do not have them.Or, check out something by Assemblage 23.

actually 2 1/2 stars to be exact
only has a couple good songs.about 5 or 6 of the songs are just instrumental, which i hate for this type of music.they are usually boring and stupid.It feels like i paid 15 bucks for only 5 or 6 songs.
I like VNV nation and love their last 2 albums, past perfect and empires but this one did not impress me.
save your money and download the only 2 decent songs that are on there.

Fantastic
"Chrome" and "Perpetual" are among the best of VNV and EBM. Great, great CD.

Not Quite the New Face of FuturePop
Like most fans of VNV, I too could sense that something in the way of a major shift had to occur. I mean Ronan might as well have said it directly on the "Futureperfect" DVD. He noted that the electro industrial scene undergoes a major shift about every 5 years or so. All of us then did the quick mental math to realize that VNV had taken over the scene about 5 years prior. Therefore he was saying that the scene, and his band too, needed to shake things up. In listening to this it almost seems as though VNV felt that everyone was looking to them to take that bold step and become the new face of whatever the new sound would be. Given that mindset I find "M&F" to be a major disappoint and, for the most part, a failure.

I think the only fully realized song is the single "Chrome"; it manages to be a clubsmasher while changing things enough to really break out of the confines of their earlier work. The synth sounds utilized recall nothing of prior songs, while the vocals are spun in a way that is fresh for Ronan. Outside of this I find some glaring flaws. The intro is a useless throwaway piece and I'm really tired of industrial bands thinking that they can get away with this. I don't mind simple mood setters but this has no value (if you have 17 tracks then a few fillers might be alright, but not on a 10-track album). Far too many tracks do not have vocals and they are not strong enough instrumentals to really stand on their own merit. Several are formulaic trance numbers that would work as decent dancefloor sets for lesser artists but fall flat here. One of the better tracks is nothing more than a rewrite of "Airships" from the previous album. If it's a bold new direction you are looking for, then please do not write a song built out of the exact same presets as a previous hit. "Homeward" is a very nice track but it's one that Covenant has written about 30 times already, no? I love the sound but it really isn't much to brag about creatively.

All in all, it's a pretty good album but it does nothing to resolve the "where is this freakin' scene heading?" question. While offering glimpses of brilliance it falls back too often on its predecessors and fails frequently when new ground is covered. It pains me to say that as an old fan with great respect for the artist, but I simply have to disagree with many others who I believe are overlooking flaws out of love for the artist rather than being honest with themselves. I've tried to give this album more than a fair chance, but after 20+ listens I just can't kid myself any longer. Generally I applaud it when bands try to do something new, but in this case they didn't have the guts to go nearly far enough. They got caught in between taking an artistic stand and giving us what they thought we wanted... an unpleasant compromise. ... Read more

Album Description

The world’s most revered DJ mix series returns with an absolute stunner! This time around, in Global Underground’s continued effort to bring the world’s most exciting electronic music and party cities to you at home, Danny Howells took a trip with the GU crew to Miami. On a thrilling Halloween night, thousands of fans packed into the world’s most popular nightclub, downtown Miami’s Club Space to hear Mr. Howells drop a legendary main floor set of Disco classics, Detroit techno and thumping up-front House before exiting to the club’s terrace to play a jaw-dropping sunrise set full of atmospheric experimental music reminiscent of disc one of his last Global Underground release, last year’s acclaimed 24:7. That night became the inspiration for Danny’s first release for our signature series, Global Underground #027 Miami. The album is a sublime mix of genres featurning the likes of Bent, Silicone Soul, Ashtrax, Throbbing Gristle and Danny’s favourite record of all time, the breathtaking disco stunt "Hills of Katmandu" by Tantra.

A ten-year veteran DJ, with an unearthly ability to connect with his audience, Danny has consistently ranked high on every official and unofficial best DJ list there is. First making his appearance on the Global Underground imprint with his 2000 mix, Nubreed #2, Danny has gone on to gain notoriety as a ground breaking producer and remixer. His credits include a 2004 British Top 40 single ("Dusk ‘Til Dawn"), production collaborations with Deep Dish and remix commissions from Robbie Williams, David Morales and BT.

With the long standing tradition of Global Underground to tap the absolute crème talent to helm the GU series, Miami is sure to emerge as the essential dance music compilation of 2005 and Danny Howells will continue to rise as a star of today and tomorrow’s electronic music hierarchy. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Simply Amazing -- House at its Best
Global Underground 27 : Howells in Miami is one of the best mix CD's I've ever bought. At first glance, Disc 2 is more likeable. It's techy, and a little faster than disc 1. It's fun and very danceable. However, the real gem of this set is clearly disc 1. From begining to end, it is one of the best things I've ever heard. Danny Howells himself calls disc 1 his "baby." It really shows! Put it in and you will find at least one part of your body moving to the grooves he's put together. This is simply house at its best.
These wonderful tracks are super-funky, and are very versatile. You can play it loud and dance, or keep it soft and chill out to it. Please, do yourself a favor, and treat yourself to one of the best kept secrets of house music. Danny Howells has such an ear for music, this CD comes straight from the soul. Get this CD, and then SEE HIM LIVE!!! He will not dissapoint.

Most danceable Global Underground set Satoshi Tomiie
I would recommend purchasing the booklet, which in some stores is the same price as the jewel casing.

Anyway, this double disc set is ear catching right from the start, which seems to be the going trend given the sets released by Cattaneo (Renaissance Volume 2) and Fortier (Balance 007), which also catch the ear from the first track of the first cd.This set separates from theirs once Danny Howells begins to make an emotional connection with his audience with track 2 on disc one (Light Shine).From here, the listener is always waiting to see what he's going to throw out next, mainly because he uses artists that aren't well known trance/house names.

He lights it up in the middle of both discs, and has a knack for choosing tracks that mix well together, similar to Sasha and caters to the mature house crowd.

This mix is also more emotive than his 24:7 disc 2 set, and sounds more like his 24:7 disc one set with danceable beats.I would compare him to Nick Warren in terms of connecting with his audience/crowd, while also packing in the emotion of an Oakie in his prime ('99).Pick up this Global Underground if you want to smile and nod with headphones on, or turn it up on your stereo with his second disc.A winner indeed.

dirty, housey, techno, disco, progressive,...its got it all
Danny Howells, an up and coming veteran to the dance scene shows off his skills with GU 27. I have never really heard Howells until now besides that he opened up for Digweed a number of occasions.Howell's broad range of musical style and creativity flourish on this 2CD set.CD 1 is more of a "lighter, groovier" set aimed at the early morning scene of the Terrace at Club Space.Cd2 is a little bit wilder and more clubbish.Both sets are seamlessly mixed, expecting no less from the GU series.I have been listening to house for a couple of years and I have never heard the different sounds that Howells puts on here.It is a very stylish cd that somewhat odd but still maintains the dirty, housey feel that Howell fans can relate with.This CD is a great addition to your GU collection.

Very Good "Deep/Progressive House"!!
This is my first experience with ol' Danny boy.I can't really say that I was disapointed at all.The only downfall to these discs is that it is in fact Deep House.I remember all of the hype that 24:7 got, and I really wanted to purchace that disc, but I never did.I purchaced these 2 discs in hopes that Danny would be the one Dj that would take us all out of this "deep", "slow", "un-energetic" phase that Electronica as a whole has become in the last 6 months to 1 year.Not the case.But these mixes impressed me only on the technical side of Mr. Howell's great knowledge of mixing.A very well produced mix of "Deep" to "Progressive" House.I fairly gave this production 3 stars because it is infact a great production, but just like most every Electronic CD of 2005, it lacks that "energy" that Electronic music is known for.

What a joke!...that anyone would spin these at a club/lounge
Is this a joke?Seriously people.I'm into a lot of kinds of trance/house/electronica, and NOBODY would book a DJ to play this steaming pile collected by Danny Howells.Not a single good track.He says himself in the coverjacket that a lot of his records are "really/extreemly rare."Know why?Cuz they blow and nobody wants to hear them!It also shows people dancing/partying in the pics.These tunes would CLEAR a dancefloor and would be found annoying in a lounge setting.This is definitely UNDERGROUND, and will stay so, but only due to nobody liking it - NOT that it's sooo cool from the "untainted" dancefloors out there that it falls under the radar. ... Read more

Amazon.com

You'd never guess from Human After All that these are the same guys who came up with the opulent dance grooves of 2001's Discovery. On Human After All it sounds like Daft Punk's robotic alter egos have finally gotten the upper hand and made an album that is defiantly free of emotion and personality. Instead, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo amp up the irony and deliver a set of songs that are maddeningly repetitive, raucous and bound to test the most devoted fan's patience. But even as the French duo short-circuits it manages to captivate--the spoken-word "Technologic" and the digitized "The Prime Of Your Life" are just bananas enough to make its euphoric hit "One More Time" sound positively last century. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (99)

Ratatat fused to Zongamin eating up Daft Punk's Discovery
It was a joyful night.I started with the regualr Zongamin for night, but then I got an invite from a friend into his car.He told me about this CD he has been listening to and asked me to try and figure out who it was.He and I are big fans of Interstella 5555 and Discovery, who couldn't be?Both of us enjoy Ratatat, Yip-Yip and Zongamin, but what we were listening to was like watching the Big Bang!

As we listened to Daft Punk's newest album, Human After All, we became hypnotized.Everything merged and fused together to make this.Take the energy of Discovery, throw in the guitar synth of Ratatat and the disco beats of Zongamin and you get Human After All.

The first three tracks, are some of my favorite all time songs.They are the prime time of our lives, thats for sure.I've been enjoying this album for a long time, and it will definately make it on my top 10 albums of all time, along with their other two.

You're watching, well listening, to this band emerge into something amazing.This will be one of those albums of the decade, and it should be, just like all Daft Punk stuff.

Repetitive After All
After another four-year wait, Daft Punk officially return with a relative clunker that was recorded in just 6 weeks from what I understand. The real shame is that there are still some killer riffs to be found here but they are played out with the utmost minimalism lacking any variation or increasing complexity. Songs -- or should I say vignettes? -- that would have been satifying at a neat 3 minutes are dragged out to close to 5 minutes for almost no apparent reason other than to pad this sparse album's playtime. The title track "Human After All"is the clearly shining track on the album, setting the rest of the album up for disappointment. Other singles like "Robot Rock" feature great riffs but quickly wear out their welcome when the 4-minute mark is reached and there's hardly anything to show for it. Daft Punk have always been about a certain degree of minimalism and simplicity in their own cheerfully naive way, but this time they have exposed themselves as plainly insipid.

This is not the Daft Punk I fell in love with...
The first time I played this album, I thought there was something wrong with my CD player.Seriously.Toward the end of track 2 I took the disc out and looked to make sure it wasn't scratched or damaged.I just couldn't believe that someone listened to the track all the way through and at the end said "Yep, that's perfect!"Uhhh, it's 3 minutes of a drum loop followed by 2 minutes of white noise guys.

I wouldn't even call it pretentious, because I don't feel like any real thought went into making this album.It's annoying, it's WAY too repetitive (even for electronica), and it doesn't resemble either of their other two albums that I absolutely love.

The only track that's mildly interesting to me is "Technologic", and you don't have to buy the album to hear that.Just wait for the iPod commercial to come on TV.You can't miss it.It's on about every 5 seconds.

Daft Punk must be mad at Virgin Records!!!
After loving both Homework and Discovery and heralding Daft Punk as one of the finest French exports in recent years, I had high expectations of Human After All as being the album which decisively puts these guys in the pantheon of most influential electronic artists.

Unfortunately this album falls so flat that anyone else who is fooling themselves into seeing genius in this work is simply doing that....fooling themselves!

To think that DP could have possibly spent more than two days to record, produce and deliver this album to Virgin Records would be unimaginable.The only thing that I can think of is that they are deperately trying to get out of their contract and by delivering this crap, they hope to fulfill their responsibilities with their label.

I bought this CD used for $5, at that price I'm not mad but just disappointed.If I would have paid (...)for this CD I would be mad, insulted and definitely trying my best to get my money back!

By releasing this album, DP are giving fans an excellent reason to download their songs in the future instead of buying them.

If DP are laughing all the way to the bank, I hope they enjoy it because this is the last time that it will happen!

I smell a new Daft Punk Movie!
Daft Punk is always trying to do something more innovative and creative than its prior release. They started out with big beats in
'Homework', and then moved on to trance and a LOT of samples in
'Discovery'. Now, with 'Human After All' out in stores everywhere, most people don't like it. Why? Because it wasn't like Discovery.

Daft Punk tried to do a 6-week experiment to see what was the best they could do in such a short time. They did good. "Human After All" is an electro-filled song with a bunch of vocoders and guitars...which isn't a very common combination, but it was a good one. "Prime Time Of Your Life" added a little bit of swing into the mix, a very risky decision, but it paid off. "Robot Rock", the album's first single, is a head-bopping romp of pure fun...to say the least. "Steam Machine" is a heavier, slower sort of song. It's okay, but not my favorite by far. "Make Love", while soft, is not as emotional (or explicit, mind you) as the title suggests. Not nessecarily a bad song, but more of a 5/10.

"The Brainwasher" is another hard, heavy song with a sort-of annoying voice screaming "I AM THE BRAINWASHER". Is that really nessecary? I'm not going to review "On/Off", as it's just a bunch of television channels. "Television Rules the Nation" is a nice, rock song that I really enjoyed. Filled with vocoders and guitars , it was a neat song to bob my head to. "Technologic", while being called the next 'Around The World', doesn't appeal to me that way. It's alright, but it's more of a meh song. I don't like kid voices...And for the end, "Emotion", it's a nice song to chill out to after "BRAINWASHER!!!" and "STEEEEEEM MACHIIIIINE!!"

Overall, it was a nice CD. One I'm not used to, but it's good. Pick it up, 'cuz it's reccomended. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Just like their "DJ" Set....
Well the Outernational Sound has come around. And if you caught their DJ Sets from the "Richest Man" tour,(not the live set w/ band), then you may have an idea of what you are in for. For me it boiled down to this: Good Music, Bad Mix. But I've come across this many times...Great producers that aren't so good at DJing. Kind of dissapointing, but there is still some musical gemms on this disc....

Solid mix-tape for a classic theivery heist
Theivery Corp. have built their reputation as tastemakers over the years by releasing records so hypnotic and streamlined that, though most of the music is stolen -- i.e. thievery of sounds--, the brand name Thievery Corporation is another way of saying good taste.

So by releasing a CD containing some of their favorite songs, did Thievery live up to its reputation? Yes, mostly.

There's no fancy mixing here, and the songs do not always blend together in seemless fashion. But the brothers do dig some gems from their crates 'o wax.

The music ranges from South American rhythems to North Atlantic drum and bass to Washington DC dub to the Beatles (off of Sgt. Peppers) to Funk to Asia (but not really) and ends with one of the best Jamaican rocksteady songs, by Delroy Wilson, I've ever heard.

To top it all off, the CD is encased in layer after layer of shiny-psychedlic-Warholian-pop-art-packaging - which may be worth the price of admission if that's your thing.

My overall impression is that, after spending a decade or so trying to be as effortlessly-cool as possible, Thievery is dying to get a little funky. They've amassed wealth through many heists, and this mix-tape album is their chance to just let the good times roll.

If you're looking for high art, go elsewhere. But if you're looking for an intruiging mix of sounds that would probably do well at a party, check this out. Grade: B.

Outernational Groove
I was really psyched when I heard Rob and Eric were going to be coming out with a new mix cd. Outernational Sound delivers the goods; this cd is packed with rare blissful beats and vibrant sounds. It is very diverse and encompasses Thievery Corporation's current direction in their music. (Anyone interested in the other ESL artists pickup the Modular Systems cd)

The only thing that kept me from giving this 5 stars was there are a few points where the tracks catch you ear because they don't merge as well as the others. That said trust me, this cd is not one to miss.

Great tracks but
I just wanted people to know it's not really a "DJ Set." In other words it's a great mix of songs but it doesn't flow together necessarily well. It jumps from one style of music to another with abrupt tempo changes. Again, not a bad thing. It's more like a "Back To Mine" compilation than a "DJ-Kicks" set if you know what I mean. Like listening to Rob and Eric's favorite tracks at their house rather than listening to two guys at the decks. Also, please eat meat. It tastes good.

Best Compilation
All I can say is WOW!I put on this CD today and it just made me smile.One thing I have always said about Thievery Corporation is that these guys have taste.Damn good taste.I have a couple of comps by them(dj kicks,den of thieves)and I think this one is the best.Which is really saying something.The mix really flows quite well despite the diverse tracks.The cover art is cool too.1st class all the way. ... Read more

Album Description

A masterful DJ, John Digweed has been playing in nightclubs since the age of 16.With a succesful career and consistent US tour dates, John is undoubtedly one of the most popular names in dance music. In addition, he’s a broadcaster, a producer, a promoter, and an active A&R executive, working hard to give new artists their first break, on his decks or on vinyl.

Together with Fabric Records, John presents Fabric 20, featuring tracks and remixes by Pete Moss, Martin Solveig, Angel Alanis, Michael Mayer, DJ Rasoul, Josh Wink, Slam, and many more. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Arguably Digweed's best work.
This CD answers right back to Sasha's most impressive solo album Involver, innovating new styles for himself as Sasha did, but in totally different directions.I have never heard Digweed be so electronical, it's very acid synth in a lot of places and much less dark than most of Digweed.There is also more female singing and lyrics compared to his previous productions, and while I am usually not a fan of actual song type electronica, I love every second of this album.My choice for top track is Venom, an amazing piece of synth mastery by one of the best DJs in the world, I recommend this CD for anyone who loves good music, it's as good or better than his Hong Kong GU set, and pure innovation for the new age.

okay.....maybe
I love digweed and essentially everything he has done.I also love the way progressive has been going.What I don't like is this boring album.It lacks feeling.Okay for a mix, but not what I would expect from the man on a major release.His KISS 100 show is generally better than this.

DIgweed is sick sick sick....absolutely flawless
john digweed is the master , proven with his yet another dubbed out cd in fabric 20...i just want to imagine what his 5 hr set would be like....

It's time
Well I have had enough.I have had enough of the people who keep listening to music that they must not even like the genre of, and rating the album on their own tastefulness.You have no idea how many times I am looking to purchase a new album and I read a review that scares me away.Well later on the down the road I'll read another review from a different album so it will steer me back and I will end up buying it.Who are these people, noone knows, but apprently they have terrible taste in music.One of the reviews for this album is "average".OK OK now to the album.The farthest from average you could ever possibly imagine.This reviewer couldn't be further from the truth.Thank god later reviewers showed me the light and allowed me to purchase this album.The first three reviews should be deleted.This album is 5 stars bottom line.I don't know what it is.Maybe they have dated ears and can't hear good music.It's sad.

The beat don't stop!!!
A wonderful CD, filled with electro/techy tracks that feed the ear with a new progressive sound. Breaking all former bounders, this CD displays a new sound that is distinctly John Digweed. Masterfully mixed and complied, with breakdowns that kill. Peak performance by the master of progressive!!!!
... Read more

Amazon.com

The sequel to 2002's Verve Remixed follows and improves upon the original's formula; take material from the storied vaults at Verve Records and let top DJs of the modern era have at them. Featuring an impressive roster of dance artists like Miguel Migs, Koop, and Fila Brazillia, the trick is matching DJ with jazz standard in a way that compliments both. It's a tough chore, given the classics involved and the need to do them justice. On Sarah Vaughan’s "Whatever Lola Wants," Gotan Project manage the task with distinction, filtering rustic and romantic accordions through the song's lusty machinations. Astute choices are required, like Mondo Grosso’s decision to build a solid thump out of just the central melody of Archie Shepp's "Blues For Brother George Jackson." Sometimes, the best thing to do is get out of the way; Mr. Scruff's Soul Party Mix of "Do What You Wanna" only adds some background party noise to Ramsey Lewis’ ripping keyboard solo. VR2 doesn't hit the mark every time, but the combinations that work accomplish what only the best dance music does--they crumble the walls between genres and encourage us all to get down together. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (41)

bemixed and between
Obviously "the shock of new" helped propel the first Verve Remixed record. This not to say that remix records are new, but certainly the Verve crew took a step into uncharted waters by allowing electronic music producers free reign to remix its storied vaults.

Rather than just stay in the realm of downtempo and do the same thing over again, there is a greater diversity of styles on VR2 from the trippy tango treatment of Gotan Project on S. Vaughan's "Whatever Lola Wants" to swing house style of Mondo Grosso on the remix of "Blues for Brother George" to Jaffa's soulful downtempo take on "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair."

Jaffa's track to me is the standout on the record, and I'm also in partial agreement that jazz lends itself better to downtempo treatments.

But that doesn't stop me from lovin' the hell out of this record. So what it if makes want to shake your moneymaker? Just bobbing your head gets old after awhile. GET OFF YOUR COUCH AND PUT DOWN THE CHEESE CURLS.

Obviously, the VR2 is going to be judged on a different basis -- the second record must live up to excitement and quality of the first and deal with the "sequel" detractors. Well, so far I think its doing well on both counts.

So thanks to Verve, almost 60 years after your inception, you're still one of the coolest labels on the face of the earth.

C'MON, FOLKS, LIGHTEN UP!!!
Was this CD really that bad, to all you three and two star reviewers? In my opinion, it takes incredible skill from producers and DJs like Herbert, Miguel Migs, Layo and Bushwhacka, Fila Brazillia, Gotan Project, et al to make old jazz classics sound fresh and alive! These songs range from funk to house to soul and acid jazz, and the re-mixing from the aformetioned in no way distorts the original material--if anything their personal touches have made these songs more accessible to today's music listeners! I have a new appreciation for Ella, Sarah, Dizzie, Nina and Astrud, and after hearing "Verve Remixed 2" I may even be persuaded to go out and get some of their stuff!

Love it!
It's even better than the first. A definite must-have.

A Worthy Followup!
Hopefully, Verve Remixed 3 will be released this year so I'll have some more amazing remixes to listen to. Volume 2 has some truly mindbending work, as well as a couple that are somewhat pedestrian. For me, the standouts are Gotan Project's remix (love the bandoneon!), which turns this song into audio crack. I cannot get tired of listening to it, and feel the need to take a tango lesson. Other standouts include Mondo Grosso's remix of Archie Shepp, which absolutely drags you onto the dance floor, Miguel Migs' "Slap That Bass," which does the same. Of course, the two Nina Simone songs are standouts, as her music is ripe for these kinds of projects. The only three that didn't do the trick for me were numbers 4, 8, and 9, since they were too close to the originals and fairly unimaginative. If they weren't going to do much with them, they should have remixed different songs. Still, there is some amazing work present here, sure to delight your next house full of guests.

AS GOOD AS THE FIRST!!!
Classic songs!!! Great interpretations by great producers. The Unmixed version is great as well and it's priced low! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Inredible Music
It is hard to put into words how unbelievebly good the music bye o-zone is! I have listened to their songs an endless amount of times.mostly 'despre tine' & 'dragostea din tei') the music makes u feel so great no matter how u are feeling!

Just awesome.
I normally don't listen to europop... actually I think this is the first I've heard of it... but anyways, O zone is awesome and just good music to get down to.. or get up, depending on your preference. It's catchy, it's upbeat and just plain fun and this is coming from a guy that listens to mostly death metal and punk.

love it
I have no idea what any of the songs say, but some people told me that the lyrics were really dumb. Even if they are though, I still love this CD. It's a great depression-buster. It's good when you want something fun and upbeat to listen to!

Love That Ma Ya Hi.
My Niece had a freind who came back from Paris with the Single.She plays it all the time now my kids and their friends are hooked on it.It's very fun music.I don't know what they're saying since its in Romanian.It might be "look at the silly american redneck, His crack is showing" but whatever it is it sounds too fun to be vulgar.

I'm not typically a big fan of Europop.... but....
What the heck! I've never been a big fan of Europop in general (I'm more of a hard techno/hard trance sort of person), but these guys just plain kick butt! They sound vaguely remniscient of Gigi D'agostino, and Eiffel 65 (with just a dash of E-Type's creativity thrown in), and the combination is very fresh, and very good. I would recommend this CD to anyone, because even though I don't usually like or listen to crossover music, even I cannot deny that this is VERY good music. Major props to the Romanians! Euro forever! ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Drowning In A Glass, Can't Find Love At All
Let's be honest we're not buying this CD for the hits, we're buying it for the new material. "That's The Way"--Giorgio and Keith hit the nail right on the head. This has radio hit written all over it. Donna's vocals shine in this very slick, well produced production. Very breathy and playful. She hasn't used her voice in this way for years, and it's a very welcome change. This is the new sound of Summer and I like it! "I Will Live For Love"--Donna's previous co-writes with Nathan DiGesare haven't impressed me at all, but this song is a complete twist. Written for Donna's children's musical "Dreamway Express", the lyrics and the vocals scream classic Broadway. Giorgio lifts this fairy tale from standard theater fare, by wraping the production in enticing effervescent dance beat. "You're So Beautiful"-- Loved it. Although I would love even more to hear a version that features Donna's vocals more prominently. This at least proves that Donna was on the right musical track when she was at Sony. All and all, these new recordings show a Diva awaiting (and deserving) a rebirth. Will it happen? I can only pray. Mykol (I Wanna Love You Baby Like You Know I'm Donna Summer)

The Long, Long Journey
Well, to begin, I must say that I am a biased Donna Summer fan, and have been for the better part of 25 years. That is why I am hard-pressed to give this CD only 4 stars instead of 5. But, there are two major flaws in this release. The first is that one of the new tracks ("Dream-A-Lots Theme...I Will Live For Love"), is a Mouseketeer anthem, very much in the same vein that "Someday" was for the Mouse House CD back in '96. It is very cookie-cutter, dance fodder in it's original version. In my opinion, this is something that Donna should steer away from at least from a production aspect. The second flaw (though hair-splitting it may seem), is that this summer's best dance floor anthem, "You're So Beautiful" was left off the CD's cover credits. Having gotten that out of the way, these remastered classics are as clear as a bell! And the collection, though I personally find some of her greatest songs missing, is a SUPER BUY for the casual Donna fan.

Now, onto the really great news about this CD. The remix of "I Will Live For Love" is a fantastic dance tune that should have everyone hitting the dance floor over and over at least through the Christmas holidays. But, the show-stopper is the cool and breezy "That's The Way". Her throaty and teasingly optimistic vocals just make me shiver with anticipation to replay the song (and to hear an entire CD with Giorgio Moroder).

So Donna, I can't give you 5 stars this outing, but hopefully 4 will do for you and the rest of the listening world...

A Great Donna Summer Collection
The Journey is a superb greatest hits collections for new Donna fans as well as old. All of the top hits are on it along with some new songs and a second CD of extended play singles.

A must have for any Donna fan and a great CD for new Donna fans.
Her music is timeless as evidenced by her staying power.

Highly recommended!!

hirickybear
What can any one say about one of the greatest female singers of our time...DONNA SUMMER is truely in a class all by herself...and this latest trubute to her is lacking POWER HOUSE songs Like..."Once Upon a Time," "Fairy Tale High," " I Remember Yester Day," "Rummor Has It," "Summer Fever," "Autum Changes," "Dim all the Lights," "Sunset People," "Walk Away". These are the songs that Made Donna Summer truly a legend within her life time.

Great Collection. Excellent Price!!
This CDs are a steal at $12. I paid $18 when it first came out and it was well worth it.
Most people are complaining that there are only 3 new songs. In this day and age, this is Donna's easiest way to get some new music out there. Plus this CD was also meant to go with her autobiography so it makes sense that it would be a Greatest Hits.
The three new songs are amazing. I also had the privilege of hearing Donna sing almost every song on this CD(include the three new ones) at a rare concert in Orlando this year and it's incredible how she sounds better than ever.

The remixes are great and they are a great way to play some Donna Summer music at a party. ... Read more

Album Description

Renaissance and Dave Seaman return with the second installment of The Therapy Sessions two-CD mix set.This year budding Australian DJ/producer Luke Chable handles the bonus guest disc honors with a tough, breaks-fuelled extravaganza that draws heavily on his fellow Melbourne compatriots, alongside some of his own acclaimed tracks and remixes. Dave’s disc takes him in a new distinct new musical direction.Taking cue from his Group Therapy moniker – featured here with an exclusive reprise and remix of new wave stars Tears for Fears ‘Closest Thing to Heaven’ – Dave drops a fresh-faced blend of electro-tinged funk with rock elements that will take your breath away. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Back to Therapy
While I did like the first Therapy Sessions with Seaman and Phil K, it didn't exactly blow my mind. It was good by all means, but I just didn't enjoy it as much as previous Seaman efforts.The second trip to Therapy proved to be much more therapeutic.With Seaman and Luke Chable providing class tracks on two discs, this is a compilation that needs to be picked up. Seaman is on disc one and brings a bit of everything to the table. It's progressive, it's housey, it's electro, it's brilliant. Top tracks are hard to pick cause everything is good, but I would have to say Mellow's "Drifting out of Sight", Holden & Thompson's "Come to Me"(My personal favorite, the vocal is amazing!)& Stel & Elliott's "Finding Time".
Now Luke Chable on disc two. For those who don't know the name Chable, he is a phenomenal dj and producer. He is responsible for "Melburn" which appeared on the first Therapy Session. Chable's disc is a breaks trip that borders on funk,tech,& progressive. Although most tracks are breaks, there are some 4/4 tracks that blend in perfectly with everything else. Just like Seaman's track listing, it's hard to pick favorites, but Rene Amesz "Fragile", Uberzone's "2kool4school"
(old school Uberzone...Quality),& Luke's own "Skyline Road"(A perfect closer to a great disc).
Honeslty, pick this up. Seaman and Chable do no wrong on this one. Therapy is a wonderful thing.

Another Winner
Dave Seaman again shows why many consider him the king of progressive Trance. Luke Chable's set is one of a kind with awesome breaks. Must Have! ... Read more

Reviews (29)

disco's best cd
this cd is a genius mix of great disco songs. its hard not to like it. to understand why, just look at whats on it: celebration by kool & the gang (classic), funkytown by lipps inc, dancing queen by abba, ymca by the village people, and many more. i mean, who doesnt know YMCA? also on this cd are less popular songs, such as knock on wood and hot stuff, but they were still popular and you will most likely know them as soon as you listen to the cd. at the end is the awesome grease megamix that anyone who likes the movie grease will know all the words to. on the megamix are grease lightning, you better shape up, you're the one that i want, and summer nights. this cd is great for parties along with personal listening because once you turn it on, everyone will want to get up and dance. Pure disco is the best disco mix around.

Disco is making a come back.
Well maybe Disco isn't really coming back, but at least this compilation sounds better than ever. Plus, when thinking about it, when did it ever actually end? There's not much that really separates the music of twenty-five to thirty years ago with today. Disco was the generic term for dance music of the 70s and maybe 1980 and 81 up until MTV came into the scene. Today dance music still is around, even if several of these artists are not. But it is fun hearing the roots of clubbing and rave. Look at what you will get with this CD:Funkytown by Lipps Inc., which featured members of the Prince's Revolution Band famous for his Purple Rain disc, Abba's Dancing Queen which inspired a Broadway play Mamma Mia, Celebration by funk-disco band Kool and the Gang, a classic. I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor which is one of the most covered tunes and a top dance song of all time. The Gap Band is here and they are an eighties favorite. Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, and Barry White are legends and they're here. My favorite song is Amii Stewart's Knock on Wood from this collection. Plus among other's the famous mix of Grease tunes from the movie not found elsewhere. Give it a try and buy the other two as well. I am sure you will dance all night.

Great collection of Classic Disco
Yea, we all love to dance- but this collection of music
are classics and they always get people young and old up to
dance. Disco is NOT dead!

What a great series!
Let me first go on record saying that my favorite artists of all time (at this point) are Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. In that vein, you wouldn't really expect a guy with a taste for that sort of music to dig disco. But I really do. Disco music defines "good times." If you've ever been to any sort of party in your life (hosted by a professional DJ, that is), the odds are you've heard a number of the songs on this compilation. And they're all great.

Some are better than others, of course, but each song is catchy and the bass lines are funky. Not to mention cheesy. If you're looking for a cool collection of disco music and don't want to splurge the cash for expensive box sets or individual artists' albums, the "Pure Disco" series is a great investment. Throw in the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack and you've got enough great disco songs to blister your feet up.

Why only four stars instead of five? That's easy. Barry White's "the First, the Last, My Everything" isn't the REAL version. Polygram omitted the spoken introduction and the phrasing is just a bit different from the original version. Must be some sort of radio edit.

Despite this, great compilation. Two other recommendations: "the Bee Gee's Greatest Hits: the Record" and "Barry White: the Ultimate Collection."

PURE DISCO / VOL . 1, 2 & 3
This is the best disco set available!!! Although,disco music
was short lived,it was an era that no one will forget.To some it
was a fashion statement.To others,a threat of,the downfall of
rock & roll music,as we knew it.No matter how you felt about it you must agree that some of best feel good music came from that
generation.I also feel that the word: "CHEESY" came from this time period.I,myself,liked it because I could sleep in my clothes
without the fear of wrinkling them... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ben Watt (of Everything But The Girl fame) delivers another superb selection of melodic and lush house on Buzzin’ Fly Volume 2: Replenishing Music For The Modern Soul. Though the slight detour through electro halfway through is unexpected, it actually works really well, and doesn’t come across as a trendy afterthought or worse. The sequel to 2004’s deep house compendium Buzzin' Fly Volume One may not be as invigorating and absolutely essential as his Lazy Dog albums, it’s also not as repetitive. Consider this concept album either a solid party starter or as solid grist for your own mixes. Very few of these artists (some of them on Watt’s label) are established yet, so if you’re looking for fresh house that’s not from the Akufen school--solid groovy, Afro-inflected four on the floor stuff--look no further.--Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Simply perfect. Thank you Mr. Ben Watt!
I know there is at least one other person out there like me.You bought an amazing house compilation years ago (Cafe Del Mar: Chill House Vol 1) that got you hooked on the sound of downtempo, lounge, and house and you've been buying compilations for years hoping that you'd find another one as good as that first taste but all of them have fallen flat.Well, thanks to the ever so talented Mr. Ben Watt I have found my own personal Holy Grail.Buzzin' Fly 2 is simply superb and transcends description. Every second of this CD oozes with smooth house beats that just melt your soul.As soon as this CD hit my player I punched repeat and let it spin three times in a row.Amazing.HIGHLY recommended to any fan of smooth chill house music, to fans of the later dance oriented Everything But the Girl material, to fans of Ben's Lazy Dog series, and anyone that was ever disappointed by a house music compilation with the word "Ibiza" on it.Ben Watt has an ear for this genre like no other. This is perfection.

Awesome
Better than the first.If you are a fan of Lazy Dog or Ben Watt, this is a must have.

Incredible!
What an impressive CD.Such catchy stuff that It took me a full month to get the lyrics out of my head.Deep house but not too jazzy.It you liked Buzzin Fly 1 you will love this one.

house music of the future
this is the best house cd in years! , for the true house music fan , it does not miss a beat ,ben watt has started his distintive sound for house music that will last forever , if you liked vol 1 of this series , you will love vol2 , recently saw him at the winter music conference here in sunny miami beach , and it was a blast , buzzin fly vol 2 is the way that true house music should sound for decades to come ....
reyhousegrullon

keepin' it deep
I've been anticipating this album for months and I am certainly not disappointed.The beats ebb and flow from this sweet sweet CD.Anyone who loves San Fran Deep House sound will love this disc. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hailing originally from Chicago but long associated with San Francisco's jazz-house scene, Mark Farina returns to his bread-and-butter mix series Mushroom Jazz after 2003's eclectic artist record Air Farina. Less laid-back than Thievery Corporation but not quite as deep as Om label mates like Marques Wyatt, the Mushroom records often delve into hip-hop, and Jazz 5 is no exception. But while rhymes and raps jump out alongside snappy beats to startle the listener from chill tune-induced hypnosis, large chunks of the record, especially in the last half, are completely instrumental. Some of Air Farina's electro-funk adventurousness is here as well; check out the dazed and hazy original track "Cali Spaces." Consistently clever and packed with urban energy, it's an ideal Sunday evening record for those not quite ready to let the weekend end. –Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (7)

It's cool, but I expected better
Mushroom Jazz vol 5 is an interesting mix of never heard of Hip-Hop songs. Farina does a good job blending as every good DJ should do. His choices of songs are decent. I really like Track 6 "Flow" and Track 15 "Like my style", but other than that, nothing really stands out to me. Those two tracks have down tempo Hip-Hop down pat. Overall it's cool, but other than the two mentioned above, it really lacks the special quality that I was looking for.

He's done it again!
I'm ashamed to admit that I discovered Mark Farina a few years ago by happenstance while browsing, and bought vol. 4. and subsequently purchased vol. 3. Love em'!Vol. 5 - oh my goodness I didn't think it could get any better. It did! I purchased this earlier today and after several times through I'm still tryin' to dissect it. It can't be done - Farina's got a gift.The way he blends, locates rhythms, and takes risks is still unprecedented. Two of my very early favorites are 9 & 15 (the beat on 15 is ridiculous) and quite frankly everything else makes you feel good as well.For those who ushered in hip-hop in the 80's - us 40 somethings - and still thirst for beats with an inordinate amount of sophistication, this is it. 5+!

Better than any other Mushroom Jazz
I bought this, and listened to it on a long bus ride back home late at night.Usually on such a long bus ride I would just fall asleep, but after putting this on I had to stay awake to listen to it in it's entirety!This is simply one of Mark Farina's best offerings.I'm a huge fan of all the other Mushroom Jazz albums, but this one puts the rest to shame!

This album ise a bit more uptempo than the past Mushroom Jazz albums, and the fact that there seems to be new life breathed into the series is refreshing.You should go buy this album!!

Incredible
DJ Mark Farina, without doubt synonymous with "quality", has put out yet another astounding release. The sound on this one is not as hardcore as on IV, not as cloying as on III, not quite as hip as on II and not entirely so silky smooth as on the original. It's absolutely beautiful to hear 10 years of evolution passed off as just another release. Farina's quiet thunderstorm had better not be overlooked, though. This release packs a trendy and substantial punch.
My first major complain is that no track really enjoys enough time to develop. I guess that is a problem on a release 70 minutes and 21 tracks long. At best that's 3 minutes per track, nearly a radio vibe passed off as a deep setting. The moods also change drastically, from chill vibes to pensive anticipation of the next song while in repetitive limbo. However, these minor, although nagging, setbacks don't even for a second detract from the mind-blowing content of the disc.
The opening by J Boogie is infectious and sets the nocturnal tone for the rest of the disc. Charlie Tate's Colossus alias does him no justice in the slightly lackluster "The Tribute." Soundproviders' beautiful "Autumn Evening Breeze" thankfully saves the mix from becoming transfixed on entirely simplistic rhythms. With a quick introduction to Chali 2na, the track transitions into DJ Numark's "Chali 2na Comin Thru". Great rhymes, great beat, but however not really fitting on this disc after heard a few times. Red Astaire's "Come Down" is a good chillout track, really nothing much else. Zion I's "Flow" instrumental is great at finally shedding rowdiness and replacing it with a flowing aesthetic. DJ Spinna's "Nostalgia" possesses his signature sound and comes off strong just like all his other work, a muscular, perplexed track. The next track, Farina's own "Cali Spaces" is not only undeniably unforgettable, it also holds its own against the other great artists on the disc (Farina's entirely original project, Air Farina, lacked tremendously in places). Blu Bizness's "Funky For You", reminiscent of Deadbeats' Funky For You (whose work strangely was absent from this release, unless they're under a different alias) holds its own and is catchy. We Bee Foolish's "Puttin in Work" is not too great. DJ Dez's "Hollywood" is also not the best track on the CD, it packs no punch and appears like a party favor more than anything else. Jazz Liberatorz' track comes in saving the disc and setting it up for a few moments of bliss. For one of the shortest cuts in the mix, The Strange Fruit Project's "Maintain" easily wins me over any other track on the disc. It's almost a throwback to the old chill-out days, though rudely interrupted with the upbeat "Back in 92". Shortie No Mass's track is surprisingly good, sandwiched inbetween stellar male MCs. The Earl really confused me with his all-over-the-place track, not quite focused anywhere, but rather standard Mushroom Jazz fare. Johnny Alpha's track is great, although by this time in the mix, fashionably late. Starving Artists Crew's song is alright, even if only a minute long and layered inbetween other samples. Pete Rock's track is strange and unfitting for this kind of mix, but then again, it is Pete Rock. The great Thes One really pulls the mix out of its drag with "The Yacht Club", a super track with quick, clever rhymes. The worldwide collaboration Foreign Exchange finishes off with the mellow "Nic's Groove."
Overall, a great disc, with some dull tracks, some entirely blinding tracks, unmatched mixing, and moods only Mark Farina can evoke. At a sturdy 21 tracks, it packs more music in than most CDs and it feels like a solid, thought-out, although sometimes just a tad abstract project. 5/5.

Yes!He did it again...
Just wanted to add my two cents to reassure everyone out there that this is an amazing mix!If you know Farina, then you know what I'm talking about.If you don't, just go ahead and place your order.You won't be disappointed! ... Read more

Album Description

You could say it's been a long wait for Tiësto's rabid fans to get their hands on a new mix compilation.

His last mix, was Nyana, released in May 2003 and in between, Tiesto was voted the World’s Number One DJ by readers of both DJ (UK) and BPM Culture (USA); released his artist album Just Be and the soundtrack to his performance at the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Athens 2004, entitled Parade Of The Athletes as well as the hit singles 'Traffic', 'Just Be', and 'Love Comes Again' (featuring BT); and two acclaimed live DVD's from the Tiësto In Concert events in 2003 and 2004.

In Search Of Sunrise 4 is Tiësto's tribute to sun and sand, open air venues and long summer nights, inspired by his tours through Latin America in 2004 and 2005, where he visited Brasil, Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica, Colombia and many many more.

His travels through these countries, especially the party atmosphere and the warmth of the people made such a deep impression that they would form the main inspiration for this new release. Tiësto has selected some of the finest tracks from his playlists, and has signed tracks especially and exclusively for this compilation. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Blame Tricky and Portishead. They started this whole Bristol sound thing, with sleepy techno beats overshadowed by the chirrupy vocals of some slumberland chanteuse. And--just when you think the approach has lost all its steam, all its relevance--along comes a new outfit to make the music a few degrees sleepier, the singing a tad more dreamy. And singers don't come any dreamier than Skye Edwards, whose lissome trill infuses every track on this sophomore outing with a tranquil ennui. You don't jump around to Morcheeba numbers like "The Sea." You sit back and let them creep up on you, as steady as the tides. --Tom Lanham ... Read more

Reviews (115)

Chill and smooth.
I've never been a techno fan. I was bred on 90s grunge and took to the gangly arty-rock like the Pumpkins and Tool. After randomly downloading some tracks from Luscious Jackson's first EP (In Search of Manny) the other day I started digging light female-driven hip-hop flavored stuff.. For some reason I then randomly found this album and "The Sea" instantly enthralled me, easily drawing me into the rest of the album. I think I found a new music genre to explore, which always kicks. From hearing a little Portishead years ago, I didn't really get a full feel for trip-hop. You can be chill without being depressing, as expertly evidenced on this disc.

Great, solid album, start to finish. Smooth musicianship with a nice breadth of everything from strings to mellow guitars to slow beats. The singer's voice is what truly makes this CD for me, though. Highly recommended.

Best album of 1998 by far!
This album and this band never stop to amaze me! Ross is a guitar god. Paul is a modern day Mozart and Skye is the most sweetest most amazing singer in decades! There is a track for everyone. Let Me See is kind of a jazzy melodie. Bulletproof is one of the best electronic instrumental songs I've heard since the Chemical Brothers. The title track is a gritty rap song. Friction is the best work of reggae I've heard a non-reggae band atempt...ever. Morcheeba has such an understanding of all music. All three of them are musicians at the top of their class. The lyrical themes stay true to the vibe Morcheeba produced on Who Can You Trust. Mostly greed and trust/mistrust relationships. But Big Calm portrays them in a sunnier light. A lot like the lyrics from Dave Matthews Band's Under the Table and Dreaming. It's a good turn for them. I you are the kind of person who is in love with all music, then buy Big Calm. By the way...I have a 2-tape set of remixes and b-sides of Morcheeba's. 31 songs. I'll make a copy for anyone who will send me blank tapes and postage to send them back.

One to Listen...Over and Over...
A better effort than Morcheeba`s debut "You Can You Trust?", "Big Calm" offers a smooth and hypnotic set of chill-out/trip-hop songs that provide a solid and compelling listen. Skye Edwards` vocals are one of the strong elements here, but the lush and sophisticated electronic landscapes are also gripping and delightful. Highlights include the superb ballad "Blinfold", the dreamy "Over and Over" and the contemplative opener "The Sea". "Big Calm" is a subtle, well-crafted and convincing pop record, and a pleasant example of late-nineties electronica. An album that deserves a place in CD shelves alongside Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky, Gus Gus and Lamb.

Worthwile music.

BIG CALM. its makes u calm
This album is just very chill. When i have to do some designing or art, i pop this ceedee in and it creates that "atmosphere" for me. The vocal is great and overall, most songs on the album are nice to listen to. Its that ceedee where no song is realli a big STANDOUT but you dont ever get tired of the songs. Its an album you can pop in...and just....just listen to.

Trip Hop/Downtempo done correctly
After picking up the excellent "Charango" I was curious about the previous offerings of Morcheeba and so I decided to pick this CD up. I must say that it is a very pleasant surprise. Though the first track is undeniably the best, the other tracks offer similar delights. Even though they have been compared to Portishead, I don't really see the connection. Whereas Portishead is consistantly darker and understated, Morcheeba are rather uplifting and more aggressive. To me, this is the way downtemp should sound. The vocals are Morcheeba's strongest point. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Much has happened since 2002, when Fischerspooner released their breakout record #1. If that album’s computerized fine art was a trip back to the '80s, another time warp might be necessary to sustain any momentum for Odyssey. The dance music muse, always in motion, has backed off on the electro/new wave sound that Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner used as a platform for their experimental live shows. Upon first listen, it sounds like the duo has chosen to ignore this; if Odyssey isn’t a clone of #1, it’s at least a close relation. There are, however, crucial and clever differences. The record is much friendlier for one thing, a result of warmer sonics and an unclenched pop sense that was only hinted at previously. "Just Let Go" starts off with a familiar Human League keyboard, but right in the middle of the chorus a jagged, garage band guitar riff smears the song’s makeup. Suddenly you don’t recognize them anymore. Where’s that sexy, but vacuous pose Fischer and Spooner used to lean on? There’s no pretension in a song like "A Kick in the Teeth," with its layered and lovely vocal line. Our cheese is now served straight up. The result? Tasty. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Definitely not "#1"
I loved #1, unfortunately this album is kind of flat.It's kind of interesting when you listen to it, but it isn't great. The live instruments that are laced through don't seem to make the punch they could, and the synth is very low key.None of the interruptions of sound or breaks in melody that jarred you like the last album.

Like an itch that you can't scratch or the destination you never quite make it to.It's worth having to keep your Fischerspooner collection up to date, but you will find it doesn't get the repeat play in your car or ipod like #1 did.

The New Wave is finally making a comeback!
I really, really love New Wave. Everything about the 80's (Except for the whole 1986-1987 Powerhouse rock, which never really appealed to me) was a joy for me to listen to. There were artsy bands, like Arcadia. There were metal bands, like Guns And Roses. There were electronic bands, like Howard Jones. And it seems like they are making comebacks.

The Killers is one great band that's style is truly 80's. Another one of those bands is Fischerspooner. Hearing "Emerge" on SSX3 wanted me to buy #1. I didn't. Now, Odyssey is out, and at first I was skeptical. Luckily, Mp3.com had a full stream of the album. Just for fun, I took a listen. By the second track, I was mezmerized.

They've done everything right. "Just Let Go" sounds like a hyper Human League after sucking on too many pixie sticks. This of course, results in a happy, fast song filled with nostalgia. "Cloud" is a nice song that will definitely leave your head in the clouds. I love this song so much because the vocals are just perfect. Casey Spooner's voice is fantastic, and Warren Fischer's beats and synths are great. "Never Win" really reminds me of 'Da Funk' by Daft Punk. The beat and vocals just makes my mind picture the dog-boy. "A Kick In The Teeth" started off with just a synth, so I wasn't sure what to expect of it. Thankfully, I kept listening. It was great, complete with a cheesy drum machine. Another great song is "We Need A War".

Overall, I really, really enjoyed this CD and I'll let you know it will stay in my basic CD rotation for quite a while. Warren and Casey are musical geniuses, and I hope that their third album doesn't pull a 'Pop Trash'. Great job, guys!

Mediocre
Unfortunately this album doesn't compare to #1. It's very amateurish and sounds like they were trying to sound like something that they shouldn't sound like. Do you understand?? Anyway it's just mediocre with only a small handful of tracks worth listening to. Just Let Go, Never Win, We Need A War, Get Confused and Happy being the only good tracks on here. What were they thinking of? Fischerspooner had such a wonderful album with #1 and they have totally sold out and lost it in Major label world! Get this album used if you must have it.

SJ
www.bestplaylists.com

a huge improvement over #1
Now this is a shock. A sophomore album that is leaps and bounds better than a strong debut.#1 is a fairly good album, although it delivers more potential than anything else.A listener could tell fischerspooner was a bit unsure which way they were going, but on Odyssey they arrange their electronics and live instruments into a breathtaking display.Its a dancy, lush, and rock inclined sonic trip.To be honest the first single "Just Let Go" scared me off a bit from buying this album right away.But after hearing how much better the music was in an instrumental sense and disregarding the repetitive and ingratiating chorus I caved and bought the album.And I'm glad I did.For all the experimentation and expansion done this album is not filled with, well, any filler.My personal fave is the bass driven David Byrne lyric donated "Get Confused." But every track on here is offers an interesting take on the new electro sound.Don't take my work for it. Take a listen.

Dark, Moody ElectroPop
Unlike most of the reviews on this site, I haven't had the chance to experience Fischerspooner's debut album and thus cannot make the comparisons that most other reviewer's have made to their previous work.All I can say is that this is a fabulous and engaging album.While this music can easily be categorized as electronic pop, there is a certain dark, delicious quality to this music that strips away the sickly sweet quality that often pollutes the genre.This is very, very moody music.The moods vary song to song, but there is everything from intense sarcasm, to manic joy, to a sense of sweet melancholy contained in pure unadultured form on this album. (Case in point Ritz 107 has such a melancholic rainy day quality to it that I can almost feel drizzle spraying across my face as I listen to it)While the lyrics certainly help propel and set the mood, it is actually the wonderfully imagined melodies themselves that truly express the emotion.

One of the things I think make this album so delicious and yet so disconcerting at times is the clinically clean production.This is an absolutely flawless offering.Every vocal has been smoothed to perfection, every hitch and hum sanded down and timed to perfection.This quality, which I find fascinating could also be a serious turnoff to others.

This is great dancing music, should you be so inclined.There are some great solid beats, weird, glittery guitar riffs, and the catchy vocals, which all work well together to produce an extremely danceable experience.Conversely, this album is great for relaxing.It contains a great deal of energy, but it is easy to get drawn in and taken on a journey by this album.

I would definitely recommend getting a copy of this CD.It's a great addition to any eclectic or electronic CD collection. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

The Best of the Series
This is the best of the "Pure Disco" series. It contains all the best songs. It kicks off with a decent remix of Gloria Gaynor's disco standard "I Will Survive" and the album takes off after that. My favorite track would probably be "Turn the Beat Around," an explosive purscussion-based track. You also get "What A Feeling" from the movie Flashdance which was which hit long after disco's hey-day and "Rock the Boat" which was is considered by some the first disco song. Abba are included with "Gimme Gimme Gimme" which was not one of their bigger songs, but a great disco track anyways and the Weather Girls are a great addition with "It's Raining Men." This is an awesome CD for a party. It'll be sure to have everyone up and dancing to these great disco classics!

Wow! A Fun Disco Compilation!
Who knew a disco compilation could be so fun? This is actually one of the best (And funnest) CDs I have ever listened to. The album starts out with the fantastic I Will Survive Remix, which is followed by the classic Shake Your Booty by KC & The Sunshine Band. Vicki Sue Robinson's song Turn The Beat Around combines catchy hooks and great vocals to make one of the biggest dance anthems ever. Then the CD gets corny for just a little bit to include Macho Man and We Are Family. Irene Cara was a huge star after the songs from Fame and Flashdance, and she shows she has some killer vocals on the uplifting Flashdance (What A Feeling). The next few songs are sort of medium until you hit Rock The Boat by The Hues Corporation, which was recently featured on a Pepsi commercial. Then comes Love Rollercoaster, which was definately one of Disco's biggest hits. The rest of the highlights are Abba's haunting and catchy Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie! (A Man After Midnight), Anita Ward's unique vocals on Ring My Bell, the two classic hits Last Dance by Donna Summer and It's Raining Men by the Weather Girls, and then finally the Diva Megamix. If you are a fan of disco, or are just looking for a fun party CD, this is definately the one for you!

The best of the Pure Disco series.
This is a great compilation album! It starts off with a remix of "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor. I prefer the original, found on Pure Disco #1. The second track is the KC and the Sunshine Band Hit, "Shake Your Booty", which I doubt anyone doesn't know at least one line of. Then is one of my favorite disco songs, Vicki Sue Robinson's "Turn the Beat Around". It is a song with so much going on you almost get lost! After that is "Macho Man" by the Village People, which is definitely not one of my favorites, but some people like it. Next is Sister Sledge's "We Are Family", which is just a bit repetitious. After that is the famous "What a Feeling" by Irene Cara. It may not technically be disco, but it's a nice inclusion. Next is Andy Gibb's "I Just Want to Be Your Everything", which I like the beat and melody, but not Andy Gibb's vocals. After that is "Everlasting Love" by Carl Carlton, a quite unappreciated song. Then you'll hear "Can't Get Enough of Your Love", a Barry White song I'm not too fond of. After that is The Hues Corporation's "Rock the Boat", which annoys me for some crazy reason. Then you'll get "Love Rollercoaster" by the Ohio players, the most annoying disco song of all time. The only songs after that worth mentioning are "Upside Down", a fun song by the Motown/Disco legend Diana Ross. "Gimme Gimme Gimme", one of my favorite ABBA songs, "It's Raining Men", a song with about 3 other versions floating around, and "Last Dance", the most energetic disco song I've heard. The best songs on here are "Last Dance", "Turn the Beat Around", and "What a Feeling". I reccomend this to any disco fans.

My kids Love This Collection!
I do too...Listening, i forget how long it has been since these
songs were popular! Few of these artsts had great albums,but if you are looking for a collection of good disco music from a fun
era...when you could still escape with music...this is a must-have! My kids love it too...and they are very young!
Regina

Flash Back in Time
Great selection of favorite listening and dance hits from the 70's. Although some of the songs I really wouldn't classify as disco, every one on the cd brought back many memories. ... Read more

Album Description

Taken from the Euro-dance act's 2004 album 'Disco-Zone'. The Original Romanian Version is backed with 4 non album versions - Original Italina, DJ Ross Radio Mix, DJ Ross Extended Remix & Unu In The Dub Mix. 'Dragostea Din Tei' has hit #1 on the pop charts of several European countries. BMG. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Great Product!!!!
Salut, I know i'm only 11, but I know romanian and this song ROCKS! You don't even have to know romanian to hear the great sounds of this song(s). There are 4 or 5 mixes of the same song, but they are great. BUY THIS ITEM!! You'll like it!

Its About Time
These guys have been popular in Romania for a while now and it is absolutely FANTASTIC that the rest of the world is discovering them.They are one of the cleanest, most positive and just plain fun bands you're ever going to come across.Listen, sing along even if you dont know what you're saying.But most of all: dance.If you like Dragostea Din Tei (numa numa) you'll also love Despre Tine which was actually their first giant hit in Romania and won several awards from MTV Romania.

Oh... and just for those of you who were wondering: Vrei sa pleci dar nu ma (nu ma) iei means you want to leave but you wont take me.

Enjoy this music.There is a lot of great music in Romania.Anyone interested in learning more about Romania's music should visit www.transsylvania-phoenix.de

Dragostea Din Tei~ O-Zone
I have no idea what the guy is singing but Romanian is very beautifull language. The track has nice sounds, a tacky cover with the guys looking like 80's lounge lizards and like they had gigs at some cheap US hotel. I love the vocals and I find them to be quite accomplished vocalists even though as stated I have no idea what they are singing. This is an amazing track to dance to and should be obligatory for parties as it will pack the dance floor.

Not my style, but...
Just like everyone else, I spent two weeks in Europe this summer. This was the third most played song (next to "This Love" and "This is the World we Live in" which both suck). Actually, I can't stand pop music. I listen to punk and the occasional emo. For some reason though, I couldn't get this song unstuck from my head. It's the first pop song I've liked in about five years. It is definitely the catchiest song I've ever heard, even when compared to GOB's "I've Been up These Steps" and Motion City Soundtrack's "The Future Freaks Me Out." I can't believe I actually found it; I'm thankfully for the lip-syncher. I didn't even know what language it was in when I got back, I thought I'd never figure out what this song was. In conclusion, I have no idea why, but "Dragostea din tei" is a cool song.

BTW, Since it's in Romanian, I can ignore corny pop lyrics, whatever they may be.

Dragostea Din Tei - one of the catchiest tunes ever!
I first heard this song on a local dance radio station (Energy Arizona FM!!!) not having a clue what language it was in. All I remember was thinking that it was one of the cleverest songs ever written. The lyrics are interesing, and it wasn't until recently that I discovered the song was by a Romanian band called O-Zone. This song (along with the remixes) seems to be in a state of perfection. You can't improve this song. It simply does NOTget any better than this. "Dragostea Din Tei" is sort of like the "Kind of Blue" of dance music. It's great music or the feet, the heart, and the soul. it's a wonderful song to get pumped up about, and I wish it would be more commercialized in the U.S., since all the great stuff is in Europe. Apparently, it's been out a lot longer in Eastern Europe than it has in the United States. Never mind. Still, it's an awesome song, and the tune itself, is masterfully orchestrated. This song is highly addictive, and when I got the CD, I didn't stop listening to it for a week. I'm surprised the CD still works. Anyway, it's well worth your money, and a definite must for all dance music fans out there! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Where would the '80s have been without the Pet Shop Boys? Discography makes a compelling case for the notion of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe as pioneers, if not geniuses. Mixing the cold feel of Euro-techno beats with the Boys' quest for something warm between the sheets, "What Have I Done to Deserve This" and "Suburbia" sound almost soulful.Although they seemed to be suffering from a terminal case of boredom, they managed to alchemize their ennui into touching sentimentality in "Love Comes Quickly," "Rent," and, especially, the AIDS-oriented "Being Boring." Discography begins with the Pet Shop Boys' beginning, "West End Girls," traveling past "Domino Dancing" and including their covers "Always on My Mind," and the medley "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You.)" --Steve Gdula ... Read more

Reviews (84)

Still impossible to match
This album compiles all the hits the Pet Shop Boys had since their beggining until 1991. All of the tracks here are spotless pieces of pure pop magic: "West End Girls" is the first and, I'm happy to differ with most reviewers, decidedly not the pinnacle of the PSBs career. Tracks like "It's A Sin", "Suburbia", "Heart", "Being Boring", "Domino Dancing", "It's Alright" and "So Hard" truly portrait the utter brilliance and artistry that this group invested in its work. It's no wonder that they are still one of the most reveered pop acts of all times, truly up there with the likes of Abba and Depeche Mode. A new compilation has been released including all of their 1990s hits, but this one still remains unshadowed and an gem of pure 80s pop. You can do absolutely no wrong here... every track is delicious. Please do buy it... or else, get "PopArt" instead. That one has everything on here but "Was It Worth It?".

An album of classics....
This album, along with New Order's Substance 1987, form what is to me the soundtrack of the 80's.

This album literally lives up to its title as a discography, collecting the 7" versions of all of the boy's first 18 singles on one disc in chronological order. As such, it makes a terrific CD to buy as your first Pet Shop Boys disc as its a terrific overview of their material.

The Pet Shop Boys wit and irony, along with Neal Tennant's excellent voice combined to make some of the best pop songs of the 80's. Included are lot of well known hits like West End Girls, Suburbia, Always On My Mind, and What Have I Done To Deserve This?. There are also a lot of songs here that are virtually unknown in the U.S. but every bit as good as the afformentioned titles, such as "Love Comes Quickly" - a beautiful ballad - and "Heart", a song that they had considered giving to Madonna. Just as important, these songs have held up well to the test of time, even though some were recorded as early as 1984. Through these singles, the boy's take shots at capitalism (Opportunities), cover Elvis Presley and U2 (Always On My Mind and Where the Streets Have No Name), sing about the Gulf War (DJ Culture), urban decay (Suburbia), and 'rent boys' (Rent). The music always holds up and the lyrics display a level of intellegence unmatched by nearly every other group - for instance, in DJ Culture Neal quips "Like Liz [Taylor] before Betty [as in the Betty Ford Clinic], She [madonna] before Sean [Penn], suddenly you're missing, then you're reborn" - and in Left To My Own Devices, they invoke references to classical composers - "Che Guvara and Debussy to a disco beat" are just a few examples.

Also, carrying the discography theme further, this album scores bonus points as the CD booklet that comes with the album folds out to show a chart that includes information about all the songs, including a picture of the single cover of each, its peak UK chart position, and a brief blurb from the boys about each song. I wish more compilation albums would follow the Boy's lead in this regard.

It is a shame that
the real kings of pop music are so overlooked these days. But it doesn't matter: We, the ones who understand how good they are are having lots of fund and sheer quality. This is the first greatest hits from this unique band preceding their other golden item Popart. While it collects the entire catalogue of the Boys this is only up to 1991 and it has the wonderful Was It Worth it? I discovered them by chance when I heard their song I don't Know what you want but..from the Nightlife era and I have been collecting their items since then. Discography is a must for anyone having a good taste in music. These guys are simply geniuses no matter what the overproud Amazon.com reviewer says.

Boys, you are always on my mind!

Deserves millions of stars
Well, well maybe PopArt is released but Discography is something special. It collects the best pop songs ever by one of the best groups that this world has ever seen and will ever see. The ride in this album is a pure joy from the very start (West End Girls) to the very end (Was It Worth It). 1980s were the best years of pop songs and these guys are the responsible culprits. Never lyrics felt so effective; never music was so captivating...never melancholy, infinite sadness and a childish yearn for goodness and pureness blended as good as in this compilation. IMHO PSB are the real kings of music world...but because they are a synth band...they are not physically attractive...and they are gays oh how easy to overlook them ...but you never know what you are missing...

Discography is a zenith from a band that is always at the zenith. An album including jaw-dropping songs like Always On My Mind, Opportunities and well yes Left to My Own Devices deserve every bit of praise.

God bless these guys. They are the protective shields of true music lovers against the nonsense called Britney Spears, Eminem, 25 Cent and several more.

definatly a must-have
I found this is a pawn shop for $2.00 and of course, snatched it up.It's worth spending full-price on if only for "west end girls","surburbia","being boring" and "jealousy".but you get heaps of other wonderful songs.The only songs I don't like (but they may grow on me) are "it's alright and "dj culture" the rest is pure gold. ... Read more