Amazon.com

Part of what Bob Newhart mastered, earlier on stand-up albums like The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart and The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back! and later on his long-running TV series The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart, was capturing a brand of Everyman neuroses and heightening it, bringing mundane, common scenarios into the realm of the absurd--and the absurdly funny. Newhart also perfected playing a character involved in a conversation with the other party in absentia, as in one of his most famous routines, "King Kong," in which he plays the part of an Empire State Building security guard who calls his boss the night King Kong makes his famous ascent. ("Yes, sir, I looked in the handbook index under 'unauthorized personnel' and 'people without passes' and 'apes,' and 'ape's toes,' but it's not in there....") Something Like This... is a generous sampling of Newhart's best stand-up bits, and while some of his topics--airplanes, hating to fly--have now been so overdone as to be comic faux pas, rather than making his material seem dated they often serve to demonstrate just how rare a talent he is simply because the routines still elicit involuntary snorts of laughter some 30 years later. --Mark Hunstman ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Still Works
This is the first classic comedy I've listened to in several years, so a few things struck me immediately. First, some of the conventions of stand-up have changed. In the earlier days of stand-up, the comedy was based on sketch material (almost everything here is a monologue) and the characters were as funny as the lines they were given to say. Second, the audience members withheld their applause until the end of the sketch and then applauded every bit. The third thing I noticed was that this comedy still works.

It comes as a bit of a surprise to me that satire and dark humor were not invented by Saturday Night Live. Though his first album (Button Down Mind of Bob Newhart) came out in 1960, Newhart's material and delivery are still every bit as contemporary today as they were then. Ledge Psychology, for example, is a sketch about a cop casually trying to talk a jumper down...and failing.

It helps that Newhart's material is based on historical events and industry, neither of which has changed very dramatically in the last 40 years. Budget airlines still scare the heck out of us; there's still a high turnover in driving instructors; and the more imaginitive bits (like "King Kong") still play because the reference material is still in our culture.

Newhart is the perfect understated stand-up comedian and this album really demonstrates what Ray Romano and Steven Wright owe to the older guys. I laughed. A lot.

Newhart one of america's most funniest comedians ever!
The collection is really excellent on Rhino records CD right here. I've never heard any of his live comedy album recordings on Warner Brothers before. Now I have already and he's really funny on here performing every act and skits listening to every groundbreaking masterpiece from Bob Newhart himself. He is compared to like no other stand-up comic of a lifetime. Newhart's albums were released in the early sixties on the same label during that period like Bill Cosby's was. Take for example this black comedian genius was really in his young prime and so famous. A resemblance to a racial color personality of Newhart a white talented celebrity. With lots of big laughs to his fame and fortune to the greatest legend of all-time. I know your going to love Bob Newhart as an actor on television. Best remembered from the seventies sitcom series "Bob Newhart Show" and the eighties version "Newhart" where he played Dick Laudon who was a hotel owner in a small town area of Vermont. Or to movies include like from 1977's Disney cartoon classic adventure for his voice as "The Rescuers". And also playing a high school principal who finds out that Kevin Kline is already a gay homosexual teacher from Paramount pictures 1997's controversial big screen situation comedy hit "In & Out". Trust me it's the best CD you should get and enjoy listen to it by laughing your face right off!

Pure Genius
To give you a bit of perspective on my review of this CD, I'm twenty-seven years old at the time of this writing - meaning that I wasn't even alive when Bob Newhart recorded these bits. I was never old enough to appreciate the TV series 'Newhart', either, mainly because at the age I'd have been I'd have found it incessantly boring. But fortunately, time has helped shape my tastes in entertainment, and from the moment I heard 'The Driving Instructor' on 'The Dr. Demento Show' (which I miss to this day since our local affiliate pulled it), I was hooked.

Having been granted the opportunity now to enjoy even this smattering of Newhart's stand-up work, I can safely say that it's money well spent. From the first track - "You typed it...uh, Abe, how many times do we have to tell you? On the backs of envelopes!" - Newhart can get anyone still capable of conscious thought to snicker without the need for a Parental Advisory label on the case. Each track is a brilliant snowball of a gem that just keeps building toward a gleefully unrepentant punchline, as in the bit about how police handle jumpers.

Furthermore, in the area of satirizing even the most utterly inane of human proceedings, Bob Newhart is still one of the greats. 'The Driving Instructor', 'The Retirement Party' and 'The Kiddie Show' take the most sublime elements of Americana and give them a much-needed shot of strychnine laced with sugar-coated cyncism. The beauty of Newhart's comic mannerisms, in my view, is his ability to be totally acerbic and make it seem like it's a purely natural extension of his own sense of curiosity. He's never snide or aloof in his barbs; he's almost like the thinking man's dad.

'Something Like This' is a must for any Newhart afficionado or just anyone who appreciates getting a good laugh out of someone who can do it and make it seem totally effortless. Just like we wish WE could.

Mildly amusing, a little slow.
I have always loved Bob Newhart on TV, so I thought I would love this album, but I have to admit I got a little bored with it. His setup of an absurd hypothetical situation and lead in of "I think it would go a little something like this..." gets old after a while, and his material is a little dated late 1950s. If you want some really good clean funny timeless standup comedy audio recordings, go with Bill Cosby, especially "Fat Albert", "Bill Cosby...Himself", and "Those of you with or without Children, You'll Understand."

Bob Newhart Comedy Pioneer
Bob Newhart, who was not a stand up comedy star and had actually not done stand up in a night club prior to recording his break through first album became an overnight star after it's release. It was one of the first live stand up albums, in fact Inside Shelly Berman is the only album I can think of that predates it.
Bob is such an everyman on these recordings, as in his two TV series. He let's the unseen, unheard historical figures on the other end of the phone be the wild and crazy guys as he gets laughs with his endless patience at dealing with Abe Lincoln trying to re-write the Gettysburg address, and many other historical figures who he deals with in very modern Madison Ave and pop-psychology terms.
I'm a big fan of Bob's two hit sitcoms, but this is his best work. He is so paced, taking his time, waiting so long after each laugh knowing that when you're finally done chuckling he has a few more words to reignite the laughter which he again patiently waits for you to finish. ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Danny Elfman! It's Danny Elfman! Oh, We Love You...
This is the number one musical in the world as far as I'm concerned. We all remember the great movie, which made the record as the first full length feature of stop motion animation that took three years of hand labor to make! Don't we? Well, this is the soundtrack with the vocals and the origanal score by Danny elfman (pee-wee's big adveenture; Edward scissor hands; Sleepy Hollow; Planet of the Apes). Featuring the composer as Jack, who has a stunning voice and a vocal range of a piano (88 notes? 86?). Danny Elfman cleaverly puts music to life ih these wonderful songs that make you laugh, cry, and wonder what the heck the main charactor Jack Skellington is thinking! With the impactful tracks "Jack's Lament, Sally's Song, Poor Jack, and the Grand Fanaly" this is a cd worth getting anyone who likes music. Nothing can compare to the brilliance of Danny Elfman. He's just too good.

Gorgeous, literate soundtrack
Danny Elfman's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" transcends a movie some people didn't like for its dark view of holidays--even if you disliked the movie, you may like the CD because the music is so devilishly clever and literate. Elfman has managed to winningly combine the joy and purity of Christmas music with a darker look at this treasured holiday. The lyrics are terrific (innocently sung but baldly truthful) and the music swoops, soars, and turns back on itself with astonishing ease and imagination. It's like an aural roller coaster in the best possible sense of that image.

Elfman sings the part of main character Jack Skellington (the "Pumpkin King," or master of Halloween) here, and he does a masterful job of conveying Skellington's yearning to do something different and important. Skellington goes after the Christmas holiday with all his energy and ends up botching it badly. Elfman manages to show us Skellington's earnestness as well as his dark side--this is no cardboard character, but a real (if not flesh-and-blood!) person, and we care about him. Catherine O'Hara does a super job with her brief work here as Sally, the Frankensteinian rag doll who falls in love with Skellington.

This is a terrific paean to the holidays in general, and Christmas specifically. With each listen, you'll find new things to admire and love about Elfman's nimble, imaginative music.

Nightmare
This is one of the best soundtracks I own and have ever heard...I listen to this cd almost every day and could not live without it......

As with all musicals, the soundtrack...
Is more fun than the movie itself. I take this in some respects as being an innate flaw in musicals, but also an innate virtue as well in other ways.
The songs on this CD each have a slightly different mood and feel to them, but each seems almost to represent a different style of music along the same basic storyline, almost like a celebration of all kinds of music used in the themes of darkling whimsy that Tim Burton is so famous for.
The music tracks containing no lyrics (there are only a handful of them, since this was the soundtrack for a musical, as I said,) are good, and set the moods when seen in the film, and are enjoyable by themselves, but like all "soundtrack music," they change mood in mid-number a lot.
The beginning and ending were not really music, but they allowed me to get a much better feel for what the story was really meant to be. Patrick Stewart is one of my favorite actors of all time, and he does a wonderful job telling those parts of the story in a style reminiscent of a grandfather with children sitting and listening to him on the floor, combined with the rhyming silliness of Dr. Seuss.
"This is Halloween" is a number that is so perfect at establishing its feel and mood that I consider it, to this day, to be my favorite "holiday song," even above "Carol of the Bells."
"Jack's Lament" is a beautiful, soul-filled song about how lonely it is to be on top and to know there's more to life, but to never experience it. Beautiful song that switches freely between pride and sorrow, inasmuch as those two emotions are entirely connected.
"What's This" is probably the most openly joyful song on the album, but there's an underlying feeling of depth to that joy, because of how well Elfman voiced the main character, which makes me feel as he does when I hear this song. Jack is so involved in this number that I can even almost see him leaping around in joy as the song plays.
The "Town Meeting Song" is a very amusing little number that is, in some ways, rather methodical. It had probably more funny rhymes than most of the numbers, but isn't as deeply emotional as many.
"Jack's Obsession" is an indulgence in curiosity, ambition and pride that is so much fun to listen to, I almost always smile when I hear it. Also, like most of Jack's numbers, there is deep emotion in it; in this case, the anguish of being unable to solve the problem with his brain alone.
"Kidnap the Sandy Claws" is a jarring and, if you think about it, rather a nasty little song, but it's also the most whimsical on the CD, while still remaining dark, and for that it has earned my respect.
"Making Christmas" is just another indulgence in pride over common sense, which, thanks to the way the story goes, is ultimately doomed to failure. The people plunge blindly ahead with their plan, simply because they think they can do no wrong. The song itself is, therefore, rather to be taken as a part of the tale rather than by itself, but there's pleasure to be found here alone.
"Oogie Boogie's Song" is a real kick. I know Oogie Boogie is the villain, but he worries so little and is obviously having such a blast in this song that you can't help but enjoy it.
"Sally's Song" is a celebration of sorrow and worry. Sally fears that Jack's plan is doomed to a disastrous failure, and so her song is slow and emotional. She depicts this sorrow almost as well as Elfman himself.
"Poor Jack" starts out sorrowful and depressing, but makes up for that as it lauches back into the confidence and satisfaction that Jack used to enjoy from being the best at what he did, and indeed, the joy of what he attempted that very night.
And lastly, the Finale contains a veritable collage of all these emotions to lesser degrees, but especially those from "What's This," and "This is Halloween," while indulging in a new emotion; Hope.
All in all, a beautiful album that both tells a wonderful story and is an extremely emotional ride through a world which, though it isn't always human, always feels that way.

Great!
This is a great movie, one of the best. It is the perfect gift for any Nightmare Before Christmas fan. I applaud Danny Elfman's excellent music. ... Read more

Album Description

Jim's cutting edge, clever, quiet style has earned him an unprecedented number of appearances on both Letterman and Conan O'Brien. His special, "Comedy Central Presents: Jim Gaffigan", remains one of the highest rated for all stand up specials on the network. He's a national club staple, and for the past two years has had recurring roles on "That '70s Show" and "Ed". He's also appeared in more than two dozen feature films ranging from big budget ("Three Kings", "Road Trip") to indie ("Final", "Igby Goes Down", "Entropy"). "Doin' My Time" puts all of his classic material on one CD from a one night stand in Seattle, and the DVD compiles his best Comedy Central performances, including the highly rated "Comedy Central Presents". ... Read more

Amazon.com

The party line on most Windham Hill products seems to be that it's either the greatest stuff since wave machines, or that it all sounds alike. On a Starry Night, with its collection of world songs and reputable artists such as Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, the Turtle Island String Quartet, and others, does lean toward a seamlessly understated, homogeneous quality that is broken only occasionally by Bobby McFerrin's piece and a couple of others. That said, there can hardly be a more mellow or sonorous album of kid's music anywhere. Starry Night could calm a nursery with no nurses; why, it could even soothe the pained yelps at the dog pound--and turn a freeway full of bumper-to-bumper sour pusses into pussycats. Effective? You've heard of mind control, haven't you? --Martin Keller ... Read more

Reviews (29)

gentle music for children and adults
I believe that music is a powerful and innate force in our lives, so I bought a number of CDs geared toward children when I gave birth. Most were harmless enough, many became tiresome after a while .... this CD still gets played regularly at our house after three years.

International artists play and sing old favorites as well as songs new to us, but even the old favorites (Rock-a-bye-baby, Brahms Lullaby) are performed in engaging ways which renew their interest. Heaven knows, I am not one to seek out Kumbaya, but I even like that song here! Seventeen songs are presented from the US, Japan, Indonesia, Brazil, Ireland, Congo, Ghana, Cuba, Iceland, Israel, England, Russia and Germany. Some are sung, most are instrumental. All are very beautiful and soothing. The CD booklet contains a paragraph about each song with performance credits, original words and translation.

A remarkably soothing collection of lullabies.

Will definitely become one of your favorites!!
This CD is beautiful and so soothing. It really does give you a dreamy effect. It's good for the soul! We use it for bedtime music for our 4yr old, and not only does she love it, but we love it. I am so glad I found this CD. It raises the standard of what good lullaby compilations should sound like. First Class music, indeed. Don't hesitate if you're looking for good music for nightime or even a relaxing break in the day for your little ones-this is an excellent choice.

Soothing, dreamy music!
I just had to write a review of this cd. It was recommended to me by another mother, and I tried it and love it! We like to listen to it in the living room as nap time approaches, nursing with the lights dimmed. With the fan going and this cd on quietly, both momma and baby start drifting off to sleep. It's absolutely wonderful, and I recommend it to anyone who needs some instant R&R.

Your Baby Will Love This CD
We were given "Starry Night" as a gift when our son was born 21 months ago. It is one of the best gifts we have received as he has been sleeping to this CD from day one. The minute we turn the CD on and dim the lights he knows that it's time to sleep - whether it's for a nap in the afternoon or after a long day of running around.

We love this CD so much that both sets of in-laws bought it for our son...

Most relaxing compilation of music I've ever heard
This CD is a must-have! My 9-month-old puts her head on my shoulder to drift off to sleep as soon as she hears the first tune - no matter the time of day. She is always asleep before the end of the second track (the delicate, almost haunting Japanese Music Box) and I'm consistently teary by the end of the third (in English it's known as "Go to Sleep" - the lyrics will make any parent's heart ache with love for your child). It even gets the three- and four-year-olds to sleep in my older daughter's preschool class. What would really be great is if massage therapists would play this CD instead of that babbling brook, new age stuff - now THAT would be worth $100. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although this Kentucky combo had a short lifespan, its influence has been extraordinary, presaging the underground "math-rock" revolution and spawning spinoffs such as Tortoise and Gastr Del Sol. But don't go thinking that the foursome is a mere footnote: The bracingly dense, dizzyingly complex songs that vein this, their second full-length release, perfectly capture the smarter face of early-'90s thug-rock. Yes, Slint's sound is descended from punk, but its members--particularly guitarist Brian McMahan--never subscribed to the "keep it simple, stupid" philosophy. Spiderland is so rife with breakneck tempo changes, off-kilter chord progressions, and bizarro-world themes, you'd be hard-pressed to go a listen without discovering something new. --David Sprague ... Read more

Reviews (71)

"He wished he was drunk..."
There is simply no other band in rock music that sounds anything like these guys. "Spiderland" is a study in loud/soft dynamics and obtuse lyricism. Some highlights from this record are the opener "Breadcrumb Trail" which starts off quiet and builds to an amazing, heavy chorus. "Washer" is simply beautiful, probably one of my favorite songs of all time. "Good Morning, Captain" (my first exposure to Slint, courtesy of the "Kids" soundtrack) tells a bizarro story of a sea captain washed up on a shore somewhere. In a way, this track can be seen as a miniature version of the entire album. It starts off very slow and soft, with the singer muttering some cryptic lyrics, and gradually works up to a crashing, ear-bludgeoning crescendo, with the guy screaming, "I miss you!" To me this record is the perfect soundtrack for those days when you are feeling especially alone and unloved. It's not relentlessly gloomy though, just honest and emotional. I only hesitated to give it five stars, because in my opinion, with only six songs, the album is simply too short to be considered "perfect." Buy this. Go ahead. You won't regret it, I promise.

Math rock, post-rock, whatever. This is simply amazing.
Wow. I can't emphazise enough how good Slint's Spiderland actually is. I know that sounds like overblown fanboy gushing, and it probably is, but hear me out. Released in 1992, Spiderland was forgotten amidst the waves of Seattle grunge, and that's too bad, for this is an incredibly unique work.

This Louisville, Kentucky quartet was once a hardcore punk outfit, though you would never realize it by listening to this album. The guitars are spidery, the tempos slow and methodical, and the vocalist recites muted spoken word in the darkened recesses. The arrangements are somewhat spare and repetitious on first listen, yet there is an underlying mathematical structure to them. Overall, the sound is distant, dark, and vaguely unsettling. This album conveys the sound of an overcast and windy autumn night, the leaves rustling in the trees, the fog rolling in. Delicate and meloncholy, yet shadowy and intense at the same time.

Spiderland rewards a patient listener. The songs are extended somewhat, hovering in between five to almost nine minutes. The chiming guitars of the opener Breadcrumb Trail begin the journey, followed by the wonderfully creepy Nosferatu Man, probably the most intense track on the album. Don, Aman is a slow piece full of whispered lyrics and strummed guitars that ominously build and build, until a wave of distortion breaks through as if to signify something dramatic and terrible has happened. Washer, the longest track, is a downbeat and poignant song full of yearning and emotionally naked lyrics. This is not "emo"--this is way more powerful and moving than any whinery that the likes of Conor Oberst can muster up. "Wash yourself in your tears, and build your church on the strength of your faith.."

For Dinner.. is an instrumental. While it is not the strongest track on the album, it serves as a breather for the finale Good Morning, Captain, one of the most emotionally intense pieces of music I've ever heard. The way the singer whispers toward the end, "I'm trying to find my way home..I'm sorry, and I miss you," followed by a dramatic crescendo and his cries of "I miss you!"--it leaves a pit in my stomach. Every time. Sounds cliche, I know, but it must be heard to be believed.

Although later post-rock bands such as Tortoise, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, and Explosions In The Sky have attempted to replicate the power of this album, nothing can beat the original. Spiderland is pure emotion set to music, and one of the most powerful records of the '90s. Calling it "essential" is an understatement.

Buy Spiderland Now.
I don't actually have this album. A friend of mine does own it, and I have listened to it several times through. I am actually planning on buying it within the next few months.

I really love Slint. The lyrical art on this album is one of my favorites (particularly "Nosferatu Man"). They are very poetic.

I actually heard about Slint when I first saw The Shins music video for "New Slang," in which The Shins pay homage to all of their inspirations by posing for their album covers. I figured that if they inspired The Shins as did Squirrel Bait, Dave Matthews, The Replacements, The Minutemen, Husker Du, et al, I would check them out.

I'm glad I did.

I thought it was friendly...Real Scary-Like
Chilling Lyrics. For the first week I owned it, I couldn't listen to Good Morning, Captain in the dark. I like to keep my reviews short and simple, so I can tell you, with all honesty to but this album, even if you get creeped easily. You can stand it. It'll haunt you to sleep...

"Spiderland rewards a patient listener."
A reviewer below said that, and I don't think truer words could be said about this album.

Back in 1991, I was writing for a fanzine. I'd become friends with one of the other writers, and he was the one who generally got first pick of the many pre-release copies that were sent in for review. Whenever I went over to his place he'd turn me on to whatever he thought was worth our time. One day he said "OK, this record is AMAZING, you really need to hear this." He put Spiderland on and the first song, Breadcrumb Trail, began playing. After a few measures I became restless and made him skip to the next song. Then the next. As he turned the record over to side 2, I asked something like "So is that all they do?" He sighed and said "Eh, you don't get it." And he was right, I didn't. Back in those days I was listening to noisy, scary stuff like the Melvins, Jesus Lizard, Helmet, etc. This music was so incredibly subdued and low key, it simply did not compute for me. But it did for my friend, and it seemed like any time I went over to his place for the next few weeks, he was always listening to Spiderland.

A few weeks or maybe months later, I was browsing around in a record shop. The clerk was playing something on the stereo. It was very familiar and pleasing to my ears, but I couldn't figure out what it was. I had to ask him to find out that it was, of course, Spiderland. It had taken some time, but it had finally managed to worm its way into my head and into my heart. That was when I bought my own copy. It's been somewhere in my All Time Top 5 ever since. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Take equal measures of Gallagher and Kraftwerk, mix in a 15-year supply of blue body paint and shake with a double-shot of modern marketing savvy and you might have something akin to Blue Man Group. This ambitious second album by New York performance artists cum entrepreneurs Matt Goldman, Phil Stanton, and Chris Wink expands their central artistic contradiction--mainstreaming the alternative--with a propulsive cocktail of rhythm, irony, self-invented instrumentation, and bona fide song structures that feature turns from guest stars Dave Matthews (the music hall dirge "Sing Along") and Tracy Bonham ("Up to the Roof," and with Rob Swift, "Shadows Pt.2"). The conceit is vaguely reminiscent of the Tubes' tongue-in-cheek ode to '80s corporate rock, "The Completion Backwards Principle," right down to being so convincing the irony often melts away. Fans of their live performances will appreciate its wall-to-wall rhythmic thrust and quirky textures, while aficionados and newcomers alike should welcome its surprising, seductive melodies and mature songwriting. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (65)

blue mans complex
Above:(8/10)A good instrementel to start off the album.
Time to start:(10/10)a fun song that teaches you 4 of the basic movements you use at a rock concert(well 3 out of 4). Great backround music!!!
Sing along:(9/10)the first single off the cd.A soft and dark song that is easy to get stuck in your head. After a few times you hear this song you will sing along. Plus Dave Matthews sings!!!.
Up to the roof:(9/10)The first of two songs sung by Tracy Bonham. The lyrics have nothing to do with anything but her voice goes perfect with the music so it sounds really good.
Your attention:(8/10)Another great Instramentel.
Persona:(8 and a half/10)A very soft song that is easy to listen to. Josh Haden sings.
Piano smasher:(6/10) an ok instramentel but nothing special.
White rabbit:(8/10)A very good song by Esthero. And it is sort of about alice in wonderland.
The current:(10/10)easily the best song on the cd.An awesome heavy meatel song that is sung by Gavin Rossdale.
Shadows part 2: (4/10)The worst song on the album. A half effort by Tracy Bonham and Rob Swift. Great backround music though.
What is rock:(10/10) The secound best song of the cd. An awesome punk rock song that is sung by Arone Dyer & Peter Moore.
The complex:(10/10) Another great song sung by Peter Moore. Its alot softer then what is rock but still an awesome song.
I feel love: (9/10) A great song that almost sounds like a hard rock modonna song. Sung by Venus Hum.
Exhibit 13: (4/10) Not a very good instramentel.
Bonus track:(7/10) A great instramentel to end the album.

Big rock sound from the men in Blue
Until recently, all I knew about the Blue Man Group was based on their series of odd commercials for Intel. I didn't know anything about their music. "The Complex" blew me away.

This is a rock album, make no mistake. BMG's debut album, "Audio," is more true to their live show that's played in venues like The Luxor in Las Vegas, and is primarily a showcase for the BMG's trademark percussion.

"The Complex" couples BMG's percussion and homemade instruments to a traditional song format, with soaring guitars, a pounding rhythm section, and a big percussive sound.

Along for the ride are guest vocalists such as Tracy Bonham, Dave Matthews, Annette Stream of Venus Hum, and Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale.

Lyrically, the songs of "The Complex" explore themes of alienation and the dis-connect from society that is so common to the cubicle-dweller society that is the norm of corporate America. There are a few cover tunes here, with the best being a rocking cover of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love," sung by Venus Hum's Annette Stream. It's a brilliant rendition, full of soaring guitars, amazing percussion (the synthesizer sound at the beginning of the song is actually PVC tubing, an instrument the Blue Man Group call 'The Tubulum') and energy.

The album concludes with the haunting instrumental "Exhibit 13." If you've seen "The Complex" tour DVD or have gone to BMG's web site, you'll know that "Exhibit 13" is about the Sept. 11 attacks on New York City and some random pieces of paper that blew into a nearby neighborhood.

About "The Complex" tour DVD...buy it! It's amazing to watch everyone involved in creating the show, and to see and hear the Blue Man Group's various homemade instruments.

Innovation at its best
Blue Man Group uses the innovation of their stage show along with traditional hard rock ideas to create something new. Many compare Blue Man Group with Kraftwerk in the seventies, but I think that even more than that BMG is bringing the spirit of innovation back to music. Today when all music is analyzed as a combination of influences it is important to remember that new things can happen. BMG comes to the music scene from the stage show, moving from a multi-sensory environment to a purely audio one. As a result I can't imagine listening to The Complex without knowing how they make the sounds, and many of the sounds resemble movements. For example one Blue Man swings a whip like piece of plastic to create a wooshing sound that seems like it should move the air. As a result BMG is something new, not just rehashed from a previous time.

Blue Man Group - The Complex Exhilarating
After attending a performance by the Blue Man group in person, I was sold on finding this style of music and enjoying the experience at home. The CD mixes many of the show's music and some new innovations with vocal artists. The music has a magnificant beat, rhythum and allure that is great listening.
I thoroughally enjoy the experience and recommend The Complex for any fan of music.

It's a DVD
I'm a huge fan of the Blue Man Group, saw them in Vegas and New York. So you can understand how pissed off I was when I got this CD from Amazon.com and found out it's not a CD, but a DVD, which means I won't be cruisin' down the highway blasting these tunes. Far as I'm concerned, DVD format is for movies, great music should be strictly sports car convertible friendly CD.

--J ... Read more

Amazon.com

A splendid Seattle-scene overview featuring the likes of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Screaming Trees, Mudhoney--everyone of note, in fact, save Nirvana Bonus: two songs from Minnesotan Paul Westerberg, his first since folding the Replacements. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Still the greatest soundtrack of all time
Eleven years later, and this is an unequalled achievement: Even post-Tarantino soundtracks and countless other greats, "Singles" stands up as the best soundtrack of all time.

Effortlessly blending all of the all-stars of the early 1990s Seattle scene except Nirvana, recorded JUST before they broke into the international music consciousness, "Singles" is both an amazing snapshot of a point in time and a great companion piece for fans of that music.

Songs unavailable elsewhere from Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Chris Cornell, Smashing Pumpkins and Mother Love Bone is something of a dream come true for many music fans, and what's especially nice is that there's no filler anywhere on this album. Even lesser lights like The Lovemongers turn in great tunes, such as the band's rocking cover of Led Zeppelin's "Battle of Evermore."

Sticking out as not being part of the Seattle scene is post-Replacements Paul Westerberg, but his two songs -- the only performer on the album to do two, although Chris Cornell performs both with and without Soundgarden -- are probably the best tunes in the collection.

While this makes a great companion piece to the movie, which features music quite strongly -- one scene even features a character stopping the action so his girlfriend (and the audience) can listen to a good section of Jimi Hendrix's "May This Be Love" (included on the soundtrack) -- it stands alone as simply a great album as well.

My strongest possible recommendation for fans of early 1990s rock music.

Seattle Snapshot
Back in the early 90's, Seattle was the hippest place in the country. From grunge music to coffee, Seattle was the center of cool. Cameron Crowe used the city and it's music scene as the backdrop for his second movie, Singles. This soundtrack is made up of mostly Seattle grunge bands and is a true gem. Many of the bands included here are instantly recognizable, but at the time of the movie's release they were young and fresh and just making a dent on the music scene. Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden & Smashing Pumpkins all released highly successful and notable recordings throughout the 90's and they all contribute excellent songs. Pearl Jam provides two numbers and they are among the band's best. "Breathe" is a classic PJ rocker in the "Alive" vein while "State Of Love & Trust" contains a classic Vedder lyric. Alice In Chains provides the short burst of energy in the pulsating "Would?" and Soundgarden's lead singer Chris Cornell contributes the reflective "Seasons". The two non-Seattle performers, Minnesotan Paul Westerberg & Chicagoans Smashing Pumpkins, give the album two of it's best songs. Westerberg's "Dyslexic Heart" plays throughout the movie and gives it its theme. It is a great piece of pop music and stands in contrast to the grunginess of the rest of the album. The Smashing Pumpkins close the album out with the feedback driven epic "Drown". Other lesser known Seattle bands who never reached the mainstream success of the previously mentioned bands given the album a nice balance. Mudhoney is a Seattle legend and they provide "Overblown" while a band who contained future members of Pearl Jam, Mother Love Bone's "Chloe Dancer" is quite poignant. Seattle godfather Jimi Hendrix is here as is the Lovemongers which is Heart's acoustic forary. All in All the album and movie is a time capsule of Seattle and is worth looking back on.

Nostalgia for the '90s
In the course of the two decades I have listened to music, my favorite decade for music was the early '90s when alternative (I hate using this world immensely) music was big thanks to the explosion of Nirvana and grunge (another term I hate using) music. One of the most defining moments in alternative music that particular decade was the Seattle-based film "Singles" (one of the few films I can stomach from Cameron Crowe). Not only did I love the film but the soundtrack was equally good. It had some of the hottest modern rock bands of the decade on one cd. Not only was it the soundtrack to an excellent film but also the soundtrack to generation x (ugh! another term I loathe). One of my personal favorite songs on the cd is by Minneapolis hero Paul Westerberg "Dyslexic Heart", an incredibly infectious song that I could not get out of my head when I first heard the song. The cd kicks off with one of the most premier grunge bands from the '90s, "Would" by Alice in Chains. It is one of my favorite songs by Alice in Chains with its trademark sludge guitars provided by Jerry Cantrell and nihilistic lyrics by Layne Stayley (R.I.P). Ironically enough, Cameron's wife Nancy Wilson (Heart/The Lovemongers) appears on the cd with her side project The Lovemongers. They do a fairly interesting cover of Led Zeppelin's "Battle of Evermore". All the songs are great. I love the Screaming Trees' "Nearly Lost You" and "Seasons" by Chris Cornell. "Singles" is evidence to what great music that came out of the '90s. Too bad the new millenium has proven jacksquat.

Those were the great days of Music in the 1990s
The Grundge era of the early 90s was a wonderful time for me, growing up as a teen. The music, album and movie were great. I still love the grunge music from that time period. It's better than what happened musically the rest of the decade and into the new millenium.

Nostalgia...
This was one of the first albums (I got it on cassette) which I ever bought, back when I was about 15 or so in 1992. I had been listening to the radio for a year or so, hearing all those "grunge" sounds coming out of Seattle at the time. This became my favorite for 1992, and whenever I hear any of these songs these days it instantly takes me back to my teenage years, as awkward as they may have been, just because of the newness of the whole thing. So far as I can tell this was the last big "scene" in rock, to break at a national level. At the time, everyone was wearing flannels and faded jeans (I was no exception). Not all of the music has held up (I'd cite Alice in Chains as sounding more dated than the rest but maybe I just personally don't like the sound), but much of it sounds even better to me now than it did back then. The Chris Cornell solo track is very passionate and soulful (why didn't he just go solo back then??) and the Pearl Jam songs are better than anything I have heard on their albums. Basically, this is the only early-90s rock compilation you'll ever need, it has everything and as some reviewers pointed out, no filler. Even a throw-back to the best stuff from the 80s, with Paul Westerberg of the Replacements contributing a few great tracks. By the way, as this soundtrack gets so much press on its own, see the movie too! It's great, and now that I'm a few years short of 30 I appreciate it more. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

A Song For My Son On His wedding Day
I have only heard this song once before ..in both Country and Classic version.. I would be honored to dance with my wonderful son to this tune on his wedding day.. The words are beautifully, written, sentimemtal, meaningful and come straight from the heart.

tear jerker
I was looking for the perfect song for the mother and son dance at his wedding which will take place in August and I heard about this cd and had to hear it for myself. Needless to say this is going to be the song for me. My son has not heard it yet I want to wait until the wedding day when we have our dance. Two versions on her they are both good but I really like the country version it has so much feeling!!!!

NEVER HEARD THIS SONG BEFORE
i HASVE NEVER HEARD THIS SONG, IS THERE ANYWHERE i COULD HEAR IT BEFORE i BUY IT??????

Useful- as well as Genie's love songs from Wildflowers
Useful song. You'll also want to get all of the love songs on Genie's Wildflowers "Songs of Love CD". I ended up using two of those at my wedding.

A Real Classic
When first heard this song my son was in Jr. High School but I knew then that it would be the song for my mother groom dance.
Now we are planning a June wedding and I am so happy that I have this heart warming song for our dance.
I have played it for all my mom friends and they agree that "A Song For My Son" is destined to become a real classic.
Mary Ann Diamond ... Read more

Album Description

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

Reviews (39)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (27)

Cosby's first is still brilliant.
Most comedians' first records sound dated or subdued. Not Bill Cosby, who took America by storm in the mid-Sixties as the more approacheable answer to Redd Foxx (and funnier, too). This is his first disc, and it's still brilliant: it hasn't dated in any real way, which is rare for comedy, and it has moments that are so explosively funny you can't even figure out why.

I mean, why should hair tonic or hoof-and-mouth disease be funny? Because Cosby knows how to look at it and find humor in it, and make it all make sense, that's why. Nichols and May were working in some of the same vein (and Cosby even credits them with a good deal of influence), but Cosby is more spontaneous, more flexible, and more interesting to listeners of all persuasions.

"...Funny Fellow" has some of Cosby's most timeless and penetrating material, especially the three-part "Noah" skit, which says at least as much about rebellion against God and social roles as it does anything else. The punchlines ("HOW LONG CAN YOU TREAD WATER?") have entered into the cultural consciousness.

"The Difference Between Men and Women" is also telling, because it allows him to make fun of sex roles without sliding into the marriage-is-one-great-big-pain p.o.v. that dominated and dragged down so much of his later material. "Karate" is a great showcase for his powers of mimicry and frantic delivery; "A Nut in Every Car" is still a valid piece of New York humor; and even a one-off like "Superman" is worth hearing.

Cosby excelled at delivering ordinary life in extraordinary ways (and not only that, but he did it in a G-rated way, which is saying something to this day). Anyone seriously interested in comedy or Cosby should or probably already has this record.

Even in the beginning, Cos was a very funny fellow
This 1963 comedy album represents the very early Bill Cosby, when his comic riffs were about "Superman" and "Greasy Kid Stuff" rather than his family and childhood friends. But you can definitely find the seeds of greatness in his three-part routine on Noah dealing with God: it is not just that Cos does the voices, but that the humor comes out of his dry take on the situation rather than the usual punch line, such as his take in "Hoof and Mouth" on the infamous scene in the movie "Hud." After listening to this album what you come away with is not just how funny he was way back when, but also how much better he got as he honed his craft. Having these old albums released on CD allows you to really appreciate the evolution of one of the great comic talents of our time.

What's a cubit?
This was Bill Cosby's very first album. It sold over a million copies, and the rest is history. Most of this material holds up well today, but the bits about athletes doing razor blade and hair tonic commercials are a bit dated. The absolute classic routines are the ones about Noah. This is a very funny album. Recommended to fans of classic comedy. Right!

A Comic Sensation
Did you know that Bill Cosby's first 7 albums were all million sellers and that he had a top 10 novelty pop single in 1967 titled "Little Ole Man ( Uptight-Everything's Alright). This cd is one of those million sellers. Bill is also a cowboy/western movie aficionado and so am I. He produced a great western in the early 70's called "Man and Boy" which they show on the westerns channel periodically. Bill said his favorite cowboy was the late Joel McRae, I would've guessed Gary Cooper or Gene Autry or "The Bronze Buckaroo" Herb Jeffries, but Mr. McRae was a classic cowboy. This cd is a classic and a must own and thanks Bill for bringing attention to some important issues in the African American community-it's time for someone to speak up-Love ya brother!

Bill Cosby is a very silly fellow,right!
This album is the beginning of Bill Cosby's show business career,recorded during the JFK era at the Bitter End in New York City. Some of the best bits are the Noah trilogy(tracks 4,5 and 6),TOSS OF THE COIN(track 2) and KARATE(track 12). SUPERMAN is quite humourous also. On HOOF AND MOUTH,Cosby tells about the Paul Newman movie "Hud" which was in theatres at the time of this recording. On KARATE,Cosby mentions Jell-O,which he would begin speaking for in 1974. At the time of recording,Cosby was dating Camille Hanks who would later become his wife. Great album! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Harvard-educated mathematician by trade and sociopolitical humorist and satirist by avocation, ivory tickler Tom Lehrer sang irreverent ditties that both outraged and delighted listeners during his on-again, off-again heyday of public performance in the late 1950s through the 1970s. Perhaps best known for his "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park," Lehrer combined razor-sharp wit with dry delivery inspired by everything from vaudeville and ragtime to whimsical show tunes and faux folk. Though a tad dated, Lehrer's wickedly pointed That Was the Year That Was is as good a representation of the mid-'60s American social and political climate as any. Recorded live in 1965 and composed largely of songs from the contemporaneous NBC series That Was the Week That Was, the album takes on boho Americana ("The Folk Song Army"), censorship ("Smut"), and the atomic bomb ("Who's Next"). Devilishly funny as well are the outstanding "Vatican Rag" and the puzzle that is "New Math." --Paige La Grone ... Read more

Reviews (31)

I have two words for you: "The Vatican Rag" (okay, 3 words)
Of the three classic Tom Lehrer albums, the material on "This Was The Year That Was" always struck me as being somehow different from the other two. Now as I have attained the pinnacle of wisdom I believe I have an explanation for my intuitive feeling: the songs on this album were written for the NBC television show "This Was The Week That Was" (affectionately known as TW3), which meant Lehrer was working with a deadline each week. Consequently, while I am impressed that he could come up with such ditties each week to help skewer the people in the headlines, I think that most of the songs contained within are not particularly memorable (e.g., "M.L.F. Lullaby," "George Murphy") although he does rhyme "commie" and "salami" in "So Long Mom," but you know some would never have been written if he had not needed a new song for that week's show (e.g., the overlong "Alma"). I also did not find Lehrer's pre- and post-song chatter about semi-current events to be as enjoyable as on the other albums where he is the subject under observation.

That being said I must acknowledge that this album does include three absolute classic gems from Lehrer. First, there is "New Math," the lyrics to which I have been inscribing on black boards in math classes for years, undeterred by the fact I was teaching English and they were not my classes rooms. Who knew numbers could be funny? Second, there is "Who's Next?", a witty look at the nuclear arms race that is as timely today as it was way back when and which popped up once on "Picket Fences" being sung by Douglas Waumbaugh ("for the Harvard-educated musician with the nimble fingers and glib tongue, your Honor. We plead not guilty."). Finally, there is "The Vatican Rag," which brings the Catholic Church from the dim dark past into a place it most assuredly did not want to be. Along with "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park," this is the quintessential Tom Lehrer. "This Was The Year That Was" is the least of his albums, but in this particular genre you are not going to find anybody better. Class dismissed.

This is the cd that is
In spite of the datedness of a little of this material, I still feel that Tom Lehrer songs hold up after all these decades because, really, not all the issues have been resolved, and may never will. We still have pollution; we still have the threat of violent Armageddon; the Vatican still has issues; and never before has freedom of speech been under such threats.

But the fact of the matter is that Tom Lehrer is just so d*mned funny. And this live performance, "That Was the Year That Was" is, to me, the most enjoyable. I truly believe that he was better live than in the studio. The sound quality is crisp, and little monologues between songs are fun, although very tame by our standards. Not to worry, "That Was the Year That Was" is an incredibly funny collection that at the very least will have you smiling throughout.

Priceless
THe words and music to this wonderful albulm remain a part of every listener's conscience for the rest of his or her life. A must for every human being.

I Met Tom Lehrer...
in 1972. He came to St. Louis, MO during the election year between McGovern and Nixon, and he played at a private residence as a fund-raiser for McGovern. My father knew what I huge fan I was at age 14, and we all sat on the floor (the kids did, at least) and listened to him play the wonderful tunes that I had already memorized for 4 years. Afterwards, my dad introduced me and asked him if he'd be willing to play for a private party at our house, and he politely declined. But I shook the hand of the master, and to this day I sing his songs aloud while driving (with or without his accompanying CD.) Who else out there has memorized "The Elements"? Never took chemistry, but I've got em down... How about the line in "The Vatican Rag": "Step into that small confessional; there the guy whose got religion'll tell you if your sin's original!" Was there ever a funnier line written anywhere? Thanks Tom, for being you. My only regret is that you never received the true acclaim you deserved; of course, being a Harvard lib, maybe its for the best!

a younger perspective
I was only recently introduced to Tom Lehrer a few months ago through a Christmas present from my parents and this was an album that received the honored distinction of my undivided attention. Rarely do I sit rapt in front of my CD player for an hour (transportation aside) and this CD grabbed me from the first track.

As a fan of the Onion newspaper and Comedy Central's The Daily Show, Tom Lehrer's biting humor was a welcome look at the 1960s. Chillingly, many of the tracks could be transported 40 years later with little alteration. National Brotherhood Week, Pollution, and (...) being three prime examples of the transcendance of human folly.

I played my new found interest for several of my friends and each time, the CD garnered the same response: awe at the audacity of this one man to say what so many others have only thought. One can only wonder how this show survived on public television outlets.

Don't let the dated references fool you, this CD is as relevant today as it was 40 years ago and, as if you would need another reason to listen, it now serves as a living history lesson for those of us untimely born. ... Read more

Album Description

GET DOWN WITH THE DICKNESS!

America's loudest lounge singer Richard Cheese is back in black tie with "TUXICITY," an all-new CD featuring kooky lounge-style covers of rock hits. With his swingin' Lounge Against The Machine band, the finger-snapping, liquor-lapping, night-capping crooner turns a round of rock songs into traditional pop vocal standards.

Yes, it's the perfect mix of music, martini, and madcap as Dick delivers shaken and stirring Vegas versions of popular hits like "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-A-Lot, "She Hates Me" by Puddle Of Mudd, "Chop Suey" by System Of A Down, "Shake Ya Ass" by Mystikal, and "Hot For Teacher" by Van Halen. From The White Stripes to White Zombie, from Linkin Park to Cypress Hill, from Guns 'N Roses to Britney Spears, "TUXICITY" is a "fromage homage" to the biggest names in music. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Richard Cheese Rocked Lake Tahoe
I happened to be wandering through Caesar's Palace Hotel-Casino in South Lake Tahoe (Stateline, NV) in 2004 when I heard some really swinging music coming from the Stone Street Bar and Grill. I had never heard of Richard Cheese, but now realize that with TV appearances (including Leno), RC has a cult following. The great thing about his music is that it is swing with a sense of humor. It pokes fun at the overly-serious and heavy handed sound and lyrics of modern rock music-- by doing the tunes in the exact opposite manner than the artist intended. It creates a fun-loving mood, and musically, the band and Mr. Cheese's voice are very enjoyable.

Some time ago, the squeaky-clean Pat Boone came out with an album "In a Metal Mood" that was meant to be a joke-- on it he swung Ozzy Ozbourne's Crazy Train, and that became the theme song to the TV show "The Osbournes." Richard Cheese expands this concept.

I guess I 'get' it...
But the arrangements are so dead-on perfect, and the voice is a pleasure to listen to; so if your sound is out-of-style,have fun with it. Put-on, maybe, but definitely not fake.

I'M DOWN WITH THE DICKNESS
After catching Dick and the boys at the 2001 HFSmas Nutcracker, I went right out and picked up their first CD (having just heard most of it live). I then got this CD when it was originally released only through the website. It is an excellent follow-up full of more jazzed up covers from a wide range of sources. Cuts 1-19 (F.Y.I. - track 11 is just live stage patter) are followed by a brief radio station ID cut (unlisted track 20), 7 "clean" versions, and a hidden 28th track that contains the most hilarious rant I've ever heard. Also, be sure to pick up the new LATM CD, I'd Like A Virgin, next week. See you at the lounge.

A Must Have!
This album is a must have for any avid music fan. This CD is BRILLIANT. Really fun at parties!

So wrong it's right.
Words cannot do this album justice. It's strange to hear lounge versions of modern songs, but after the strangeness (and hilarity) wears off, the songs grow on you and a couple aren't too bad to groove to. Until you've heard the lounge version of "Shake Ya *ss" by Mystikal, you haven't really lived. Mr. Cheese is the Poet Laureate of the our generation. Even if you don't care for lounge music, you've absolutely got to hear the talented Mr. Cheese's covers. I highly recommend this album. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This double record from 1972 remains the definitive collection of Rundgren's long career. With Rundren acting as a one-man-band for three-quarters of the session, it was also his bid for a Ph.D. from the college of musical knowledge. He deserved the degree for simply writing the lead-off track, "I Saw the Light," a melodic pop-rock gem that remains Rundgren's greatest hit. Rundgren excels at Beatles-esque pop-rock ("Couldn't I Just Tell You," "Wolfman Jack") and Philadelphia-styled soul ballads ("It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference," "Hello, It's Me"). He also sticks his toe into heavy metal ("Black Maria"), jazz-rock fusion ("Breathless"), and cerebral pop ("The Night the Carousel Burnt Down"). Like most double albums, there's fat on the play-list, but the best of Something/Anything gave credence to Rundgren's boast of being a wizard and a true star. --John Milward ... Read more

Reviews (45)

An underrated pop/rock masterpiece!
Todd's Something/Anything is one of the most sensative and poignant rock albums ever! The blend of soft harmonies, strong melodies and surreal atmosphere create a utopian listening experience! Can there be more haunting and beautiful tunes as "Marlene", "I Saw The Light", "It Couldn't Have Made Any Difference" and "Your Saving Grace". Todd rocks too... but it's the pop sensativities throughout this tour de force that make it one of the finest albums of this century! I first heard this album in 1972 and still look forward to hearing it. True musicians know....long after Billy Joel, Mariah Carey and Michael Bolton are in the grooveyard..Todd Rundren's Something /Anything will live on.

sometime/anytime
i've been listening to music since i can't remember when, and certain albums from my childhood (few, a very precious few) have stayed with me through the decades and have continued to make a huge difference in my life. creedence's "green river" is one. bowie"s "station to station" is another. but while spending a year plus living in the vaccuous vegas desert, i had the great fortune to remeet another old childhood friend that i thought had left me long ago. as you are reading this under the particular context, that record, is, of course, todd rundgren's, "something/anything?".
as fresh and relevant today as it was when released 29(!) years ago, this baby never fails to deliver, and in a variety of musical styles. you get todd as pop god--"i saw the light", "hello it's me", "coudn't i just tell you?"--todd as soulful balladeer--"it wouldn't have made any difference", "cold morning light"--todd as tortured punk--"little red light" and "slut" (with the pre-tin machine sales brothers).
lots of the songs are completely undefinable pieces of whimsy--"the night the carousel burnt down", "it takes two to tango", while others still go down a road impossible to peg--"black maria", "i went to the mirror".
two discs, twenty-five tracks, and not a dog to be seen.
these are songs filled with meaning, and grace, and a real soul behind them, laying it all on the line.
words fall short when it comes to describing great music, so if you're not in the know about this record, do yourself a favor and pick it up. it just may change your life, as it has changed mine, and perhaps more importantly, continues to do so.

Absolutely mind blowing..and not even his best work!
After crafting a perfect pop album on "The Ballad..", Todd took it to the next level with "Something/Anything?", a sprawling double album broken up into four parts. With the exception of the fourth side/part, Todd wrote and played all of these songs himself - every word, every instrument!

Part 1: A bouqet of ear catching melodies

1. I Saw the Light

The first of two big hits that Todd scored off this album. I'm sure you all know it. A classic pop song.

2. It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference

A sad piano ballad (save the upbeat bridge) that would've fit in perfectly on Todd's previous album. Fits in great here, too.

3. Wolfman Jack

A catchy, upbeat, Motown inspired romp whose title is a reference to a famous radio DJ. Again, amazing vocal delivery from Todd, ranging from a very high falsetto, to his normal singing voice, and even a spoken word, "jive talkin" segue in the middle.

4. Cold Morning Light

Another heartbreaking ballad, but a little more complex than "..Difference". The verses are in 4/4, with a dainty accoustic guitar line that repeats throughout. Then, it switches into 3/4 time for the chorus.

5. It Takes Two to Tango (This is for the Girls)

Another catchy, upbeat song.

6. Sweeter Memories

A slow burning ballad, kinda psychadelia-lite. The organ touches in the background will make you want to fire up that lighter and sway it back and forth.

Part 2: The Cerebral Side

7. Intro

An amusing spoken word bit from Todd.

8. Breathless

An *awesome* instrumental that really foreshadows the direction Todd would take on "A Wizard, a True Star". The main melody is a heavily synthesized blend of jazz, dance, and psychadelic pop, with a honky tonk inspired break in the middle.

9. The Night the Carousel Burned Down

My favorite song on the first disc. This is really Todd's first ballad that wasn't about love or heartbreak. He plays this on a pipe organ (or probably a synthesized version of one, no less), which really gives it a Carnival/Amusement Park feel to it. Theatrical and great.

10. Saving Grace

Despite the bizarre intro (you'll see), it's another great pop song. This one would've fit better into the "bouqet of ear catching melodies", because that's exactly what it is.

11. Marlene

Another "celebral" ballad in which Todd confesses his love for a 17 year old girl. It's a little repetitive, and tends to drag, but it has some of Todd's best vocals in the background where he REALLY hits those high notes.

12. Song of the Viking

Just a really cool song. It's a fast paced, Gilbert & Sullivan inspired mini pop opera with Todd going to town on the piano. The lyrics are humorous and light hearted, but all of the rapid chord changes make it one of the more complex songs on the album, musically.

13. I Went to the Mirror

From fun to plain bizarre. It starts with Todd playing a bluesey piano melody as he mumbles (yes) lyrics about looking in the mirror. At the end, Todd goes into an intense jam session on the guitar. Psychadelic-Blues!

Part 3: The kid gets heavy

1. Black Maria

The psychedelia at the end of Disc 1 continues right into Disc 2 with this blistering blend of hard rock and R&B. This one must've been great to see live!

2. One More Day (No Word)

The kid certainly does NOT get heavy on this one. You'll picture yourself being saranaded along the Venice Canal, or sitting in a sidewalk cafe in Paris, when you hear this one.

3. Couldn't I Just Tell You

One of the best songs Todd wrote. Rockin' and cathcy: power pop at it's best.

4. Torch Song

It's a slow piano ballad, but it's emotionally very heavy. Great lyrics + great delivery = way underrated!

5. Little Red Lights

Call it hard rock, call it proto-metal, call it whatever you like, but make sure to turn the volume up all the way!

Part 4: Baby Needs a New Pair of Snakeskin Boots

In case you're wondering, this is Todd's lighthearted mock pop operetta that was recorded live in the studio with a bunch of people (sax, trumpet, horn players, backup singers, etc).

6. Overture - My Roots

The closest thing to filler on the album. It's a couple of old cover songs that sound like they were recorded on a Fisher Price tape recorder, in a basement or garage.

7. Dust in the Wind

An absolutely beautiful song. Very soulful piano ballad. Love the saxophone work during the bridge. FYI, this is WAY better than that other "Dust in the Wind" song!

8. Piss Aaron

From heartbreaking to hilarious. This goofy little song has Todd singing about some colorful high school characters from the past. Todd's delivery will make you laugh.

9. Hello It's Me

We all know this one! Originally written when he was in The Nazz, this version is much better: an infectious blend of soul, jazz, lounge, and of course, pop.

10. Some Folks Are Even Whiter Than Me

Silly title, but it's a little deeper than it may seem on the surface. Musically, it combines blues, funk, and a touch of jazz (love that sax!). Underrated.

11. You Left Me Sore

This one went over my head the first time I listened to it. A great song to promote safe sex, if nothing else!

12. Slut

First off, the dialogue before this song is hilarious (Ya think this would've been such a critically acclaimed album if he *did* change its name to "Throw Money"?). Anyway, a fun, hard rocker to close out the album.

There it is! Pop, rock, soul, blues, jazz, psychadelia, theatre, etc. A very complex work, yet still accessible. And that's why it remains Todd's most critically acclaimed and popular album (not to mention it has two of his biggest hits).

Best Songs: The Night the Carousel Burned Down, Couldn't I Just Tell You, Breathless, Cold Morning Light, Torch Song, Dust in the Wind.

Todds finest hour!!! Two Thumbs Up!!! A+
This is Todd's finest album!!! A treat from start to finish!!! Most of his hits are here!!! Hello It's Me, I Saw The Light... AWESOME!!! Highly Recommended!!! Five Stars!!! A+

Todd's Most Popular Album
Todd Rundgren's double-album SOMETHING/ANYTHING? (1972) was a diverse juggernaut of catchy pop, R&B/Soul, hard rock, psychedelia, scatological humor, and other styles which may be difficult to classify. However, the album is fairly accessible throughout. It was this album that Todd received a huge slice of mainstream success. However, since many had perceived him *solely* as a soft rock/ballad writer, Todd chose to abandon mainstream rock for many years after this album - making some of the most experimental music this side of any notable experimental artist. The unfortunate misconceptions and the willful misrepresentation of an artist's creativity has been bestowed upon other artists as well (Queen comes to mind), which misleads listeners into thinking that an artist specializes in one particular style, and therefore, helps to blind fans from enjoying an artist's work to it's fullest when an album is bought, and listened to in it's entirety. Or perhaps, it's just simply that many listeners are staunch in their listening preferences, and wouldn't be able to tolerate hyper-diversity from the start.

Getting to this album. The album is divided into four distinct halves, and Todd plays all of the instruments, and provides all of the vocals for the first three halves of the album. The first half (Disc 1, Tracks 1-6) is called "A Bouquet of Ear-Catching Melodies," and is comprised of mostly catchy, melodic pop tunes. "I Saw The Light" has been compared to Carole King. While his vocals seem like Carole King, the music on this track is much more upbeat and energetic than any typical King song. "Wolfman Jack" makes me wonder if it was inspired by the television host of the same name throughout the 70s. A fun, catchy, 50s-like track. "Cold Morning Light" is probably my favorite from this half. A lovely, airy, melancholic R&B ballad featuring Todd performing some wispy, poignant vocals.

The second half (Disc 1, Tracks 7-13) is called "The Cerebral Side," and is comprised of cerebral, experimental and/or psychedelicesque tracks. The Intro is Todd giving the listener a tour on studio functions. Quite a fun and interesting listen, while "Breathless" is a indescribable instrumental blending psychedelic, symphonic, R&B and dance flavors filtered through electronics. "Song of The Viking" seems like a tribute to Gilbert & Sullivan, as it's a quirky, show tunes-rock track. Todd doesn't have a British accent, so it's interesting hearing his voice backed up by a mostly British style of music. Fans of Queen, Gentle Giant, Frank Zappa and selected others will be especially fond of this track. Listen to this track, as well as many others on this album, on a good pair of headphones to catch many of the subtleties that may otherwise be missed.

The third half (Disc 2, Tracks 1-5) is called "The Kid Gets Heavy" and shows a more rocking side to Todd Rundgren. "Black Maria" is a slow rocker, while "One More Day" is a tasteful, soulful number. "Couldn't I Just Tell You" is unbelievably tasty and infectious - so much so, it hurts to listen to this at times. It's that good. The vocals, guitar strumming - everything here is excellent, while "Little Red Lights" is a scorching rocker, featuring roaring distortion to resemble that of Jimi Hendrix. The fourth half (Disc 2, Tracks 6-12) is called "Baby Needs A New Pair of Snakeskin Boots," which is a live in-studio recording featuring a full band, and is supposed to be a rock operetta. Each track features silly, funny comments and shenanigans at the end and beginning of each track by band members, which are made to look like dialogue, and are reprinted as such in the sleeve. "Dust In The Wind" is a poignant ballad with some tasteful, R&B-esque guitar, sax and lovely vocals, while "Piss Aaron" is an hilarious song dealing with a person who has trouble with his bladder. "Hello It's Me" is the elegant Philly Soul/jazzy ballad that everyone probably knows Todd Rundgren by. However, when hearing this song in the context of the rest of the album, one will have the right perspective regarding Todd's musical personality, as the dialogue heard before and after the song ends was never heard on the radio. This offers an interesting perspective. "You Left Me Sore" is also somewhat hilarious, at least when hearing the dialogue. This song is something of a double-entendre: it can mean that the protagonist was left sore due to his love leaving him, or it could mean he was left sore - literally, after contracting a venereal disease. You decide. While "Slut" is a Rolling Stonesesque rocker to close out this juggernaut.

This album is definitely the recommended place to start as you get the essence - the closest you'll get to the FULL essence - of Todd Rundgren's creativity, and arguably at it's most accessible. The album is infectious, diverse, cerebral, intelligent and utterly moving. Don't believe the idea of Todd being just a ballad writer, as his styles run the gamut. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Songs from the Street, the boxed set that stretches back to "Sesame Street's" 1969 debut, is the kids' record of the year, if not the decade: Big Bird and the gang might've pulled it off themselves--for a crew of fix-it store workers, shopkeeps, and goofball monsters, the talent quotient's off the charts--but when you've got this many names to drop, they've got to land somewhere. What impresses most in three discs is the lack of a single thud. Cab Calloway, Pete Seeger, and James Taylor mosey in on disc one; Johnny Cash, BB King, and Tony Bennett take seats on the stoop for disc two; and the Dixie Chicks, Gloria Estefan, and R.E.M. raise the brownstone roof on disc three--and that's leaving out stars like Lena Horne, Stevie Wonder, BillyJoel, and Trisha Yearwood. When it comes to inspiring preschoolers and their parents to sing the praises of rubber duckies, bein' green, and the people in their neighborhood; "The Street" gets busy. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Not quite as definitive as I'd hoped
We all know a few Sesame Street songs and chances are they appear on this collection which features 31 cast originals and 32 celebrity appearances. If you've been watching Sesame Street, you can probaly add those up to a grand total of 63 songs! Of the 31 cast originals, all but one track (HENSON KING OF EIGHT) has been previously released on LP or CD. It would have been nice to have more never-before-released tracks. That said, it's great to have some of the tracks appearing on CD for the first time. As for the 32 celebrity appearances, 25 of them have never been released before. So this is definately the set for you if you're a fan of the celebrity versions.

Inside the 10.5" cardboard case, the 3 Cds are presennted in cardboard slip covers and a 68 page booklet is included. The booklet is really impressive as it not only has credits and lyrics for every song, but also offers a brief timeline of the series from it's debut through the present day, as well as extensive liner notes.

I was really miffed that the original broadcast version of LADYBUG'S PICNIC wasn't used. In order to make this THE definitive Sesame Street collection I believe the broadcast version of all songs should have been used. That said, the remix version of the PINBALL NUMBER COUNT and SESAME STREET THEME are terrific!

For the casual Sesame Street fan this set is terrific. For the Sesame Street fan who has a few CD's but never owned or knows what an LP is, this set will offer you a few things you've never heard before like the Lena Horne and Grover classic HOW DO YOU DO. But if you want original broadcast versions of the songs and don't care for the celebrity intrepretations, then this is not the set for you.

This set gets close to being definitive, but misses the mark by not including original broadcast versions and focusing a bit too heavily on the celebrity appearances.

Great Set For Sesame Street Fans Young And Old
This was a great CD set. I bought it as soon as I heard about it on "The Playground" a 3 houg children's music show on Emerson Colege Radio 88.9 in Boston. (Weekend nights from 5-8.) It was great to hear Mr. Hooper on "I've Got Two" without the static of my old Record. I love Children's music and I still have all my old Sesame Street Records. I wish the would release the old records on CD. There are so many out of print Sesame Street Songs that should be brought back. Remember Susan's "Someday Little Children(will Be Living On The Moon)". This is great with all the famious stars on this box set. They should of included included more songs with Mr. Hooper. I miss him on the show. They did not include my favorite sesame street song "We All Sing With The Same Voice". ("We All Sing with the same voice, The Same song, The same voice"). All in all Great set for anyone who wants to hear their sesame street favorites again.

Fell in love so fast...haven't gotten to all of the discs!
Our whole family fell in love with the first disc we popped in that we still haven't made it through all of them! But I can't wait until we do. For now, we listen to Oscar the Grouch and Johnny Cash singing "Nasty Dan" all the time in the car and around bath time. I think by now I can recite all of the lyrics. What a great way to share music with your child!

35 Years and a lot of missing memories...
Anxiously awaiting this box set, I was thoroughly disappointed when I found there were so, so many songs left out. There are so many songs from "today's Sesame" - what happened to the songs of Sesame from years ago? I was expecting to see more of the classic, unavailable songs from my record collection, but sadly, they can't be found on this box set. Disc 3 is a disappointment - who wants to hear another Aerosmith song???!! Not me. Give me the Ernie & Bert Rhyming song and you would have made my day. Sorry, I have to give it 2 stars. Most of these songs are available on all their other CDs. Shame on you Sesame Street! This box set is just as lame as Season 35.

Let's go back to the Street!
Like millions of children before and after me, I grew up with Sesame Street. I even credit the show for teaching me how to read at the young age of 5. So, it was only natural that Songs from the Street would attract my attention. Still, because of its price, I hesitated... after a few months, I finally decided to buy it and am I ever glad I did!!!

Everyone who's ever watched Sesame Street will find at least a few personal favorites... And make some discoveries along the way! For instance, Stevie Wonder's 1-2-3 Sesame Street (previously unreleased on album) is a great funky number that could have been used as a theme song for the show. It's THAT good.

And how can anyone listen to Mah Na Mah Na and not have it stuck in the head all day? (Yes, the Mah Na Mah Na song appeared on Sesame Street before being associated with the Muppet Show.)

The sound is pretty good, you can even hear some details that you weren't supposed to hear. For example, on Sweet-A Little Baby, sung by guest star Pete Seegers and the kids, you can hear faint shushing to cue the kids from singing along when the chorus is over.

There is only thing, though: Why wasn't Matt Robinson credited as Gordon? He does appear on at least one song (I've got two -- from 1970's Sesame Street 1 album, featuring the original cast). It would have been nice to see the original Gordon credited alongside the best-known Gordon, Roscoe Orman.

In any case, this is a great box set. I just hope that Sesame Workshop will release a DVD with the best early years' sketches (don't you want to see Mr. Hooper again?).

Happy 35th anniversary, Sesame Street!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Less successful when it's sentimental (Waylon Jennings' "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys") than when it's wry (Willie Nelson's myth-puncturing "Me and Paul"), this cash-in compilation of previously released cuts was just in time to grab the first platinum record ever awarded a country album. It's not bad, but both Jennings' contemporaneous Dreaming My Dreams and Nelson's Red Headed Stranger are more nuanced tastes of the good-bad-but-not-evil-ol'-boy lifestyle. (Not to mention much of Tompall Glaser's own Outlaw compilation.) This 1996 CD reissue adds nine more tracks from the era as well as a new Jennings-and-Nelson version of Steve Earle's "Nowhere Road." --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Snapshot of a Transitional Time
This album is like a phantom that won't die, and in this case that's certainly a good thing. Forget that, when it was first released in 1976, it wasn't even "original." Indeed, RCA was out to capitalize on the fact that Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson were finally receiving widespread radio recognition as establishment rebels and that Jessi Colter was, for at least a couple of years, one of the biggest selling female artists in country music. All three of them had made a series of uneven recordings back in the early 70's under contract with RCA, several of which became the 'Outlaws" album in its smash-hit 1976 incarnation. Now, two decades later, more kindling has been added to the fire, but the effect is not entirely pleasing. Listening to several of the 'newer' songs by Waylon and Willie, one realizes why they never made it to any final studio album cuts in the first place. The album does remind us, however, that it's a bit of a shame that Jessi Colter faded into the woodwork after three massive-selling albums during the outlaw years--her songwriting hooks and stark vocals--especially on 'If She's Where You Like Livin'--are still oddly ahead of their time. This album is for die hard outlaw cultists only.

a childhood memory, an adult treasure
I remember back in the late 70's sitting in the back of my parents car on numerous roadtrips across Texas listening to this album. Now even though I was into rock and roll at the time, this album still held my attention on those long trips. I bought my own copy a few weeks ago when I heard that Waylon had passed to that great honky tonk in the sky. Man what a great album! My boyhood memories have been coming back to me with each listen. There is not a weak track on this record, with many of them finding their way to Willie and Waylons greatest hits albums. As mentioned by earlier reviewers, Jesse Colter is the hidden gem of this album. The album includes ten new tracks that did not make the original cut, but are all strong. "Why you been gone so long" by Jesse is really outstanding. Finally, the newest track "Nowhere Road" is a Steve Earle song recorded in 1996 by Willie and Waylon (Earle produced it). All I can say is this song should be playing on country radio right now, as its better that 99.9% of all the current country tunes. Do yourself a favor and add this album to your collection. Put it on, sit back and listen, you might be able to imagine what the Austin outlaw country scene was like in the late 70's!

ONE OF THE GREATEST COUNTRY ALBUMS EVER!
Lord this is a great album! My dad had this one when we were growing up and I remember listening to it in the evenings when the day's work was done. It includes hits from all the big fellas. Gosh you don't find music of that caliber nowadays. When I was 15 I borrowed this record from Dad's collection and broke it accidently. I felt bad for what I'd done and made it worse by lying to him when he asked me if I knew where it was. A few days later he found it and I had to fess up. Boy was I in trouble! It was a sore lesson, but I needed it. I understand why Dad was so upset. That Outlaw record was his favorite. If you grew up with this music or just like to reminisce about the good ol days, I honestly think you'll love this album.

Country and Western Got Cool Here
Outlaws are often the stuff of country and western songs.

In the annals of popular music, this CD is a bit of an outlaws tale. After this album came out in the mid 1970's, Nashville's total dominance of Country & Western was ended. Austin Texas, a sleepy small town in the middle of the Lone Star State, became a rival center for country, blues, rock, and other music genres.

Willie & Waylon contribute most of the sound, style, and songs here. Perhaps this is to be expected, since they were already "names" at the time this CD was originally released: Waylon as a performer, Willie as a songwriter. But Jessi Colter has a great voice, and Tompall Glaser provides great instumental accompaniment as the rhythm section.

Willie and Waylon were pure gold after this, and while Jessi Colter & Tompall Glaser were not heard from much afterward, they do live on here.

Waylon Jennings had several big singles and successful concert tours after he and Willie Nelson went their separate ways. But even so, his biggest applause came when he did the tunes from this CD. Sadly, Waylon Jennings declined and was in ill health during most of the 1990's. Willie Nelson has managed to sustain a career full of comebacks -- the IRS, marijuana arrests, and an occasional flop album have all failed to stop him from becoming an (admittedly unlikely) popular folk-hero.

Like "The Weavers at Carnegie hall", which is often credited with launching a folk music revival, and the early Beatles & Stones albums which generated interested in anything that came from England, this album is often credited with the birth of "alt Country".

Because of its maverick style and content (more radical at the time than today), it has retained or obtained a status that few country and western CD's ever do: IT'S COOL.

A wonderful collaboration!
Nashville's rebels and outlaws are back! Waylon and Willie's original "Outlaws" CD is titled, 20th Anniversary CD. It includes the originals, the lost songs, and the new, a total of 21. Included is Waylon's wife Jessie Colter, who I believe had a modest career of her own, her most popular, or as they say, signature song, a beautiful ballad "I'm Not Jessie"

The combined talent of Nashville rebels, Waylon and Willie was phenomenal! With different vocal styles, their teaming was a major success! Nelson's nasal sound worked well with deeper vocals of Waylon. Tompall Glaser, I can't say I had heard about him, but he does "Tea for Texas" and the catchy sexist tune by Shel Silverstein "Put Another Log on the Fire". ......fill my pipe and then go fetch my slippers and boil me up another pot of tea, then put another log on the fire and come and tell me why you're leaving me.

"Me and Paul" has always been a favorite by Willie, here his deeper voice projects. That and "Yesterday's Wine" are both written by Willie Nelson. Also included on the original LP are "Heroes have Always been Cowboys." Jessie and Waylon do their hit "Suspicious Minds." Twenty years later, a 1996 anniversary CD is a classic timepiece and includes the lost songs, these do include several more by Jessie Colter, who lends a very soothing beautiful voice to the male dominated CD. She and Waylon do "Under Your Spell."

The "new" portion stated on the CD includes rockabilly and folk singer Steve Earle's hit "Nowhere Road" done by Waylon and Willie. Steve Earle produced this anniversary CD. I love the two Willie Nelson ballads "Healing Hands" and "You Left a Long Time Ago", a very soft, mellow song about watching and losing a love. A first-rate collection, a real classic! ...MzRizz ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Amazing!
YOURS, MINE & OURS" is amazing! The songs we used from this CD touched so many people. My friends said that most of the fathers had tears in their eyes when my Dad and I danced to "MY LITTLE GIRL"...even my 'tough guy' Dad. I had looked for months and months to find something emotional but not corny. This song couldn't have been more perfect. Then, before playing "IN YOUR EYES", my husband announced that he had something special to play for his Mother and that the song expressed all the things he could never find the words for. It was really quite a moment. Eveybody loved it. We also used the song "YOURS, MINE & OURS" for the unity candle lighting at the ceremony and that too was very moving. My teenage brother and younger sister loved lighting their own candle and being a real part of the ceremony that way. I highly recommend this CD to help make any wedding extra special.

Settled in Seattle!

Save Your Money
I was very disapointed in this CD.
For the price I expected more. After reading about it I thought the songs were going to have words that said something about the wedding or the bride and groom and they didn't. The singers are OK but for some of the songs I could hardley hear what they were saying.
I did finally find another CD (on Amazon) I really like.
Its called The Ultimate Collection Of Wedding Music
The price is great. I got 3 CDs for less than I paid for this one. There are more songs and a much better selection of music on this CD and the singers are very good.

Bride in Chicagoland

The Search is Over
I looked everywhere and listened to incredibly corny wedding songs until I found this CD. These songs are absolutely beautiful and fit all those situations it's so hard to find music for. My parents cried when I played this for them and so did my future mother-in-law. The singers are fabulous also. If you have stepparents, the right songs are on here too. I'm really grateful because I believe there will be some really special moments at my reception because of these songs!

What Great Songs!
My Dad and I wanted a special song to dance to at my wedding - not Butterfly Kisses. When we got this CD, there were 2 great songs for the father daughter dance. One was from the dads point of view and one from the brides. We loved both and coudn't decide which to use, so I let my dad choose. He picked "My Little Girl". Tears filled his eyes when we danced. I'll never forget that moment. My husband and his mother danced to "The Man You've Become". She said it expressed everything she wanted to say to her son but couldn't herself. We also had a reception candlelighting ceremony and used "Yours Mine & Ours" for a circle of love to unite our two families. I can't say enough how much this CD contributed to the warmth and emotion at our wedding.

The Perfect Reception CD
I wanted a special song to dance with my father, and my husband was looking for a song that he would feel comfortable dancing to with his mother. We found those and more on this CD. The songs were just beautiful, not syrupy but yet emotional, expressing everything we wanted to say! There was also a family unity song that we used as well. The recordings and vocals were great. My father had tears in his eyes and my mother-in-law was thrilled that my husband found such a fabulous song for them to dance to. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you do a Web search on the phrase "explosions in the sky," what you're likely to come up with are Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, fireballs, space debris. And a band from Austin, Texas. The sophomore effort from this band of emo-style prog-rockers, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever was released on September 10, 2001--and the cover art features the prescient words, "This plane will crash tomorrow." Intense, instrumental music infused with fatalistic affect, this is a requiem for a planet. Expressionist, it recalls a simmering Texas landscape placid for days, suddenly punctuated by a punishing electrical storm. Playing like a symphony in six movements, the album is composed entirely of bass, guitar, and drums. A moody but gorgeous album infused with youthful sincerity, it is cinematic in scope with soothing soundscapes of atmospheric, ambient, and shimmering chimes interspersed with crashing interludes of heavy metal-style guitar explosions and drums with intricate time signatures. File under post-rock . . . or modern composition. --Jillian Steinberger ... Read more

Reviews (37)

An excellent post-rock release
While the post-rock genre has been stretched thin and wide by the efforts of Mogwai, Godspeed You Black Emperor! and Sigur Ros, it takes a little band from Austin Texas to put out a release that reminds post-rock what it needs: the maximum effort from the band and the bands' instruments, not the arrangements outside it. Only a four piece, the band greatly enlarges their music through their extreme sense of dynamics.

Addicted to crescendos and increadible build-ups, the band puts together an instrumental album that one cannot forget on the first listen. To the cataclysmic roar of "Greet Death" to the enchanting melodies and syncapation of "The Moon is Down", the band manages to engage the listener in emotional and mental highs and lows, lifting the spirits and then throwing them down to the ground in a barrage of music.

However great this album is, I simply cannot compare it to their live show. The CD doesn't do them justice. During a performance in a tiny club in Nashville, they were the loudest band I had ever heard and quite possibly the only that left me breathless and transfigured on the music and the artists throught the entire set. To get a glimpse of how good their live show is, buy the record. To simply appreciate post-rock... buy the record.

top notch post-rock
I can't say enough good things about this band. While Godspeed et al tend to rock out for 15-20 minutes (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), EITS keep the songs to a shorter length, with these songs clocking in just under 50 minutes for 6 songs. The idea of this band is one favored by many other Austin, TX bands, namely Trail of Dead. This is the soft-loud-soft approach to their music. While Trail of Dead features amazing lyrics, they too also achieve the soundscapes EITS have, along with the awesome, most unique drumming I've ever heard. All the songs start off with ambient, soft textured segments, only to explode when you least expect it, turning into a hard rocking, two guitar intertwined, amazing drum lined jam all at once. These jams are my personal favorite, as they reach guitar territory I have never thought existed. Overall, just an awesome album, even if you can never find it in a store. Get it now! (and their new one on Nov. 4)

this album moves me:
When I'm walking the more scenic tree lined avenues in my area I'm always listening to this band. Songs like 'your hand in mine' or the 'moon is down' (featured in the film all the real girls) push my mind into the most warm and ephianic moments of recent past. Or they will even make me completely forget time and the worry around me and have me focus on things that make this world splendid. Pick up any of their albums and play them with headphones on.

great band, good buy
this is a great album.....one song has some speaking throughout it which i find a bit annoying and distracting, but it is only one song, therefore the intensity and perfection of the rest of the album make you forget about the spoken word part being so bad.

Fantastic Album!
This album is one of my favorites, and blows me away at times. The intricacies within the music are amazing, and the slow cresendo is very suspenseful. I'm a fan of Godspeed You Black Emperor as well, and these bands are very similar, but with one difference that makes EITS much better. EITS has shorter songs. While it takes 20 minutes to get to the climax of a Godspeed song (which isn't bad at all if you have the time), EITS songs are about 6 minutes, making them better for listening to, and more interesting, as the songs vary more in style, and you are taken to the proverbial climax of the song a bit more quickly. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Though this seminal British comedy team is better known for authority-tweaking absurdist wordplay and surrealist visual hijinks, music has always been an essential element in the troupe's twisted universe. Monty Python Sings collects 25 musical Python nuggets from the team's album catalogue, including such beloved ditties as "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," "Lumberjack Song," "I'm So Worried," "Spam Song," "Bruces' Philosophers' Song," "I Like Chinese," and "Knights of the Round Table." With so much Python music gathered in one place, it's impressive to note just how many of the sextet's musical excursions have become cult classics. --Scott Schinder ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Always look on the bright side of life
I was so happy to find this collection. I've loved Monty Python series and movies and admired the multi-talented group. Nothing was too holy for them to be laughed at - and so should it be, laughing at something makes even the most horrible and difficult things shrink down to a size, where we can look at them and deal with them. And yet they always maintained quality in their work.

This record is a good example: it has songs from the series and such movies as 'The meaning of life', 'The life of Brian' and 'The quest for the holy Grail'. Of course, Eric Idle shines here with his 'Always look on the bright side of life', hilarious 'Penis song' and 'Bruces' philosophers song' being the author and composer of all these and many others. And as a performer... well, you can't listen to his voice without bursting into a huge smile. 'Always look on the bright side of life' really saves the day, no matter how bad things look.

The subjects are varied, some of them laugh casually at sex, such as 'Sit on my face'. It wasn't at all awkward to listen to them, because the ambitious, very serious way everything is arranged with violins, flutes, male choirs and symphony orchestras lifts the songs from being a bit naughty to something absolutely irresistible. You can only laugh and sing along. And can anybody go to church and listen to hymns seriously after hearing the lovely boy choir singing Eric Idle's 'All things dull & ugly'?

'Bruces' philosopher's song' and 'Knights of the round table' weren't technically as good as others, unfortunately. I was going to give four stars, but had to give the fifth one for Michael Palin for making 'Finland', even if it's clearly made by someone who's never been here - and I understood that's just the point. Sorry, Michael, we don't have mountains. Only some fells, none of them even a mile high.

Have a laugh, get this. The songs are so well made, that you can listen them still, when you already know the joke.

Indulging the terpsicorean muse
This a record with something for everyone. Obviously first and foremost it's a convenient collection of Monty Python's best-known songs, many of which have become comedy classics. If you don't have any other Python in your collection, then this is a good place to start, with all the familiar songs from the films mingling with lesser-known items from the studio LPs.

But even if you're a fanatic who's already got all the "proper" Python albums, it's still worth getting this compilation as it's the only place you'll find the full-length "Medical Love Song" (previously featured on "Contractual Obligation Album", but only in a shortened form), a studio recording of Terry Gilliam singing "I've Got Two Legs" or the marvellous exclusive track "Oliver Cromwell" (sung hilariously badly by Cleese). Best of all, the version of "The Lumberjack Song" included here is actually the George Harrison-produced single version, which is (a) brilliant, and (b) pretty much impossible to find anywhere else.

In brief, then: an essential purchase for all Python lovers.

Monty Python Does it Again!!!!
This is by far the BEST damn Monty Python CD ever.

Eric Idle's "ALways Look on the Bright Side of Life" song is one of the song's I listen to when I'm feeling down.*****

Michael Palin's performance "The Lumberjack Song" was very well put togeather.*****

And now for "song"-thing completely different
And now, for something completely different. There are 25 songs taken from Monty Python's TV series, movies, and other comedy albums, some that are so memorable, it isn't surprising to hear someone singing them at a whim, other obscure ones that are downright hilarious and/or gross, and those featured in their TV show and movies. But others are like, "Gordon Bennett, this is so naff! What'd they include it in 'ere for?" Consequently, I'll not go through every song, but be warned if I do get silly--Python tends to do that to people.

"Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life", sung by Eric Idle and the crucified prisoners at the end of Life Of Brian, starts out the album. Basically: "life's a piece of ****, when you look at it/life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true/you'll see it's a show/keep'em laughing as you go/just remember that the last laugh is on you." A breezy, humorous, but pointed look at "the final word."

"The Lumberjack Song" is by far THE classic Python song. In this rendition, Michael Palin leads off by a weather report, before he sings, "I didn't want to do this for a living. I wanted to be... a lumberjack!" and the rest is history. Note: if anyone hears me singing "I cut down trees/I wear high heels/suspenders and a bra", PLEASE don't take me seriously. I'm an environmentalist and would NOT cut down trees. Yours etc. D.J. Hamlow, Mrs.

The brief "(Not the Noel Coward Song)" from Meaning Of Life is a 41 second laugh-out-loud ditty on "your wife's best friend", the one sung before Mr. Creosote comes into the restaurant.

"Oliver Cromwell" sung by John Cleese, is set to Frederic Chopin's Polonaise No. 6 and is a delight for English history buffs. The twisted tone they give is apparent in the spoken intro: "The most interesting thing about King Charles I is that he was 5'6" tall at the start of his reign, but only 4'8" tall at the end of it... because of..." and the song begins, listing the key events of the English Civil Wars.

"Medical Love Song" is so disgusting, I won't mention it, but it is funny, and the chorus is a list of medical conditions.

"Every Sperm Is Sacred" is a latter day classic that needs to be sung a lot more. This hilarious parody on the Catholic mindset of conception was a highlight from The Meaning Of Life. I wonder if the kids in the movie knew what they were singing, especially the little girl who sings "Let the heathens spill theirs/on the dusty ground/God will make them pay for/each sperm that can't be found."

The brief "Never Be Rude To An Arab" is a guilty pleasure ditty for these PC times. After a nice first verse extolling the virtues of respecting a "Saudi, Israeli, or Jew", the next verse includes some derogatory racial words before an explosion sounds, cutting off Terry Jones.

Those who have or are taking a philosophy course right now will enjoy the "Bruces' Philosopher's Song" by those lovable Australian Bruces. You know, "Immanuel Kant was a real p----ant, who was very rarely stable..." and how different philosophers drank. And remember what Rene Descartes said. "I drink therefore I am."

"All Things Dull & Ugly" is a bitterly cynical but funny take on the British choir song "All Things Bright And Beautiful." Yes, it is true, isn't it, "All things scabbed and ulcerous/All pox both great and small/putrid, foul and gangrenous/The Lord God made them all."

The other Meaning Of Life songs are included, and those are among my favourites, such as the title track sung outrageously by Eric Idle: "What's the point of all this hoax?/Is this the chicken and the egg time, are we just yolks?", the Vegas-style "Christmas In Heaven" number and the contemplative "Galaxy Song." Yes, "pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space/because there's bu--er all down here on Earth."

The "Spam Song" ends the album to please the hardcore fans. If you want something affordable that's just songs and without sketches, such as the Final Ripoff double CD, then sing with Monty Python Sings. However, be warned that there are a number of naff songs that may warrant hitting the fast-forward button. Yours etc. Brigadier DJ Ham-And-Cheese, with shallots, aubergines, and a double scoop of lemon curry.

Very funny album
I've had this album for a couple of years and it's always good for a laugh. The Pythons aren't the best singers in the world (that's half the fun of it), but the songs are good and the productions are solid. The "weather forecaster" version of The Lumberjack Song on this CD was produced by none other than George Harrison. If you're looking for a good laugh, look no further. This is the CD for you. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

ptree s.m.s. -- essential extacy enhanced
"the sky moves sideways" is absolutely essential (6 stars!) early ptree. this remaster contains the s.m.s. titles from the original uk release (the us release was different -- it dropped "prepare yourself" and added "stars die"), plus this has "stars die" and a slightly longer version of "moonloop" (both were on the uk ep)....so already it has enough to warrant buying it....but wait! there's more -- this also has a 34 minute alternate version of the title cut.

110 minutes of aural gratification.

why are you still reading this? you should be ordering this disc!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

On Lounge Against the Machine, alt-rock hits get the Vegas treatment way before their time. Vocalist Richard Cheese and his piano trio really know how to warp a song. Rage Against the Machine's "Guerilla Radio" sounds smooth as silk, if incredibly schmaltzy, in the hands of this wayward lounge act. The Dead Kennedys' "Holiday in Cambodia" gets completely defanged in Cheese's rendition. And it's definitely strange to hear the rage drained out of Nirvana's "Rape Me" and replaced with bland, mindless enthusiasm. The tone of these covers is so far removed from the originals that at times you forget what you're really listening to. At moments like these, Cheese and the boys sound like some anonymous combo going through the motions. But then you'll hear the singer let loose with some foul language or croon a harsh line and it sounds downright strange and funny. Lounge Against the Machine can be tiresome at times, but it certainly takes the piss out of these songs. --Fred Cisterna ... Read more

Reviews (37)

The Same Machine, Now With 60% Less Rage!
This is a very funny CD if you know the original songs, or even if you just know a few of them. The best part about it is that RC makes the songs amusing without changing a single word. In a time when most of the top-selling music is all about rage and angst, Richard Cheese takes the lyrics of some favorites and rearranges them in the context of snappy, jazzy lounge music such as you might hear Wayne Newton singing in Vegas. You almost expect him to end each song with "Thank you, I love you all, enjoy the buffet!"

The liner notes explain just how Richard Cheese thought that these songs had great lyrics that would appeal to wider audiences if they were just played more clearly to show their social significance. The irony of this statement is played out in full at particular points on the album, such as when he croons "Rape me, my friend" in his swingingest, loungiest best. I recall that the satirical "Politically Correct Fairy Tale" books had a similar introduction about making the stories safe for children.

It's a fun album to listen to. Some of the lounge versions of the songs are pretty cool in themselves. I like "Come Out And Play" and "Creep," as well as "Last Resort." It's a great send-up of what sells in today's music market. But somehow it fails to offend, even for those who like the originals. I give it four stars because a couple of the tracks aren't so much amusing as annoying. But it'll have you thinking about what other songs would make good swing versions.

SPREAD THE CHEESE AROUND
I was lucky enough to hear this entire CD live at this year's HFSmas Nutcracker on December 1st (2001) at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA. Warming up the crowd and filling in between the first few bands, Dick and the boys powered through all of the songs listed above with hilarious results. While most of the fun and humor of it all was lost on the majority of the underage crowd (to include my 18 year old son), my buddy and I laughed our tails off. Like Beavis and Butt-head, the crowd only got a rise out of Dick's deadpan cursing. Go figure. I guess Dread Zeppelin is over their head too. Anyway, this CD is a really enjoyable change of pace to listening to the originals (but will never replace them). Elevator and dentist's office music should be this cool. I can only hope Dick and the other "cheeses" (everyone in the band has a cheese name) are hard at work on their next CD (Cheese Disc?). Meet you at the lounge.

come on, give it upp for Cheese!
dis is da singel bestest al bum yu can buy! itz got all my favrite toons frum da erly 90's and dey have been remixed wit a vengence. His softly croonig voice singing aboot rape and cutting life intoo peces jest melts my hart! da classics have been taken to an even classicaler levul!!!

Perfect Parodies
Most song parodies don't hold up to repeated listening, no matter how hard they make you laugh the first time around. (Seriously, how many times can you listen to a "Weird Al" album all the way through?) Richard Cheese's "Lounge Against the Machine," which reinterprets Gen-X Rock-of-the-Nineties hits as lounge music, is different. This is an album you can listen to several times over.

There are several things that raise this record above the level of your average Dr. Demento silliness. First, "Cheese" is parodying two genres for the price of one. He's not just poking fun the angst-ridden anger of the songs he covers, he's also mocking the lounge revival, so the humor works on two levels. Second, he's an accomplished singer, and he and his band have taken a lot of care in arranging the music--more than you'd expect from a jokey record like this. Third, some of the songs work frighteningly well as lounge numbers--Radiohead's "Creep" in particular.

The joke wears thin on Cheese's followup "Tuxicity," but if you appreciate this sort of thing, "Lounge Against the Machine" is definitely worth owning.

terrible
I heard some of the songs off this cd at a store and I have to say it is a disgrace to every single band whos songs are on the cd. It is not funny, entertaining, or original in any way, and if Kurt Cobain were to hear the Cheese guy sing Rape me, he would be rolling in his grave. So take the 12 bucks for this cd and go out and buy the cds with the actual songs on them. I would have given it 0 stars, but the lowest it went was 1. ... Read more