Album Description

Gaze is the eighth album from the Beautiful South and their first in three years since 2000's Painting It Red. The album continues in the vein of previous works featuring their distinctive brand of jazzy pop topped with PaulHeaton's witty lyrics. 11 tracks. Universal. 2003. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Anyone bored with the antics but not the sound of Oasis should check this smarter, warmer British pop variant. Key tracks: "Far," "On and On," and "Lost Myself." --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Longpig's sound is not unlike every other English band's.
The Sun Is Often Out may be one of the hardest cd's ever to find in the US. I first heard "ON and ON" on the MIssion:Impossible sdtk. and instantly began to search. Although their sound is similar to Radiohead and not completely original, it's a very enjoyable listen, especially the softer songs with catchier tunes. If one can stand occasional screaming electric guitars, it provides a special, but not entirely unique, sound.

Soaring splendor meets in your face rock
Everyone says they sound like Radiohead. And as much as I love Thom Yorke and Co. I have to disagree. Radiohead have descended into a computer -advanced state in their music, using beeps and gliches. Longpigs went back to the basics -a bottle of booze and a microphone, to record "The Sun is Often Out". It in no way makes them a worse band, or alcoholics (though in some songs it is really obvious they had a couple) but this just helps accentuate what they are trying to express. These boys know what they're doing. They bounce back quickly and easily between heartbreak and in your face rock, which makes this all the more appealling. A very beautiful record.

Lost Myself
The opening track of The Sun Is Often Out, Lost Myself, is one of the most spectacular songs ever recorded. It's easily one of my top ten favorite songs, and I'd definitely say I'm more than just a casual music fan. That song alone has compelled me to write this review. The rest of the album is pretty good, but none of the other material even comes close to the volcanic opener. As soon as I listened to the above sample, I knew I had to own this immediately. Sometimes samples on Amazon can be deceiving in that they may only play the best or worst parts of songs, but the sample of Lost Myself on this site is well done. If you're at all moved by the rocking desperation heard in those 30 teasing seconds, then you must get a copy of this. The track is actually five minutes and four seconds long, surprisingly lengthy for such an unbelievable song, and absolutely breathtaking from start to finish. The only other song I can compare it to is Don't Hold Your Breath by Calla. Forgive me for investing all these words in one song alone, but it really is worth more typing than I could ever do. Generally, I wouldn't buy a cd for one song, but that's exactly what I did with this cd, and I don't have a single regret about it. The rest of the album is certainly good too, but again, I just have a hard time moving on after number one. Sample that track, and if you like it, don't hesitate to purchase The Sun Is Often Out.

Best of Britpop
The Longpigs first came to prominence in the U.K. in 1995, and this, their debut album showcases their incredible talents. This album does not have a single bad track. In between the opening chords of the first track and the closing drone of the hidden bonus song the Longpigs sketch out a landscape of distorted guitars, off-beat rhythms, gloriously impenetrable lyrics and impossibly high vocal lines that is uniquely their own. The first four tracks were released as singles and charted respectably in the U.K., and the rest of the ablum extends their vision and scope further while never straying too far from the Longpigs sound. The classic Longpigs sound is showcased on "She said". It builds and builds, it breaks down, it restarts, Crispin screeches lines like "As a matter of fact, i don't like to be scented so i'd like to smell myself instead", the guitars crunch and it's all over. Perfect 3 minute pop songs have never been this weird or crammed full of this many hooks. Other album highlighs include the plaintive sort-of-love song, "On and On", the crazy time signatures and speed changes on "Elvis" and the revivial of the quiet/loud dynamic on "All Hype".

The record still sounds fresh today, and if you like intelligent rock music, and if you agree that "The Bends" is the only Radiohead album worth worrying about, you'll love this.

Sadly the Longpigs were dealt a cruel hand by fate. The Britpop bubble burst in 1997, moving on to the po-faced mournings of the Verve and later Radiohead, and the Longpigs changed to a more sober, synth-laced sound, showcased on their second album, "Mobile Home"(1999). Gone were the 3 minute pop songs, gone were the hooks, gone was the off-kilter weirdness, and sadly gone were the tunes. It bombed. "The Sun is often out" is a poignant legacy to what might have been, but also a beautiful celebration of what was.

The Sun Continues to Shine
I echo the same thoughts of those who consider this a shining diamond in an the too brief life of a band. 'The Sun Is Often Out' combines the bravado of the Stone Roses, the emotion of Coldplay and Radiohead, and the Britpop epics of Mansun and Embrace. It's unfortunate because this album showed so much promise, potential and talent. But that's the great thing about music, the Longpigs are no longer with us...but the music will forever be documented for others to enjoy. ... Read more

Album Description

Third single off their critically acclaimed sophomore album, 'The Bends', originally released in 1995, backed with three non-LP tracks, acoustic versions of 'Fake Plastic Trees', 'Bullet Proof...I Wish I Was' and 'Street Spirit (Fade Out)'. Slimline jewel case. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

An essential element of any Radiohead single collection.
Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees" is one of the most moving songs ever committed to tape--and certainly one of the best rock "ballads" of the past twenty years. Legend has it that, after recording his vocal for the song in the studio, lead singer Thom Yorke broke down in tears. Hopefully, you've heard this song before and have borne witness to its ability to squeeze and wring emotions out of you like a wet washcloth...but if you haven't, buy this single IMMEDIATELY without reading any further. For those of you who are already privy to the masterpiece of this song and are looking to enhance your Radiohead single collections, however, please read on.

So you get THREE B-sides here; the only drawback is that they're only acoustic versions of previously released, Bends-era songs. But the good thing is that they're all GREAT versions! If I'm not mistaken, only Jonny and Thom appear on these songs. The acoustic version of "Fake Plastic Trees" helps you to appreciate what a daunting task it must be to be a member of Radiohead--a job in which you are forced to try to make Thom's songs sound BETTER than they do when they're played only by him on an acoustic guitar. The emotive dynamics on this version of the title cut are even more pronounced than they are in the full band version, and Thom's voice shines. "Bulletproof (I Wish I Was...)" is also presented in its stripped-down form, but still bears the ambient guitar ramblings that made the studio version so unique. The song is, on the whole, ridiculously underrated, and is one of Thom's favorite compositions. His angelic falsetto during the verse is raw beauty. But perhaps the best of these three acoustic numbers is "Street Spirit". Retaining the quickened pace that was often slowed down in later live performances, it does for the single what the studio track did for the album The Bends: it makes a great record a timeless gem. Once again, Thom's voice is the highlight of the track, floating seamlessly from anguish into requiem. His humming during the bridge sections is particularly enchanting. When he finally sings the song's last haunting line, "Immerse your soul in love," and strikes the final chord on his acoustic, you can only be left with a sense of quiet satisfaction--as though someone has whispered a calming secret to you and left you with a smile. And that's what's great about Thom Yorke's music. And it's what's great about this single, which does a better job than anything else in Radiohead's catalog at showing a good band growing and burgeoning into a legend, their genius frontman leading the way.

This is certainly an ESSENTIAL addition not only to any fan's single collection, but to ANY music-lover's library. The title track's masterful fusion of quiet lullabye and bombastic catharsis, coupled with the brtual honesty and endearing beauty of the three acoustic numbers, makes this record a purchase whose novelty will never wear thin. You won't be disappointed with this one, ladies and gentlemen. Buy now.

The Ultimate Radiohead Single.
words cannot describe this single. unlike many singles with contain ..remixes, radiohead is one band that puts in unreleased or live tracks as b-sides and i will always love them for that. the bends is one of my top 10 albums of all time. and that says a lot for this single. i think the acoustic version of fake plastic trees is also available on clueless soundtrack. but the one song that is worth the price of the single is the acoustic version of street spirits. totally spellbinding. i get chills by listening to that song. it can get scary at times but that version is one of the most engaging live performance ever by anybody. this is one great live performance of a great song from a band with great songs! get this single at all cost.

Simply Amazing
This is an excellent CD Single that starts out with an amazing album version of an amazing song, and then launches into three brilliant acoustic versions of Bends-era songs recorded live at Eve's Club in London. First of all, the CD starts out with the Album Version of Fake Plastic Trees. This is one of Radiohead's best songs, and that's saying a lot, as their body of work is completely stunning. Next on the CD is an acoustic version of Fake Plastic Trees, and it's as good, if not better than the original. Then comes one of the most underrated, and yet still massively appealing songs of the Bends album: Bulletproof... I Wish I Was. On this CD single, it is an acoustic version, and it gives me chills. The CD then closes with a song that leaves me shaking and stunned: an acoustic version of Street Spirit (Fade Out). If you don't already have this CD Single, and you are perhaps teetering on the fence wondering whether or not you should buy it, I highly urge you to get out to Best Buy right now and buy it, because you can find it for a dollar cheaper there than you can here.

It's the acoustic tracks that make ti CD
Wow,

I knew it would be good, and it was just that. A great leading track to the single and 3 fab....live and acoustic tracks make it the bomb.

Good work ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sirena, the second album from Cousteau, further demonstrates this group’s debt to Scott Walker, the Tindersticks, and, indeed, any young man who has ever put on a suit, turned the lights down low, and crooned sadly, sonorously, and edgily. Buoyed by dramatic pianos, subtle strings, and even the odd keening steel guitar, these anthems of bruised machismo frame singer Liam's rich and relaxed slides between warm baritone and caressing falsetto. If there's a drawback, it lies in the rhythmic and textural sameness of much of the material. But, at its best--"Nothing So Bad," "Heavy Weather," "Talking to Myself," and the deliciously sensual "Salome"--Sirena is an album of bittersweet bliss and old-fashioned swoon-pop values. --Garry Mulholland ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Another triumph
Cousteau's latest album, "Sirena," is hardly an advance over their first, and that should suit their fans just fine. Once again, there's something here to complement the listener's every mood, especially if you're in the mood to make out. Once again, the music is a combination of influences-Bacharach, Pink Floyd, It's a Beautiful Day-in blue. And, once again, the music is grounded in some of the smokiest male vocals since Scott Walker's solo albums. Indeed, if anything, Liam McKahey's instrument seems to have grown in terms of suppleness and range (hasn't he gained an octave on "Peculiarly You" and "Please Don't Cry"?). Davey Ray Moor's music is by turns effervescent and morose, showing McKahey's baritone to gorgeous advantage. If I have one gripe, it's that the lyrics are once again pretty lightweight, if never less than serviceable. What's Hal David doing these days? Wouldn't if be great to team Moor with David and have Walker produce? Nothing quite as catchy here as "The Last Good Day of the Year" or "Wish You Were Her," but plenty of instantly likeable hooks. My picks for singles: "(Damn These) Hungry Times" and "Have You Seen Her."

Sirena envelopes like warm, plush velvet
Confident, pliable vocals supported by a deceptively simple musical cast of characters hang behind the meter of a song to extend phrases in captivating ways. Lyrically and musically Cousteau/Moreau exude an intelligence and musicianship sorely lacking in today's music scene. Sirena envelopes my soul, heart and imagination like warm plush velvet. I am enchanted.

Good Listen
Can't believe that there's only 10 reviews for cousteau. I stumbled upon Cousteau with their first album and like their songs alot. Their music is very loungey, smokey, and should be listened to with a good drink in your hand. This new album picks off where they left off on their first album and after repeated listens, will have you singing along. There are definite highlights in this album which would be late september rain, nothing so bad, damn these hungry times, heavy weather, and she bruise easy. My favorites however, come from their first album with how will I know, and she dont hear your prayer.

Doing Bacharach Proud
Imagine a man that looks surprisingly like Mike Ness of Social Distortion, dresses like a GQ suit model and has the voice of Scott Walker crossed with Johnny Hartman, and you have a pretty clear picture of Liam McKahey, the lead vocalist of Cousteau. Add in that his amazing voice is the vehicle that brings to life beautifully crafted and orchestrated songs that sound like lost Burt Bacharach standards, and you have an understanding of Davey Ray Moore, the mastermind behind the material. Put these elements together and you have an understanding of Cousteau. Their second album, Sirena continues in the same vein as their first and shows a band that is more accomplished and better than most any band getting airplay today. The first track off the album, "Nothing So Bad" sounds like something written for Dusty Springfield during the Dusty In Memphis sessions - think "Just A Little Lovin'" with a silky baritone.

Cousteau con Gusto
We loved their first cd (eponomously titled 'Cousteau') and had a hunch that this next one would surpass it. Although this is by no means a poor follow-up, it simply lacks the specialness of the first and a song as good as "The Last Good Day of the Year" (whose riff you'd recognize from an oft-played car commercial). Nevertheless, Cousteau continue to make moody, sophisticated, dramatic music that would likely make Burt Bacharach proud and which stands out from virtually anything currently getting air-play. Here and there on the album, drama becomes bombast, but, by and large, the rich, multi-layered production (by leader Davey Ray Moore), arrangements, harmonies and especially the ground-floor vocals of Liam McKahey make for an enjoyable listening experience. And if Mr. Bacharach happens to read this (on a brisk day in Purgatory), might we suggest that he and Cousteau would make for a fitting and interesting collaboration. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Manic Street Preachers have come a long way from the raw Clash-style punky shoutings of their early singles and their later Guns N' Roses infatuation. Both The Holy Bible and Everything Must Go were albums to die for (almost literally: their old guitarist Richey James still hasn't been found since his disappearance a few years back), and this Welsh trio still have the capacity to enrage the most placid of souls. Some find their contradictions far too great to handle, others (this critic included) find them wonderfully inspirational. This Is My Truth is an elegant, epic album full of the huge choruses and direct slogans we've come to know and love. The No. 1 U.K. hit "If You Tolerate This, Your Children Will Be Next" is a deceptively subtle groover with a Motown-style beat--almost Jam's "A Town Called Malice" for the '90s. The windswept "Tsunami" uses sitars to get its message across, while "The Everlasting" is simply beautiful. OK, James Dean Bradfield may have a limited vocal range, but he sure has passion to spare. Four albums after they promised to break up, the Manics are still as impassioned as ever. --Everett True ... Read more

Reviews (103)

A quality release from the Manics
This was the Manics crowning achievement. Their first number 1 CD that contains their first number 1 single (If You Tolerate This..) The CD has a very world-weary feel, from the slow burning epic opener "The Everlasting" to the slow burning, epic closer "SYMM" The problem with this CD stems from the fact that the first 5 songs are absolutely brilliant (with Tsunami being the poppiest track the Manics have ever done, KYE included) and the rest of the album is fairly sluggish in comparison. That's not to say that there are not some great moments, such as "Nobody Loved You", a hard-rocking tribute to the MIA Richey James. Look out for the underrated "Black Dog on My Shoulder" as I think that song is superb...it has a nice 1930s feel to it. The best moment of the CD is easily when James repeats "In-between, In-between, In-between, In-between" right before the final rousing chorus of "Tsunami"...it'll send chills down your spine! Other highlights are "Ready for Drowning" and "You Stole the Sun From My Heart," a light-hearted rocker with a powerhouse chorus. In all, a different album from EMG (which is a terrific CD and highly recommended). Nicky's lyrics reflect a "tired of life" attitude....and SYMM is a disaster (Wire dodges the issue entirely...the lyric is more about writing a song about a disaster than it is the actualy tragedy). Still, with all of its faults it's a quality CD with a lot of great songs...and it broke the Manics into the super-star league in the UK.

Okay, I'll give it 3 and a half stars...
This album troubles me. There are some beautiful tunes here, including Everlasting, Tsunami, Ready For Drowning, and If You Tolerate This..., but the main problem is the album runs like syrup. One slow, langourous song after another. Any hint of the old Manics is just that, a hint. You listen in anticipation, cut by cut, thinking, "this will be the one where they open up and cut loose," but they never quite do. It's beautifully recorded and better than any of the twaddle you find on American hit radio, but I really wish they would have thrown in a couple more rockin' tunes. SYMM, I'm Not Working, Black Dog On My Shoulder, and My Little Empire are just plain boring. And Born A Girl may be the worst Manics song ever. Surprisingly, one of the best on this CD, Socialist Serenade, is included only as a bonus track. But at least it shows they can still rock. If you dump the five tracks listed above, then you have a really good collection of songs. Oh well, nice try guys, but I don't think THIS record will get you over to the American listener.(That's okay, we probably don't deserve you anyway.)

But now unforgiven, the everlasting!
This is a much more relaxed offer by the Manics and it's really good. It starts perfectly with one of my favourites songs ever "The Everlasting" and the first half of the record is excellent. However it starts to get way too slow in the middle and in the end.
NI!

Everything I love about music...
I have put off writing a review on this album simply because I don't think anything I could write would do it justice. This is one of the greatest releases of the 90s, and were it not for a couple of so-so tracks, I would put on the 'All-Time" list. Perhaps on the strength of the other songs this *is* and "All-Time greatest" album. No matter, though, because the Manics really outdid themselves on this one.

This was the first album by the Manics I ever purchased. Living in the States, I was not at all familiar with their music, and had only read a couple of (positive) reviews about them. The moment I heard the stirring strings and emotional chorus of opening track "The Everlasting", I was hooked.

"Everlasting", penned by bassist Nick Wire (as would all tracks on this album), is an autobiographical look of sorts at the history of the band. However, as it is written in the similar style to most Manics songs (metaphorically and full of grandiose statements), it can be viewed by the listener as look back at life, to see where we came from, and how we got here. Though the band now slag the song off and are hesitant to play it live, one gets the feeling that it is because the song hits a little too close to home, and exposes a bit more than they'd like. It certainly ha snothing to do with the quality of the song itself.

Moving on, the album only picks up steam with the next few tracks. "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" is a rousing anthem akin to "Design for Life", the standout track from the Manics previous (and equally stunning) album. A song (strangely) about the Spanish Civil War, "If you..." features an impassioned performance, musically and lyrically, by the band, culminating in the line in the bridge when vocalist james Dean Bradfield sings "And on the streets tonight an old man plays with newspaper cuttings fo his glory days".

Other standouts on the album include the rocking "You Stole the Sun From My Heart", the string-laden ballad "Black Dog On My Shoulder", the rousing "tsunami", with its sitar (!) and washes of keyboards, and the soaring "Nobody loved You", an emotional tribute to missing lyricist/guitarist Richey Edwards.

Musically, the production runs from the grandiose and luxurious (Everlasting, If You Tolerate...etc.) to the quiet and reflective (Born a Girl, My Little Empire, etc.) Guitarist and principal songwriter James Bradfield, along with drummer Sean Moore, create a vast canvas of music that runs the gamut of styles. Always intriguing, never boring, the duo (and Bradfield, in particular), show that they are among the greatest arrangers of their generation.

Speaking of Bradfield, his vocals on this album are nothing short of spectacular. I'm not sure which album the Amazon.com reviewer was listening to for the above review, but contrary to what he wrote, Bradfield's range seems only to improve with age, and his performance on songs such as The Everlasting and If You Tolerate This...really showcase his natural singing ability. Even on the earlier, louder, Manics albums, Bradfield always "sung" more than "screamed", but it has only been recently that his true talent in that area really shines through. Everyone already knew he was an excellent guitarist (his work here does nothing to dispel that notion).

Lyrically, Nicky Wire has produced another interesting, thought-provoking, occasionally-annoying series of songs for Bradfield to croon. As with any Wire product, some lines are simply brilliant ("No vendettas, just a cherry blossom tree") to annoying ("But it's really not the kind of thing that people want to hear us sing") to the downright bad ("Delirium on helium"--ouch). Still, it is obvious Nicky writes form his heart, and the honesty comes across clearly in the context of the music.

one more beef to point out: the Manics have this habit of hanging on for a song or two too long on albums, and "This IS My truth" is no exception. "I'm not working" plods on for over 6 minutes and really doesn't do much, whilst "SYMM", though captivating musically, suffers from a very substandard lyrical composition from Wire.

Beyond those minor greivances, though, lies a tremendous album. I have owned the album for over five years now, and each time I listen to it it sounds as fresh an invigorating as the first time I put it in. This certainly ranks up there with "Everything Must Go" among the best of the Manics' very fine career.

Brilliant
Forget the Oasis', Travis' and Coldplays of this world. This is British music at its very, very best. A political band that give real meanings to their songs to great effect. The CD casts a spell on the listner with special songs, most notable being 'The Everlasting', 'If you Tolerate this', 'You Stole the Sun from my Heart' and 'Tsunami'. If you enjoy british music i can not reomend this to you enough! You will not be disappointed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is a live record to cherish. Getting Away with It is a valedictory wave of the flower-petal handkerchief from James founder and singer Tim Booth, who announced his decision to leave the band late in 2001. Recorded at a celebratory hometown show (in Manchester) on the band's farewell tour, the crowd--clapping louder than hailstones hitting a corrugated roof--egg the group on all the way to the checkered flag. They honestly incorporate the odd technical glitch (a bit of feedback from the dobro) and profane slip of the tongue (Booth apologizes to his mum in the audience for a four-letter outburst), and there's no questioning the grandiose melodic momentum ("Laid," "Sometimes," "Sit Down") evident in the hit-laden set list. Despite accusations of conceited arena-rock posturing and winsome folk-thrumming, James wrote some fine songs. Many of them are here. One suspects we haven't heard the last of them (or of Booth) yet. --Kevin Maidment ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Farewell Concert to Remember
Yeah, I've heard of James. They did that album "Laid," but I don't know much else. PICK UP THIS ALBUM. If you love/like Brit pop-rock, this is a must for any collector. The fact that it's probably the last time lead singer Tim Booth will perform with the band makes it that much more memorable. For a band that has always thrived on chaos, they come without their armor and have one freakin' good time.

Recorded in Manchester in December of 2001, with nothing to prove, the band puts out for 16,000 fans. The songs are sung as gifts to an audience that came to say "thanks" rather than coming with owed expectations. The loose feel of the concert is captured throughout, from the easy stage banter and peaking with the singalong of the audience with Booth on the band's greatest U.S. hit "Laid."

All 22 songs on this album have never sounded better. Each one is on target, switching from smooth guitars and harmonies to swirling arena anthems belted by Booth with backing vocals by the band. James executes both crunching rock and heartfelt acoustic ballads. "Getting Away with It," mixes dizzying guitar work from Saul Davies with Booth's smooth chimes. "Ring the Bells" opens with blasts from drummer Dave Baynton-Power and goes from zero to sixty by song's end. Radio friendly "I Know What I'm Here For," made me realize that I would have listened to more radio in the 90's if they played songs like this.

Knowing that this is the last recorded concert by James makes this album more precious. After listening, you'll hope it's not the last.

4 1/2 stars really...
Where can I begin? For starters, since I've never seen nor heard James live in concert, this double CD will have to do. GAWI...L is James live at their final concert (w/Tim Booth anyway) in Manchester, England, recorded Dec. 7th, 2001. It is also James at their very finest, performing their songs with such beauty and poetry. The hometown crowd manages to show their appreciation through cheers and sing-a-longs. Compared to their studio performances, the band gives their songs a spontaneity and freshness that in some cases make the live versions better than the studio versions! In any case, GAWI...L is a fitting testimony for a band that's been together for almost twenty years! Songs like "Sometimes", "Laid", "God Only Knows", and "Sound" reveal the band's unique and passionate take on folksy art-rock music. The highlight is the closer "Sit Down" where both Tim and the audience sing a slowed-down version of the song. Anyways, with twenty-two songs (about two hours worth of music), James put on a stellar performance. It's a shame that Tim is leaving the band. But at least, they left us this fine live concert recording which we can listen to again and again! BTW, in case you didn't know, the DVD is also available! (but only in the UK, and it's Region 2, PAL format) The DVD, however, does not include "I Know What I'm Here For" and "Hymn From A Village". Assuming your DVD player can play Region 2 DVD's in the PAL format, I'd highly recommend it! (you can get it through amazon.co.uk) In addition to the live performances, it comes with other additional features!

Wow!!
I`ve never been a huge James fan.The only cd`s I have are Seven and Laid.The other day I saw the DVD of this particular concert in our local record bar and decided to take a chance on it,seeing that I`d probably never get to see them live.
The DVD blew me away.Their music comes across so much more powerful live than on their studio albums.
A song that I`d never heard before,"Waltzing along",is stunning.
Two former members of the band,Andy Diagram(trumpet)and Larry Gott(guitar)also appear on some of the tracks.
The picture quality and sound are excellent on the DVD.
Highly recommended!!!

If only I'd had the chance to hear them live...
I listen to this CD and think "dammit, why did I only just get introduced to this band three years ago and why do I live in the U.S.!?" I envy any of you Americans out there who had the chance to see James in the States. And, of course, now it's too late to see them anywhere. But...on with a review.

For any James fan, this album sells itself. And I'll admit, even though I only started listening to James three years ago, I have managed to amass all of their albums, my point being that I'm a bit biased. Speaking of, I also envy any of you out there that have your hands on any James singles before Millionaires, especially those containing songs left off their album of B-sides.

Anyway, the highlights of this 2-discer for me are, in no particular order, "Sit Down", "Johnny Yen", and "Protect Me". I find that there are a number of things one can do to improve a song for a live performance: add accoustic guitar, slow it down a bit, and/or throw in some nice piano playing. The best example of any of this is "Sit Down". Appropriately, it's the last song (and decidedly my favo(u)rite after hearing this recording) of the concert. Here, it starts off with a very nice piano part, and it's funny because it takes the audience more than a few moments to figure out (at least to me) which song they're hearing. But there's the piano and the first verse, before the chorus chimes in, which is slowed down a great deal and, as a result, even more poignant.

I won't ramble on much longer, only to say this. For me a great live album re-emphasizes just how great a band is and just how truly wonderful are their songs. I go away from this album with a better understanding of every song here, loving many of them even more, and, as someone on the west side of the pond, very happy to hear an entire crowd singing soulfully along with Tim Booth, having only encountered a handful of people over here who know who James are, and even fewer who can name a song beyond "Laid".

Buy this album and enjoy!!

Live, raw, different, often better...
It's incredibly sad to see Tim Booth leave James... although not technically a founding member, Booth has shaped much of what most people know as James from the voice to the words.

This cd is a romp and party through everything that James has been. Fans of James will get to know their favorite songs all over again.

And the enthusiasm that is quite apparent on this album is very, very contagious. If you're a fan of James or just a fan of live music done well this is a great aquisition. Not a bad introduction to the James sound and soul for the uninitiated, either.

and to the writer of "The Orange Review"... it's "fought with kitchen knives and SKEWERS" not squares. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The fact they wear Buffalo Springfield T-shirts and title-one tune "Crown of Creation" (namely, the Jefferson Airplane) says it all about this English quartet's love of psychedelic-era American rock. On their third album, patchouli-scented, suede-fringed fare like "1000 Miles," "Natural Grace" and "Endless Road" are appealing if a triffle lightweight. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A shimmering album from a disintegrating band
Yes, there does seem to be a "love it"/"hate it" division among Ride fans on this album. Recorded at a tense time in the band's (rapidly ending) history, _CoL_ was, in many ways, a departure from previous efforts such as _Nowhere_ and _Going Blank Again_ (which some critics believe firmly put the band under the early '90s "shoegazer" label). Still, this album has some lush standouts (although apparently divided by Mark's songs on the first part of the album, followed by Andy's contributions). As one reviewer has already mentioned, there are Byrds-esque flavors to some of their songs, particularly "1000 Miles" and "Natural Grace". There is the 'old Ride' wall of swirling guitar on "Moonlight Medicine" and "Birdman" (with Andy's John/Yoko-like reference to his wife, Idha). And there is also the wistfulness of "Only Now" and "From Time to Time" (the latter with its incessant, hypnotic electric and acoustic guitars). A standout is the short yet haunting instrumental "Rolling Thunder". For new Ride listeners, give this one a try as you go to purchase a copy of "Going Blank Again"; it will give you insight into the range of music produced by this highly underrated yet influential (many artists cite Ride as a fave) band.

Excellent - best album Ride has made.
Carnival of Light is a progressive, guitar-driven melodic album that compares favourably with the best of the Stone Roses, Charlatans, and The Verve type material. More earthy than their previous albums, and bearing some 70's riffs to drive their ethereally pensive song-writing.

Black bird flying in the sky... Please don't look me in the eye... You are very very lucky. Its never easy to find me...

If you've found "Carnival of Light", you have found a gem which should be a standard in any record collection. The band Ride is one of the best kept secrets of the 1990's.

Ride evolved
Ride always tried to do something different, while most others would indulge and give us incoherent work that get critics raving, Ride kept what I think was their greatest asset: simple, haunting and beautiful melodies. The drums unfortunately take a backseat here in favour of the hammond but it still is fascinating to hear them change their sound in a way I never thought possible. 'Only Now' is probably the most accessible song on the album and represents a rich tapestry of southern rock and British noodling. It's a great album by a great band.

If I could give this zero stars, I would.
When I think back on the great music of that era, this record represents the biggest wart possible. Simply awful.

Brilliant English Psychedelic Rock
True Ride fans dismiss this album as an unfortunate move away from the noisy ambient guitar rock pioneered on the previous releases "Nowhere" and "Going Blank Again". Even the band distanced themselves from it in mid-90s interviews, claiming that they attempted retro 60s style rock when they were not ready for it. This release originally came out in 1994, when the shimmering vocal harmonies, elaborate studio production, and 60s sounding guitars were 100% opposed to the noisy 90s grunge rock aesthetic. While it has ever since been dismissed as wimpy REM style pop, a fresh listen will prove that it is in fact one of Ride's strongest, most tuneful, and best produced albums. Like a good bottle of wine the album has aged quite well, and wears it's 60s rock influences quite well. The album was clearly ahead of its time in referencing The Buffalo Springfield - rather like the denim sheepskin coats that they wear in the liner notes. And the guitars aren't at all delicate or fey - just listen to the crunch of "How Does it Feel to Feel", a cover originally by The Creation, or the blistering backwards 60s guitar solo on "Crown of Creation". In short, this album contains some of their finest moments. If you still need further proof - Andy Bell now calls "Only Now" his best and favorite Ride song. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

best james album, and that's saying something
I've listened to James since their first album, Stutter, fell in love with them with Sit Down, and will continue to love them in the future. SEVEN made me into a James-aholic. Every song hits you, from the urgency of Born of Frustration to the heart-pounding beauty captured in the title track. Every time I hear this album, I wish it would never end. By far, this is their most even and complete album. LAID has some powerful tracks, but its songs stand apart from each other. SEVEN is a great band at its best and most together, musically, lyrically, and spiritually.

love can mean anything...
ok, let me start off by saying that this is one of my favourite albums in the entire world...and i'm a music junkie so that's saying quite a lot. i had listened to james prior to the release of "seven" in 1992 and even owned several of their previous albums but it was this record that made me fall in love with the band and decide to get everything they had ever touched with their talented little paws. it's the texture of the music and the way that it builds sonically that grabbed me...and grabs me to this day, i might add. plus the lyrics are classically james as well, thoughtful and intelligent poetry that talks of real things in a meaningful way.

some of the highlights for me are the songs "ring the bells," "seven," (from which i got the title of this review) and of course "born of frustration," the single that had a very short-lived run on college radio here in the states. "live a love of life" tackles some interesting religious questions and spiritual dilemmas, another classic james issue, and the song "don't wait that long" is truly incredible as well - i have a lot of memories of lying in a drunken broken-star formation in the dark with my friends and listening to that song over and over again. ah, the good ol' days of college...i sure don't miss that at all.

but back to james - the song "heavens" is another amazing little snippet of musical and lyrical genius...
"i've been looking through microscopes to see how our life begins,
i've been training my lens on the stars to see where it ends
but it's this living in-between that is bringing me down..."
now how can you argue with that? that's good stuff, man, and if you could hear the music with it, i'm sure you'd totally agree with me...or else.

one more interesting little tidbit about the song "sound" - i read an interview a long time ago with tim booth, the lead singer, and he said that the part at the end where he yells "do something out of character" and other things of that nature was totally ad-libbed and organic. they were in the studio recording and he wanted the band to break out of playing it the way they were used to and started yelling things out, things that happened to fit so well with the music that they kept it that way. pretty cool, eh?

so blah, blah, blah...i obviously highly recommend this album, and most of the other james albums as well. an amazing record by an amazing band - you're definitely missing out if you love music and haven't heard and assimilated this little gem.

I lost my viginity to this album.
side two actually. the album image kinda freaked out my gf at the time, but this album will always bring a smile to me, for those long summer nights in LA.

San Francisco--"James" 1st live appearance in the US!
And yes, i was there in San Francisco for it. They were awesome, even though i'd never heard of them before. But in SF, if you hear about some live music downtown, near the water, of course you go check 'em out! At that time, they gave all of us free albums just for being there. I've recommended them to others and they all seem to share my appreciation. Energy along with melodious alternative sound. If you get a chance to see 'em live, do, they're great showmen! I'm gonna name my first-born son James....(OK, maybe not because of the band, but they don't need to know that!)

Their best album by a mile
A highlight of the musical scene of the beginning of the 90's. Though mainly considered somewhat of a 'students' album, 'SEVEN' has has become much more than that.

Vastly superior to the bands other albums, 'SEVEN' has a feeling of timelessness about it. The album speaks to the listener, appealing to all emotions that we experience, love, hate, joyful optimism, despair and anger.

I remember listening to this on my headphones on long coach trips. It took me away and made the trip an actual 'journey'.

From the opening, tingling notes of 'Born of Frustration' to the closing 'Seven' the listener will be part of the album.

Highlights of the album are 'Born of Frustration', the aching duet 'Don't wait that long' and the mournfully sweet 'Heavens'.

A snapshot in time from a band who were at their peak. Relive those memories. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Groovy Train
Hadn't heard this for a long time, till I picked it up in a used CD bin for a buck. Wow this record has aged well, great grooves splashed with dancehall, reggae and more. And with Ryder's unmistakeable vocals layered on top of everything...get on this groovy train, you don't need a ticket...

Stop being a menace
Pretty much a Happy Mondays continuation, but less frantic. 'Straight' was a big hit in the UK, and is a surprisingly successful album, mixing bizarre stream-of-consciousness narration with indie beats, a bit like The Fall but happier. It came out at the heigh of britpop and helped soundtrack the summer of '95, with 'Reverend Black Grape', 'In the Name of the Father' and 'Kellys Heroes' getting masses of airplay on the briefly funkified Radio One. They're all fun singles - lots of beats and guitars and samples with Shaun Ryder over the top and Bez probably dancing somewhere in the studio - and the rest of the album is just as well-crafted. 'A big day in the north' is an atmospheric sort-of-ballad, 'Tramazi Party' is a shout-along terrace-anthem that never was, and it peters out towards the end but is still good fun.

It shouldn't really work, but it does - Ryder can't sing in a conventional sense, he has a vocal range of one wobbly semitone, but his semi-rapping, semi-whining voice is amazingly soulful, and whilst dancer and hanger-on Bez doesn't even appear on the record his vibe seem to exude forth from the speakers. The production is deviously clever, putting the above into a professional framework, and it's basically the Happy Mondays, but more modern.

Best of all, 'Kelly's Heroes' contains the all-time classic lyric 'Jesus was a black man, no, Jesus was Batman, no no no - that was Bruce Wayne!'. And a completely incomprehensible chorus.

Simply superb
'Its great...' is a stupendously good album that swaggers jauntily out of your stereo and infests your house with a sleazy, addled vibe. Like all things nasty, you know its not really good for you but you just can't help reaching for the volume control. Number eleven is the setting of choice.

Its as if the Happy Mondays had never split up only the music is slicker and more precise and provides a marvellous backdrop for the wailing, pestering rhyming of Shaun Ryder's nonsense lyrics, undercut with a velvety delivery provided by Kermit. The album fuses heavy beats with a large dollop of funk, wailing guitars and throbbing baselines and, there is no other way of putting this, positively oozes out of your speakers.

The closest reference point is Pills, Thrills & Bellyaches by the Happy Mondays but 'Its great...' takes the next step with a crafted and polished version of the Mondays mayhem that is all the more amazing for Ryder's long absence from any recording studio.

Don't hesitate one second more - this one is worth your hard earned cash.

Original and Brilliant
This is easily one of the best CD's I own...this music is just so amazing! Nothing comes close to Big Day In The North, In The Name Of The Father.....BUY IT NOW!!!!

Class
It's the best album I've ever heard:it's beyond reproach. Nothing (NOTHING) has come near to equalling "Reverend Black Grape". Unstoppable. ... Read more

Album Details

All New Material ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Perhaps not their best, but very good nonetheless
There were only two major hits off the album, namely "Don't Marry Her" and "Rotterdam (Or Anywhere)". The rest is surprisingly good, with tracks like "Little Blue", "Artificial Flowers" and the witty and dark "Liar's Bar" really make this a worthwhile buy. However, overall this is not as good an effort as what their previous work is - a little melodramatic sometimes, perhaps there are too many ballads. On the other hand, production is excellent, and really makes your sound system come alive. Go and get it if you're already a fan.

If you are new to the band, then this may just not be the best place to begin. I would definitely get their best of compilation "Carry On Up The Charts" first. Alternatively, check out some of their earlier releases, such as "0898".

Not their best, but who cares about being the best?
I have seen this record being blasted by many reviewers and I am standing up for it because I happen to be that little boy depicted in the front cover of the album. But seriously, how can you find faults with a great album such as this? It's crime is probably being too catchy and at times the lyrics are borderline crass and wit.

It is not fair to compare this to Beautiful South's other albums as everyone of them is rather unique. If you expect them to make every album like 0898, then perhaps you should have bought more copies of 0898. This is a five-star record without any doubt. The tunes are incredibly catchy and the lyrics are still nothing less than amusing. Is this a good first album of Beautiful South to purchase? I don't see why not although I would have to say 'Welcome to Beautiful South' will be more appropriate as it is one of the best compilations around.

I have yet to get sick of "Rotterdam," and my friends in my car still wince when they listen to "Don't Marry Her." I still hum to "Little Blue" when I am stuck in boring corporate meetings. So how can I give this album anything less than five stars? (...)

A pop MASTERPIECE! Quality songwriting!
I must say that this is one of the best BS releases by far! The songs are melodic, memorable, and pin the sarcasm meter! This IS typical BS fare (thank Dog for that!), and Dave's incredible heartfelt ditty 'Little Blue' is a goosebump inducing delight! I had the pleasure of listening to this well recorded and mastered CD on my new Magneplanar speakers and McIntosh amp (high end stuff). To be able to hear every little nuance wash over you on some great sounding speakers really brings home that fact that when quality pop music meets quality production meets quality equipment, the end result is an EARgasm! 'Blue Is The Colour' sets the standard in my book! Don't miss this one!

What's the problem?
This is as biting and sarcastic and beautiful a masterpiece as --South has put out. I've neglected to review it here because I've been too busy listening to it. It's extremely melodic from start to finish. Maybe it's too polished for some of their fans. The gift is their ability to sing about prostitution,alcoholism,unfaithfulness,and loneliness without being maudlin or preachy or really very humorous. It's almost more...mean spirited in a nice sort of way. No other band could put the f word in a soft pop number but issue the word with the same emphasis as you would use the word duck or apple. Classic South if you ask me.

Great in parts...
For the most part a good album with a blues/folk feel and some rather angry and cynical lyrics.
The best known songs here are the saucy 'Don' Marry Her' and the social commentary - 'Rotterdam'. There are several songs about social ills from the mind and emotions of the afflicted, exploring themes from the mind of a prostitute - 'Mirror', an alcoholic-'Liar's Bar', the homeless - 'The Sound of North America', the lonely -'Alone', the abandoned orphan - 'Artificial Flowers' and others. These are sometimes good, sometimes too melancholy , cynical and bitter. My favourite songs on this CD are 'Rotterdam', 'Mirror', 'Foundations, and 'Have Fun' all fantastic pieces that I can listen to over.
But there are other parts that bogged down however. ... Read more

Album Description

The British guitar band's 1997 debut album features 11tracks. EMI. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Lush, Dark, Hypnotic - GET IT!!
This is one of the best debut albums of all time.The artistry and production is not something one comes across most albums these days. The music is (as others have noted) like updated Pink Floyd mixed with post-punk sounds of The Cure but that comparison doesn't really do it justice. The songs flow into one another gracefully. Some of my favorite moments on this album are the quieter ones where you hear air-raid sirens and church bells, and farm animals(?). The best tracks are "The Chad Who Loved Me", "Wide Open Space", "Mansun's Only Love Song", and "Take It Easy, Chicken". I love the way the beat changes into a synth dance form in the middle of "Taxloss". I have to disagree with some of the other reviewers opinion of the best song being "Dark Mavis". It's a great song, but I feel it drags on a little longer than necessary. I haven't heard their 2nd album "Six" yet, but I plan on picking it up real soon. "AotGL" is one of the most powerful listening experiences of the '90s.

Fantastic Album
With the advent of Hanson and Marilyn Manson, this band's name is unfortunate -- whenever I talk about them, I always have to preface who I'm talking about because people get confused. I bought this album on the strength of "Wide Open Space", the only single I'm aware of that got any radio play.

This is too bad, because this is a wonderful album. I've found more often these days a good album is a rare thing; maybe a song or two is worth your time, but many albums stink, overall. But "Attack of the Grey Lantern" is very British and very listenable. I find it hard to classify -- there is a strongly hypnotic keyboard element to them, but they're not an overproduced electronica band. Paul Draper's singing voice has an androgynous quality that is simultaneously world-weary and resonant. There are hints of Pink Floyd in the production, but hints of something else, too -- I think the Cure influences their work, too, and the Stone Roses.

The tracks play into one another (the Floyd influence) with assorted sounds intermingled between songs. In fact, "The Chad Who Loved Me" begins and "Dark Mavis" ends with the same theme, so if you listen to this album on continuous play, it's hard to tell whether it's beginning or ending, because of that keyboard music binding the two songs together. "Mansun's Only Love Song" is excellent, as is "Take It Easy, Chicken" -- both of those tracks are treats to listen to with headphones.

I haven't heard anything from Mansun since this album, so I don't know what their status is as a band, but I thoroughly enjoyed this album, and am curious to hear what they'd do with follow-up works.

As good as Six
I don't quite get all these people saying it's not as good as Six.

Anyhow, what we have here is a something that would never happen with an American band. But let's not talk about that. Let's talk about Paul Draper's evil, evil voice. You hear metal artists try to make their voices sound devil-esque. Paul Draper sounds like Satan's lawyer... or maybe his crooked accountant, or his agent or bookie. Satan may seem to run the show, but Paul Draper is who owns 85% of the souls in hell, and he uses them to make some great tunes. I can make my case point just by playing "Naked Twister". That effortless, creepy vibrato laced falsetto that seeps into your body like a cloudy gas of sorts. He does that sort of thing throughout this solemly beautiful album. The songwriting and structure here might not be as random and fascinating as on Six, but they find other ways to keep your attention. Each one is an imaginative, dark, eclectic composition that I'm sure you'll either admire, think evil thoughts about, or find some marginal reason to dismiss them as a sum of their influences (rock critics/uptight musicians who use words like "dark", "eclectic", "solemn", and "composition"; but can nary create or display any of them). Don't miss the point. Just get this album (less than $2 used right now, actually). My only complaint is that I really wish this one had "Stripper Vicar" instead of "Take it Easy, Chicken"... I haven't heard "Stripper Vicar", but the other one is my least favorite track on the album.

A good debut, though not as good as Six
Having read all this great stuff about 'Attack of the Grey Lanturn' and being a proud owner and lover of their second album 'Six', I had no hesitation in purchasing this record. However, it did disappoint me just slightly. On 'Six', there is a sense of wonder at the incredible, progressive musical experiments and charmingly mad nature of what's going on. On 'Attack of the Grey Lanturn', the songs don't seem to be as well-written at their core. Nevertheless, its a very interesting album, really unlike anything else.

It begins brightly with the pleasent, orchestral 'The Chad Who Loved Me' with its rumbling guitar and epic scope (still no match for the title track of 'Six', which opens it) and the rather mad dance-y camp groove of 'Mansun's Only Love Song'. It, and many songs on here, would be somewhat mislabelled under Indie Rock, being far more reliant on synthesisers etc than guitars, although their subsequent albums are more guitar-based.

'Taxloss' however is irritating and its stupid tune and overblown nature leaves you desperate to just put something else on by its 3rd minute, let alone the 7th. The acoustic, yearning 'You. Who Do You Hate?' is much better, and when it explodes into heavy rock it is extremely cool. 'Wide Open Space' follows and its an expertly constructed exercise in paranoia like Radiohead with a poppier melodic core, but doesn't quite match up to its equivalent off Six, 'Legacy'.

'Stripper Vicar' is quite Blur-ish in its very English pop melody and lyrical comic cheekiness. It also seems influenced by Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, however there's a rockier twist here on both bands. Its opposite number on Six would probably be 'Being A Girl', and again its not quite as good, but nevertheless a cool single. 'Disgusting' begins with a gothic, chilling soundscape and moves into an echoing synth-driven number which still has a quite dark feel. 'She Makes My Nose Bleed' despite its awful title is very well constructed with its keyboard-and-guitar combination and another dark feel.

'Naked Twister' has a really epic, memorable chorus and is an album highlight. However its followed by the awful 'Egg-Shaped Fred' which sounds like a parody of Britpop performed by a metal band. 'Dark Mavis', too, is a beautiful closer, building and yearning, with good lyrics, and ends with the same orchestral theme that 'The Chad Who Loved Me' has, adding to the feel of concept and unity for the album.

You need to be in the right mood for Mansun: if you're in a bad mood, they'll irritate you more and just sound overblown and annoying. When you're in the right mood, this is great to listen to, and this is clearly an accomplished album, but it really doesn't come close to Six, which is a 5 star album by all accounts. This album started out disappointing me heavily, but its grown from a 2-star rating to 3 1/2-stars with repeated listens. Just make sure you skip 'Taxloss' and 'Egg-Shaped Fred'.

Buy this right now.
From the beautiful dramatic string drenched beginning to the beautiful dramatic string drenched end, this is one great composition. I just got this album, and it is a very winter sounding album. It's primary use for me has been for when I feel a little down. My favorite track is track 6 ("You, Who Do You Hate", I think). It shows the subtle side of Draper's voice, and you don't at all need to understand what he's talking about to fall in love with his voice. ... Read more

Album Details

Their 'disco' Song, the Third Single from "Silence is Easy'. Features Remixes from Thin White Duke (Aka Jacques Lu Cont) and Soulsavers, plus a Rare Unreleased B-side. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great band does it again
It's one of those albums you can just put in the CD player and let it run - all good quality, no duds. You still get to hear James' distinctive vocals but this album is way more upbeat that the first.

The other good news is that since they have yet to hit it big in the US you can still catch them live cheaply in small venues - we've seen them twice in Seattle and even got to stand next to them during the warm up band session! They are AWESOME live! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nothing prepared fans for quite such a return to form from Paul Weller. The mood was autobiographical, most notably on "Has My Fire Really Gone Out" and on the title track--both of which dealt with the writer's block that plagued Weller after the Style Council. And yet Wild Wood is anything but morose. Flutes and sun-dazed guitars create pastoral moods. "Shadow of the Sun" takes stock of youthful idealism and finds wisdom of years, and "Sunflower" is a superlative burst of psychedelic power pop. But it's the instrumental passages and interconnecting refrains that truly reveal their author's attention to detail and give Wild Wood an edge over the rest of his solo material. --Peter Paphides ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Does it get any better?!?!?!
Paul Weller's self titled debut album brought us smooth rhythms, funky bass, Rickenbacker guitar driven songs, and a smooth voice that gave us a nice jazz/funk/rock/soul album. Kiss it goodbye. You gotta hand it to Paul, you never know what he's gonna do next. "Wild Wood", a soaring masterpiece, is kicked off with the head down rocker, "Sunflower", the album's first single. It's a wistful thumping rock song that is rich in guitar hooks. Next Paul tackles religion in the captivating "Can You Heal Us Holy Man?" in which Paul puts a stellar performance, but you're left wondering if Al Green had done it before. Then the man breaks out the acoustic guitar, the soul of this album. Paul makes such use of the acoustic guitar and his cigarette worn voice that you wonder if he's really of this planet. Far too good to be, isn't he? He breaks your heart in the beautiful "All the Pictures on the Wall?", and astounds you with "Country" and "Foot of the Mountain". What's the matter, too much soft stuff? Alright, try the rocking "The Weaver", or the stomping "5th Season." He soars in majestic beauty on "Shadow of the Sun", professes faith and determination in "Has My Fire Really Gone Out?", and churns out a gorgeous ballad with "Moon On Your Pyjamas," which sings of innocence and hope ("I hope the world will heal itself, and warm our souls along with it, so that you get the chance to say that you have seen a brighter day"). The apex however, is the closer, "Hung Up". A song, which Oasis' Noel Gallagher claims to be the best song of the 90s thus far. It's a gorgeous acoustic ballad that builds to a full blown full band extravaganza and recedes within about 3 minutes. It's the perfect closing to a perfect album. This album is spotless, and a vital addition to anyone's CD collection. THIS is what Weller fans have meant by talking about his genius all these years......

The "ModFather" Strikes Gold!
Well, let me start by saying that this is going to be a very biased review, considering the fact that I believe Paul Weller to be one of the coolest individuals to ever live. And I adore most of his music (the reason I didn't say "all" can be summed up in two words: Style Council). But he really launched into the stratosphere with this album. I can honestly find no fault with this wonderful CD. It's all there. If you want to rock out, listen to "Sunflower" or "Fifth Season". If you want to relax, try "All The Pictures on the Wall" or "Moon on Your Pyjamas". And if you're an acoustic fan, "Foot of the Mountain" is your song. Needless to say there's a lot more, but the only way you can find out is to pick up a copy of your own. Do so immediately!!

Pure class!!!!
Very simple, this is one of the best albums ever recorded and shows the full range of weller's vocals that surpasses anything. I never get tired of it as it always manages to take me away from wherever I am and in my book is faultless.

Sorry, The Fire HAS Gone Out
All sane people agree that The Jam was huge on so many levels. I don't care what anyone else says, The Style Council was Weller's creative apex (most people don't appreciate truly good food either). Wildwood is perhaps the best of Weller's solo material but c'mon, it's a shell of his former brilliance. So much of it is generic and forgettable. I saw him live in LA this summer and it was fine, but the creative well of new material is dry.

A Modern Trad-Rock Classic
"Wild Wood" is both Paul Weller's best recording and the best contemporary take on classic British rock. Elements of Traffic, Small Faces, Beatles, and Stones are all evident and combined to perfection. In short, if you think they stopped making great albums around 1972, pick up this disc! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A grim mood stalks the Super Furry Animals' spellbound sixth studio album, but, luckily, brilliant music spirits away the thematic gloom as florid semi-acoustic ballads and technicolor glam rock keeps the darkness at bay. Take "Hello Sunshine," a sleepy Beatles-esque number in which Gruff Rhys stands proud on a Freak Power ticket: "I'm a minger / You're a minger too / So come on mingers / I want to ming with you." When Phantom Power is bleak, it's startlingly so. The Stooges-like "Out of Control" is as dark as any Furries song to date. But more often this collection is playful: Rhys appropriates the language of blues and twists it in modern angles on the galloping, glammy "Golden Retriever," while "Slow Life" finds keyboardist Cian Ciaran's demonstrating a skill for electronic assimilation that's previously proved elusive. Sure, it's a jumble, but, like the Beatles' White Album, it hangs together. --Louis Pattison ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Masters of all Genres
Phantom Power, the Furries sixth effort, is not as purely riveting as Fuzzy Logic or radiator, but it brings a new side of hte Furries to the table. This mature SFA has a new mission: to be masters of every musical genre. This mission sounds like what Beck might be doing, but the Super Furry Animals approach multi-genre-ing with a persistent, perfectionist appeal, trying to master each genre they tackle.
"Hello Sunshine" and "Bleed Forever" are piano-based pop tunes, sounding Beatlesque and pre-psychadelia, like a concise Elton John tune.
"Liberty Belle" and "The Undefeated" are Beach Boys Pet-Sounds-era good-vibe songs, with catchy backing harmonies in the choruses and many instruments that give the feel of tropicalia in the songs.
"Golden Retriever" is a bluesy Zepplinesque song that masters stroy-telling bluesmen.
"Sex, War and Robots" is a country ballad that goes slower than molasses but electrifies with its beauty.
"The Piccolo Snare" and "Cityscrape Skybaby" are anticlimactic songs in the style of Radiohead's "Exit Music for a Film"-they use many verses and as the music gets louder and faster they hit an uplifting chorus to end the song. Purely cinematic.
"Venus and Serena" is the closest to the Fuzzy Logic era Furries genre-straight ahead psychadelia alternative pop/punk. The song uses fuzzy guitars to lead to a harmonic psychadelic chorus.
"Father Father #1" and #2" are great instrumentals, a genre that the furries have played with throughout their careers.
"Out of Control" is straight on hard rock with a Doors-like blues edge to it.
"Valet Parking" could also be called Pet Sounds era, but it is more the Mamas and the Papas; it uses an acoustic-tinged riff with ba-ba-bas from the Furries to play under a harmonic tale of a care trip across Europe.
Finally, "Slow life" is the Furries own genre; lengthy, epic keyboard, techno jam. Don't miss this album for the world.

Masters of All Genres
Phantom Power, the Furries sixth effort, is not as purely riveting as Fuzzy Logic or radiator, but it brings a new side of hte Furries to the table. This mature SFA has a new mission: to be masters of every musical genre. This mission sounds like what Beck might be doing, but the Super Furry Animals approach multi-genre-ing with a persistent, perfectionist appeal, trying to master each genre they tackle.
"Hello Sunshine" and "Bleed Forever" are piano-based pop tunes, sounding Beatlesque and pre-psychadelia, like a concise Elton John tune.
"Liberty Belle" and "The Undefeated" are Beach Boys Pet-Sounds-era good-vibe songs, with catchy backing harmonies in the choruses and many instruments that give the feel of tropicalia in the songs.
"Golden Retriever" is a bluesy Zepplinesque song that masters stroy-telling bluesmen.
"Sex, War and Robots" is a country ballad that goes slower than molasses but electrifies with its beauty.
"The Piccolo Snare" and "Cityscrape Skybaby" are anticlimactic songs in the style of Radiohead's "Exit Music for a Film"-they use many verses and as the music gets louder and faster they hit an uplifting chorus to end the song. Purely cinematic.
"Venus and Serena" is the closest to the Fuzzy Logic era Furries genre-straight ahead psychadelia alternative pop/punk. The song uses fuzzy guitars to lead to a harmonic psychadelic chorus.
"Father Father #1" and #2" are great instrumentals, a genre that the furries have played with throughout their careers.
"Out of Control" is straight on hard rock with a Doors-like blues edge to it.
"Valet Parking" could also be called Pet Sounds era, but it is more the Mamas and the Papas; it uses an acoustic-tinged riff with ba-ba-bas from the Furries to play under a harmonic tale of a care trip across Europe.
Finally, "Slow life" is the Furries own genre; lengthy, epic keyboard, techno jam. Don't miss this album for the world.

Put this fur in your ears
Phantom Power is an incredible joyride through some truly unique musical terrain. You hear comparisons with the Beatles, Byrds, Neil Young, etc.. but the Furries have a sound which is really their own. The songs are densely produced but the density never seems overdone or superfluous. The melodies are by turns sweeping, haunting, playful, but always beautiful. The songs range in style pretty widely, but there is a pervasive mood which holds the album together. It's got some dark themes, but these are dark times we live in, and overall it seems to be an album more about fighting back than despairing. I can listen to Phantom Power over and over and never tire of it. Buy it immediately!

are you a minger too?
This is the second SFA record i bought, (Rings Around the World being the first), and for me they're only getting better. Rings was fun and had a few great songs, but most of the stuff i loved from that album came on the bonus disc. This album is solid all the way through. The instrumentals remind me A LOT of Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys. If you're looking for intersting, sometimes fun/sometimes dark electronic pop music it doesn't get much better. (Except the Flaming Lips, of course!)

Super Furry Animals up again
Despite its excellence, Rings Around the World was a disappointment compared to the high benchmark which had been previously set by Super Furry Animals. Thankfully, Phantom Power ascends once again to become what is surely one of their finest works. It's definitely the most accomplished and reasonable rock and roll commentary yet on world events of the last few years, and there's an air of crushing, melancholy defeatism throughout the entire album. "Hello Sunshine," "Liberty Belle" and "Cityscape Skybaby" are all wistful and beautiful, but the album's finest moment is the irreverent "Venus and Serena" which cascades with Beach Boys harmonies and glammed out fuzz guitar. Overall, Phantom Power is a stunning return to form. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The mightiest of late-'80s Manchester ensembles had the world at its feet before entering the long, dark tunnel of litigation. This tidy compilation begins with a few archival indie singles then strides into the glorious but fleeting period that produced gems like "I Wanna Be Adored," "Waterfall," and "Fools Gold." --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Made of Stone? You Bet!
This album is almost as good as their self-titled one (almost). The first two are very early tracks and don't hold up as well but after "Sally Cinnamon" it's pretty solid. Best tracks:Mersey Paradise, Standing Here, What the World is Waiting For and One Love. Enjoy, because theres not much Roses material to buy after this one.

Send to us from Heaven
A collection of songs covering mainly the Stone Roses apex,the couple of years in which they were unarguably the best band on the planet.

In their brief reign they managed to produce music which doesn't fall short in comparison with any of rock's classics.The momentum which they gained between 89/90 is something that no band will ever be able to reproduce,for the Stone Roses at that time passed more as messianic messengers than as rock stars,gathering an almost obsessioned following which hanged on their every words.

It's only a measure of their worth the fact that no one else could have produced lines like"I am the Ressurrection and I am the Life"or"I don't have to sell my soul,it's already in me"without sounding arrogant or ridiculous;indeed these claims perfectly fitted the Stone Roses god like aura.

The compilation focuses on their peak era music seamlessly blending the gems from their first album(in all truth the only amazing song missing from their debut is "This is the One")and high quality B-sides,adding still their early singles,some of them quite distant from their habitual sound(the thrashing guitars of"So Young"and the minimalistic simplicity of the rocker "Tell Me").

One thing is for sure,they posessed the most cohesive band sound ever created with each element of the band connecting with the other with a fluid unity simply outstanding.Moreover Mani's bass,Reni's drums and Squire's guitar were no less than groundbreaking.

Exceptional melodies come one after the other in this milestone in music history.Perfection perpasses every second of their songs in a dazzlingly unearthly way.The World should have been at their feet.

Timeless Beauty
A pretty good collection by one of England's most exciting bands of the last decade.It's almost all here,only lacking Ten Story Love and a couple more tracks from their debut album(yes it was that good)like Elizabeth my Dear or This is the One.Overall their wonderful sound is omnipresent in this compilation with John Squire's shimmering guitar dovetailing with Ian Brown's mystic hushed voice in an outwordly way that only they achieved.Here are the roots from which 90's british music flowered and,really,is there still someone out there that doesn't admit that songs like Made of Stone or I Wanna be Adored are among the best ever created by anyone.

Positively a treasure.
First, some corrections are in order pertaining to at least one of the former reviews. Yes, "complete" Stone Roses is something of a misnomer but it must be recalled that the "complete" refers to their singles from their inception until the last decent thing they have done prior to the mediocre second coming era recordings. Thus it spans from the mid-eighties (85 or 87, depending if one considers release dates, copyright dates or otherwise) up to '91. That being said this compilation does not intend to be a retrospective as such, only a collection of a handful of very important recordings, and any layover between the tracks compiled here and the tracks on their self-titled debut are merely because these are singles. And neither are they abriviated versions as such made for this collection. As "singles," tracks generally need to fit within a certain format. Radio is not necessarily friendly to nine-plus minute anthems such as Fools Gold or I am the Resurection. Indeed, some of the singles from their first album were edited down in the studio but others were actually rerecorded, or in the case of Elephant Stone, recorded as a single prior to the release of their album and then recorded again for their first album.

Now on to the music proper. The tracks are more or less in chronological order, diverging only slightly toward the end where 91's Where Angels Play is plotted prior to the Fool's Gold single and the One Love single. The first two tracks are from the mid-eighties and represent their supposed 'Goth' period, however true or false that categorization might be. I have read more than a few unfortunate descriptions of these tracks, calling them "immature" or "not yet realized." To be sure, So Young and Tell Me are not quintessential Stone Roses, but as a first go it is interesting to here them, and, quite frankly, I see them as being quite good. They are raw and powerful and, as I see it, are somewhat to the Stone Roses as This is Your My Bloody Valentine is to MBV; a gritty, pseudo-punk, slightly dark, and perhaps even fragmentarily reminiscent of a cross between the better goth stuff from that time and the Cramps.

With the next single, Sally Cinnamon, The Stone Roses are beginning to come into their sound: sixties-ish pop with sweet lyrics--the b-side repeats, as if a mantra, the unforgettable lines "I'd rather be no one than someone with no one."

After these early singles Roses fans familiar with the first album - as if a Roses fan could be unfamiliar with the first album - should find themselves in familiar territory. Even the b-sides to some of the album tracks will likely not yeild too many suprises other than the shock of how good some of these songs are. Some of the highlights are Going Down and Mersey Paradise, the former of which pays a nice homage to Jackson Pollack, reinstilling the fact that John Squire's aesthetic sensiblities are fully indepted to the yank ab-exer.

Many of these songs I have heard before on vinyl but because of cost and rarety I was unable to get them. It is a wonderful thing that this compilation exists. At first I was afraid that the number of tracks also contained in one form or another on the first album would diminish my suprise or enthusiasm. Not that I find those songs tired or hackneyed, but rather because I have heard them so many times I feared I might be tempted to skip ahead to the b-side songs. This, however, was not the case. As I remarked earlier, some of the tracks are different from the album version, but beyond that, hearing them in a different context, juxtaposed against their b-sides, is as refreshing an experience as it was when I heard these tracks for the first time over a decade ago.

So, whether you are a hard-core Roses fan, a Madchester revivalist, or neophyte groove-meister, this collection is great to groove to or simply as an historical collection of some rare material of one of the most influential bands that barely made a ripple here in the States. Too bad for us we've collectively bad taste, but let those select few who are disenfranchised with ...poor metal, tired American indie, and all-too-pop hip-hop, rejoice that there is enough interest in the good stuff to warrant the release and continued printings of the Roses.

Fascinating in parts, but not essential
This video is curiously out of its time, being released years after the Stone Roses peaked with the whole 'Madchester' scene in Great Britain. For the fans, there's the fantastic "Fool's Gold" video, an interesting studio take of "Elizabeth My Dear", and their infamous Late Show appearance. But for the uninitiated, there's not a lot here to justify the narrator's obsequious narration and the Blackpool concert that forms the second half will do little to convince a new listener that the Roses were anything but a passable guitar band. Furthermore, the video is lacking some key moments in Roses history like any concert footage whatsoever of the Spike Island event or the performance of "Waterfall" from The Other Side of Midnight (which was captured for the photographs on the inner sleeve of their debut album.) Ultimately, this video feels like it was slapped together by their record company to cash in their fans' fading nostalgia before it disappears altogether and fails to do justice to one of the most profoundly influential bands of the late twentieth century. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The best compilation of the best band
Just in case you had missed all the singles and b-sides that didn't appear on the Stone Roses' debut album, this album compiles those songs on this neat CD.

You get Fools Gold, One Love, Elephant Stone, Mersey Paradise, What the world is waiting for, Standing here etc etc etc etc.

Buy this album, along with the debut album (The Stone Roses) and appreciate what a truly great and inspirational band the Stone Roses were.

PLEASE listen to Pete's Review
Thanks to Pete (below, from Canada) for his dead-on comparison of Turns to Stone and Complete Stone Roses. The very fact that 4 of the best Stone Roses songs are cut in half on the Complete Stone Roses, renders that CD almost worthless. The most awesome parts of the songs (arguably) are the parts they cut on The Complete Stone Roses. Yes, Sally Cinnamon is on there, but it's still not worth the cut in Fool's Gold, One Love, I Am The Resurrection, and Something's Burning.

I apologize to the reviewer who recommends The Complete Stone Roses over this CD, but he's doing a disservice recommending that CD. Of course, us fans shouldn't quibble amongst each other, it's the stupid record companies that have hacked their music into so many incomplete versions and compilations.

Contrary, however, to Pete, I think the mix of Elephant Stone on this CD is pretty darn good! It doesn't quite have the pounding rhythm effect of the "The Stone Roses" version, it is an interesting and enjoyable mix to my ears.

I echo most other's recommendations in saying to buy "The Stone Roses", then Turns to Stone, then, if you love them like the rest of us, get "Second Coming" which is an above average and really enjoyable CD, but can't quite reach the heights of "The Stone Roses".

Long live the Stone Roses.

The first compilation, and it remains the most worthy
If one good thing has come out of the several Silvertone cash-in releases over the past 10 years, it is the following: My appreciation and affection for Turns Into Stone has only increased during this time.

The songs are brilliant from top to bottom, just like the debut album. Where Angels Play is the best Roses song of all time, and incredibly the version on Turns Into Stone was a rejected take, the plan was to record it later for a 2nd LP (well, no need to go into the sordid details). Simone is a magnificent backwards take, as beautiful as Where Angels Play. The full length Fools Gold and One Love make the brilliance of the Roses most apparent - icy cool vocalist backed by a genius of a drummer, basslines straight from heaven and a guitarist with more licks than a lesbian porn flick. Mersey Paradise and Standing Here, b-sides that put 99.9% of a-sides to shame.

This is the LP that makes me most wonder what could have been. Combine the songs on Turns Into Stone with the debut and you have a clutch of gems that rival the best ofs of everyone, the Beatles, the Stones, the Smiths, Suede, you name 'em. A must have this one is.

complete reason to buy this cd
Another reviewer mentions buy "the complete stone roses" cd collection instead of buying this cd "turns into stone" WHY? Turns to Stones is a better choice for fans of Stone Roses, or for ANYONE considering buying or to experience REAL Stones Roses. To me this should have been an official cd release, because it has my favorite songs.

The other cd "the complete SRoses" does contain 21 tracks, but and I say but doesn't compare. (I have both)

NOTE see "the complete Stone Roses" cd for below references

Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,(skip6)and 7 are the only rare songs on the Complete Stones Roses cd. Songs made early in their career. They are demo like and only for DIE HARD fans who have to have them, or those who love the PEEL SESSIONS ...bland and hard to listen to personaly!!. Except 7, Full Fathom Five which is a song in reverse.

TRACKS 6,9,11,14,15,16 (and maybe 18 deepending on version) can be found on the bands standout release from 1989(track 6 can be found on Turns to Stones, the 1989 versions are fare better) Also Track 16 "I am the resurection" is longer and sounds WAY better on the 1989 version(trk 11) at 8 min. IN FACT all these song sound higher pitched,tremble.

Tracks 6,8,10,12,13,17,18,19,20,21 on (the complete..) can be found on "Turns into Stone" too. BUT... BUT that doesn't mean all things are equal! In fact the best songs are shorter and do not capture the essence of original S.Roses songs as they should be heard.

Fools Gold is longer on "Turns to Stone" at 9.53 (compared at 4.15)One love is 7.45(3.40) and Something Burning is 7.50 (3.37).
The shorter songs leave me unsatified, cheated, and longer for more and not capturing the entire experience. (it would be like cutting the Doors song "the end" in half, you can use any example)

"Turns into Stones" has an extra track 7 called "SIMONE" not found on the Complete Roses. An etheral track that fits with the album.

In the end BUY the 1989 cd, and then buy TURNs into Stones, the only downfall would be having "Elephant stone" and "Fools gold" on both cds. In fact the only downfall on the cd is hearing Elephant stone on Truns to Stone, a bad early version.

Not The One To Buy
Ignore the 5 star reviews that everyone is giving this CD. Yes, the songs are great, in true Stone Roses fashion. But all these songs are now available on the 1995 Silvertone release The Complete Stone Roses, which also contains all 7 singles from their debut album plus a few other tracks that are not on Turns Into Stone. "Complete" has 21 tracks in all, versus only 11 here and the price is the same. Need I say more? Silvertone should have retired this one a long time ago. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Two Great Coldplay Classics!
This is an nonarid aray of moist-rye music. Actually don't know what i said, but it is AWESOME! Clocks won a Grammy (Yes most things Grammy's Award are bad, but this is not at all. Even rap fans would like this, if they're not too tantialized by all the cursing to get used to no curses or innapropriote language.) Now Yellow is maybe the greatest love ballad that isn't sissy or weak. I love it, so will you. If not, well then you have been trained to be musically deprived. Everything COLDPLAY does is good, not because because they are COLDPLAY but because everything they do is good. Now, get ready for a ravening score of CLASSIC COLDPLAY. (I ALREADY SEE THE COMPLEMATION ALBUM NOW, WITH CLOCKS AND YELLOW) ... Read more

Album Description

3rd single lifted from their amazing 'Parachutes' album. Includes, two new live recordings unavailable anywhere else, 'You Only Live Twice' & 'Bigger Stronger'. First pressing will be packaged in a digi-pack. 3 tracks in all including the album version of 'Don't Panic'. 2001 release. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

decent b-sides
"Don't Panic" is a great song, but that's not why you're considering buying this CD; if so, get "Parachutes," the whole album. You're here for the b-sides. Both are live recordings, but they sound very professional. "You Only Live Twice" is a good take on the Bond-movie title song; nicely adapted to fit the band's style, while remaining true to the spirit of the original. "Bigger Stronger" is even better, an aggressive rocker that must have been great in concert. Do these two songs add up to enough to make them worth the price of the single? If you're a big Coldplay fan, then definitely. If you're only a casual fan, you might want to try and hear the songs first, then make a decision.

4th (and last) single off "Parachutes" really shines
Following "Shiver, "Yellow" and "Trouble", "Don't Panic" is the 4th single off Coldplay's debut CD "Parachutes". This single has 3 tracks and runs 11 min.

"Don't Panic" is the lead-off track from the album, and is a 2'17" gem of a song. Starting of gently with Chris on accoustic guitar, the song then drives into the chorus, featuring Coldplay's unofficial motto "We Live in a Beautiful World". One phrase seldom has captured the essence of a band as well as this one. When the song reaches the end, you can't wait to hear it again.

Track 2 is a live version of "You Only Live Twice", yes, the title track to the James Bond movie! Coldplay used this song as the set closer on their February US tour. While staying true to the song, Coldplay nevertheless makes it its very own. A great example on how to treat a cover song.

Track 3 is a live version of "Bigger Stronger" (which is the lead-off track from their "Blue Room EP"). One can tell that the band has "matured" into the song, and this version is perhaps better than the early studio version. Very enjoyable.

Perhaps not as great a single as "Shiver", but definitely a great addition for any Coldplay fan. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

WHOA! totally awesome!
Let me tell you how I feel about this album. I have a master's degree in music perfomance so I'm not an uneducated music listener. I have around 600 albums and this one gets listened to more than any other. When I listen to a band, I generally listen for their "sound" not their genre. Consequently, I listen to many different styles of music. The guitar/drum/vocal sound is incredible. Yes it's pop-ish, but extremely well constructed, very catchy and highly energetic. The second half of the album is more mellow and thought provoking than the first but great for a night-time drive or studying. The most interesting aspect of the sound is the guitar which somehow finds a marriage of raw and produced. Madan's voice is fantastic, reminiscent of Bjork. I highly recommend this album.

Forgotten classic
It's sad that Echobelly didn't crack America. Though I have nothing against Oasis, Blur or Elastica, Echobelly was truly the more deserving of these bands. Every song on this album is amazing. You'll be sure to be humming them all even after the first listen.

Though Lustra wasn't up to Echobelly's usual greatness, it deserves your time as well. Sadly their first album Everybody's Got On seems to be out-of-print, but if you can find it, it's almot as good as On.

But for now, On is definitely their highlight, and probably the best album of the whole brit-pop era.

This is one of the best albums of all time
I have owned this album since its release and I have never grown tired of it. All the songs on this album are good and it is such a fresh summer time album that it will stand the test of time.

If you like Alternative Music, pick this one up.

One of the underrated bands of mid 90's Britpop
Echobelly is perhaps one of the most underrated bands of the mid 90's Britpop wave. 'On' combines the guitar swagger of Oasis and the brooding sound of The Smiths. Debbie Smith on rhythm guitar adds these sweeping guitar-washes, giving their sound a subtle wall-of-sound effect. But the obvious centerpiece of Echobelly is the silky-sweet vocals of Sonya Madan, almost like a pixielike geisha, seductive yet packs a powerful punch. But I've always found that Echobelly strays beyond the boundaries of typical mid 90's indie-pop, an ecclectic chemistry adding an unconventional spin to their sound. Bittersweet. Crooning crystalline vocals with a slightly worldly bent, raw guitar brashness as a backdrop to an exotic seductress. This is still Britpop but with a unique twist, and just like Sonya Madan's voice...seductive but packs a powerful punch.

Guitar rock perfection!
Back in the mid-'90s when everyone was gushing about 'the new British invasion' and falling over themselves to praise lesser artists, they overlooked an album that might be the best to emerge from this movement: Echobelly's "On". This is an incredibly melodic album that--while taking the completely opposite sonic approach--conveys similar feelings as the The's incredible album "Dusk": urban loneliness, wry humor, and a slightly morbid preoccupation with death. All wonderful topics if you ask me. Sonya's got this incredible voice, one that people compared to Morrissey, apparently because she wasn't afraid to hide her lovely British accent. Either way, she's terrific, and her voice combined with the crashing guitars or occupying the empty spaces of the slower tunes is heavenly. One of the great Britpop albums of the past ten years, though everyone who overhyped the less energetic and shallower sounds of Oasis and others seem to have caused this album to slip between the cracks. Anyone with an interest in Britpop needs to own this. ... Read more