Amazon.com

The Killers. Interpol. Franz Ferdinand. Without New Order's influence they could have all ended up making albums of country & western ballads. Since the demise of Joy Division in 1980, the British synth-pop quartet has been diligently changing the course of popular music, lobbing unlikely but inventive hits like "Blue Monday" and "True Faith" into the charts. Twenty-five years on, New Order remains shockingly vital. Its eighth proper album overflows with shimmering melodies, anchored by Peter Hook's spine-tingling bass lines and Bernard Sumner's thin but emotive voice in thrilling new songs like "Krafty" and "Dracula's Castle." -- Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Will someone please steal this album from me?
Why the odd title?I drive a little over a half hour (each way) to and from work, and since I bought this album I have listened to it over and over.(I know, dumb eh?)

At first listen I thought "Get Ready" was a far superior album, but I found that the more I listened the more I heard.By far a much more progressive album for New Order, but still classic sounding that fits the fact that "yes, New Order was an 80's band", but this is their new album that is so 21st century.A worthy addition to any collection, whether rock, pop, 80's, or synth.

Refreshing....!!!!!
In am an old Joy Division fan and have followed New Order ever since.When Technique came out in 1989 I could not stop playing it when I was in Brunei of all places.Since then I have had kids, etc. etc. but still love to listen to music.My favorite station is http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/.So when they started playing the new NO some months ago I could not believe my ears and straight away pre-ordered it on www.amazon.com. It took some getting used to but now it is the CD I play most in the car and it brings tons of smiles to my face.The kids may not like it too much but for me it brings back good memories and it is so refreshing to see that old 'rockers' can still bring out a record that surely must be one of the top ten of this year.If you like their record and have not discovered BBC1 go to their website and listen to the live show or the various shows from the previous week which are all accessible on their 'player'.If you pay $12/month here for satellite radio then think again...

Alt-rock icons make us feel like its 1992 all over again.
New Order's history is filled with mournful iciness, sublime electro-disco, seminal Britpop and episodes of portly overblown grandeur. And, depending on what moves them, the band's fans always seem to gravitate toward one of these elements more than the others. To that end, Waiting For The Sirens' Call offers something for everyone: "Turn" has that 1986 college-rockin' jangle that'll make elderly R.E.M. fans tingle. For the synth- and sequencer-damaged among us, there's the electrolytic "Krafty" and the disco workout "Guilt Is A Useless Emotion." Going off on another tangent, "Workin' Overtime" is the band's simultaneous nod to '60s garage rock, the Beatles' "I Feel Fine" and that last Elvis Costello album.

The axis of mystery and implied arrogance that made New Order compelling may be gone, but that's okay; none of us is the same person we were decades ago. As far as right now goes, Waiting For The Siren's Call is a fine distillation of everything New Order have been. And when you've got a passport that's as thick as theirs, it's admirable that they refuse just to walk away from this thing entirely.spin j.p

Definitely not an "instant hit" album!
Waiting for the sirens' call will NOT hook you immediately. It's not that kind of album. There isn't any obvious hits, except Who's Joe, Krafty or Jetstream.
When I played it the first time I was kind of bored. Too many songs didn't hook me, sounded just "ok" and after Get Ready, I was disappointed.
However, days passed and I didn't play the album - didn't want to! And then, when I played it again after a week or so, out of nowhere, I started to like the songs! One by one, they PERFECTLY matched each other - carrying specific mood.

Now I think it's one of their better releases - much better than, for example, Republic and on par with Get Ready (I like that album very much).
It's incredible how this album works! If you like New Order, you'll certainly love this album. Do NOT expect to like it on the first listen! You probably won't - maybe just 3-4 songs!

This album has some ultimate NO gems and classics: Who's Joe?, Waiting for the siren's call, Dracula's Castle, Turn. They are magnificent!

There are no fillers here, excet that I don't like "I told you so" that much - interesting, but not my cup of tea, and "Guilt is a useless emotion" has some kind of generic chorus. That's a shame, considering that the song starts extremely well! Just the chorus isn't that memorable. But great for a summer fun! :)

All in all, a very very solid effort. As the time goes by, I expect that I'll like this album even more. It's THAT kind of a record. So refreshing these days - I'm fed up of instant hits that I get bored with after few weeks/months.

Just another perfect album!
At first listen I did not like Waiting For the Siren's Call as much as New Order's last album Get Ready. This album is just as good as Get Ready. If you want a perfect album from a great band. Pick up Waiting for the Siren's Call and Get Ready, Get Ready was the best album of 2001 in my eyes. WFTSC is going to be in the running this year.

Dear, New Order

Why havn't you toured the US other than a couple of dates. Please come to Pittsburgh.

Yours Truly, Substance ... Read more

Amazon.com

While English pop monarchs Duran Duran have remained active for two decades, it's clear that the indomitable ensemble was at its peak during those mercurial '80s. This greatest-hits collection documents the band's ambitious beginnings as a funky glam-rock outfit and follows its gradual transformation into a high-tech pop band with loads of commercial appeal. Featuring now-classic tunes like "Girls on Film," "Rio," and "Planet Earth" as well as more recent songs like "Ordinary World," Greatest focuses on Duran Duran's unending string of hit singles. Although the young quintet that performs "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "A View to a Kill" has little in common with the posh, aging trio featured on 1997's "Electric Barbarella," vocalist Simon Le Bon provides some impressive continuity to these proceedings. --Mitch Myers ... Read more

Reviews (129)

Great set of Duran Duran tunes
This Greatest Hits compilation is an excellent introduction to Duran Duran, one of the top groups of the 80's new wave. All of their best known songs are here, with a few ommissions that hard core fans will lament (but they have all the studio albums anyways, so what does it matter?) If you're only going to get one Duran Duran album this would have to be it.

The top tracks are the MTV smashes "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Girls on Film", the slow and beautiful "Ordinary World", my personal favorites "The Reflex" and "Electric Barbarella", one of the top Bond movie themes "A View to a Kill", the butchered (i.e. edited) yet still wonderful Rio, and "Union of the Snake". For volume of music, this CD is a great value running almost 80 minutes and containing 19 songs. The 5 star rating narrowly being missed due to the large number of edited tracks. (Rio especially.....it just didn't need to be done)

This is a great set covering most of the band's recording career. Well over an hour of great tunes will make it a pleasure for even casual fans of 80s synth-pop, and shows why Duran Duran is one of the most enduring bands from that era.

The Greatest Band
Duran Duran is one of the biggest bands of the 80's and have been having hits for more than 2 decades and are still making good songs. I saw them in concert in 99 and they were excellent even without taylor. Review of songs-
1.is there somthing i should know? 3.8 stars
2.the reflex-4.5 stars/catchy pop song
3.a view to a kill-4.7 stars
4.ordinary world-5 out of 5 stars-good ballad
5.save a prayer- 4.7 stars/haunting song
6.Rio- 5 out of 5 stars/classic
7.hungry like the wolf-5 out of 5 stars
8.girls on film- 4 stars
9.planet earth- 5 out 5 stars
10.union of the snake-3.8 stars
11.new moon on monday- 4.3 star
12.wild boys- 4 stars
13.notorious-4 stars
14.i dont want your love-3.8 stars
15.all she wants is-3.8 stars
16.electric barbarella-4.5 stars
17.serious-4.3 stars
18.skin trade-3.9 stars
19.come undone- 5 out of 5 stars/beautiful song
Overall excellent album/A classic/ Worth the money

Alright, now listen...
Apparently there are lots of reviewers on Amazon saying that they think Duran Duran is bad. And everytime people mention the eighties, there always seem to be someone laughing at how music and fashion were in those days. If you don't like the fashion because the colours are wrong, fine. If you don't like the music because the synthesizers scare you, fine. But if you say you don't like it just because it's old, then YOU are the problem!
I'll let you think just what you want about the 80's as long as you have another reason than "it's too old". If you lived at the time and you think it wasn't good, then you have every right to think so. Or if the music just isn't your kind, then everybody must respect that. But if the only actual reason for you not liking it, is that it happens to have been made a couple of years, decades or even centuries ago, then you simply have no taste. Maybe you're just trying to be popular by following the modern fads, is that it? Well if you like what's on MTV right now, you can start telling yourself that you don't know anything about music in itself, becuase that's a fact.
I was born in 1987, so I don't remember much of the 80's at all. Most of my friends find 80's stuff too strange for them. But I like it.
I didn't grow up during the 80's, my parents don't listen to 80's music. Actually, there's no particular reason for me liking the 80's, but I do! And I also like the 60's and 70's. I'm a teenager of the 21st century, and I like what I missed. Ironic like hell, but the 80's is one of many tastes of music and style, and that is more than you're ever going to have if you keep disliking stuff that isn't new. I see that one of you advice us to buy AudioSlave's new album instead. Will you like that album by 2008? So listen you taste-less non-polite whoever-you-are, if you don't like the music you bought this year at the day you grow old, I'll be glad to laugh at you for all the huge ammounts of money you wasted on albums you can't seem to like more than as long as it's being advertised. Just leave music and put your money on something that you understand.

Duran Duran is almost just what I like when it comes to music and style. So my personal opinion will be 4 stars out of 5.

sounds more like the worst
please dont listen to this awful new wave band from the eighties(one of the worst decades of music).it is cheesy horrible bands like this that had almost destroyed rock music till it was rescued by bands like pearl jam and soundgarden.Songs like girls on film,rio and wild boys sound dated and lousy and you will be well advised to avoid this crappy band who are thankfully defunct.my rating 0/10.

Don't go with the flow
Great collection of songs from Duran Duran. I like them all. One problem, though, some of the songs are butchered to meet the time limit. Rio's intro is shortened, which didn't bother me because the long one got on my nerves but the ending is cut down too which really vexed me. In Save a Prayer the first and second verse were spliced together. I think some other songs were more subtly tampered with, shortening extended intros or interludes which once again didn't bother me because I get agitated when these instrumental bits drag on but that's just me. I'm more of a lyrics person and I also like a song that has a good tune.
At first I wasn't too thrilled with Girls on Film, but if you read the lyrics to it you can see how utterly sarcastic it is. I won't get into the video for it but the song is actually pretty clever in a satirical way. The other songs are good dance tunes. Come Undone and Ordinary World are classics with a lot of substance. Good for those who like Duran Duran's popular songs (popular in their time). No, Violence of the Summer is not on this CD, but the person who said it was made it clear they wouldn't be caught dead buying this anyway so I can understand the little mistake.
I have to say that I've encountered more respect for people's opinions in high school than when it comes to Duran Duran in the outside world and I find that very sad. I'm guessing that those considering buying this have heard Duran Duran before and therefore those who hate the band should put their time to better use but if you haven't then yes I would suggest you hear some of their songs first before considering this album. I'm one of those people who think that's the safest thing to do with any band since tastes in music is so subjective. But the only thing worse than modeling your likes and dislikes after what's "cool" is trying to convince others to go with the flow. That's where my name comes in. It's also a quote from a Duran Duran song. Too bad all the haters will be lost there because this last part is for them. ... Read more

Album Description

Formed in NYC in the mid-'70s by David Byrne, Chris Franz, Tina Weymouth, and ex-Modern Lover Jerry Harrison, the Talking Heads evolved out of their now-legendary humble beginnings at CBGB's to become one of the most adventurous and influential bands ever. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, the Heads' visionary, polyrhythmic sound daringly combined funk and punk, African beats, avant-garde minimalism, and pure pop. From their 1977 debut through their Brian Eno-produced classics to their '88 farewell, Naked, they both pushed artistic boundaries and delivered indelible radio hits like "Once In A Lifetime" and "Burning Down The House." ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

One of the earliest things that we learned about Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart was that the duo had style. In their first few MTV videos, including "Sweet Dreams" and "Love Is a Stranger," they were just as notable for their androgynous suits and rubber utility coverall, as they were for their ice box synthetic dance beats. But as Eurythmics continued to churn out one hit after another, something else became refreshingly apparent: In the midst of all of the impersonal drum machines and frozen electronics, Lennox displayed both rhythm and soul. With a voice powerful enough to hold its own against genre queen Aretha Franklin ("Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves"), Lennox added another dimension to the haunting moodiness of "Who's That Girl" and "Here Comes the Rain Again." Changing personas and musical stylings with every release, Eurythmics blasted out horn-infused rockers ("Would I Lie to You"), country-fied twangers ("Thorn in My Side"), and melodic brilliance ("When Tomorrow Comes"). Greatest Hits captures the band's most inspired moments and justifies all of the original fuss. --Steve Gdula ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Sweet Dreams (are made of this)
If I had to name my favorite decade for music, it would have to be the '80s with all the new wave bands like Erasure, Depeche Mode, and the Eurythmics. Annie Lennox is definitely one of the greatest female vocalists I have ever heard. I was definitely offended when shock rocker Marilyn Manson massacred "Sweet Dreams (are made of this)". I absolutely loved Annie's androgynous look she had in her music videos like in "Sweet Dreams (are made of this)". Although I knew quite a few of the songs on this cd, there were quite a few songs that I wasn't really familiar like the guitar-driven "When Tomorrow Comes" which I immediately fell in love with, with both the melodies, guitar riffs, and the optimistic lyrics. "Thorn in My Side" is also another personal favorite track. That is one of those songs where I can't help but sing along to when I listen to the cd. I love the empowering lyrics of "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves", a timeless classic. Pairing Annie with another legendary singer Aretha Franklin was a brilliant idea. And of course I can't mention other faves such as "Here Comes the Rain Again" and "Missionary Man". There was not one song on this cd I did not skip over. This cd is simply a great collection of songs that made the '80s so great.

"Don't Ask Me Why", just get it.
Everytime I listen to "Eurythmics", I'm reminded of why they're one of the better groups of the 80's. They crafted some of the best pop songs, with a soul and style that not many others had. I'm amazed at how well some of these songs are put together. This includes the hits "Here Comes The Rain Again", "Would I Lie To You?", "Missionary Man", and the huge "Sweet Dreams (are made of this)". My favorites on here would have to be "Thorn In My Side", and the excellent "Love Is A Stranger". "There Must Be An Angel (playing with my heart)" is pretty great too. This whole disc is easy to play straight through. By the end of it, you just might find yourself wanting an orange crew-cut.

Greatest Hits (1991)
The Eurythmics were one of the best 80s synthesized pop bands ever. Their unique sound and style combined with Annie's soothing vocals were nothing short of amazing. In their short span of time, starting with their first album, In The Garden in 1981, they have proven themselves to be official Icons over our generation and the next. This greatest hits compilation is their way of showing just how amazing they were.

SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)
From the album Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (1982). First of all, this is not the album and single version, this is an extended version. The album and single version run to 3 and a half minutes, while this one runs to 4 minutes and 50 seconds. No matter which version they put on this compilation, this will always be one of their best songs. Although, the album is not all that impressive. If you buy Marilyn Manson's 1995 album Smells Like Children, you can hear his rendition of this song and it's unbelievable. I mean, it's not a gothic-heavy metal type song, but his rendition is incredible and it can also be heard in the 1999 remake House On Haunted Hill, starring Geoffrey Rush as Stephen Price, Famke Jansan as Evelyn Price, Ali Larter as Sara Wolfe, Taye Diggs as Eddie Baker, Bridgette Wilson as Melissa Marr, Peter Gallagher as Donald Blackburn, and Chris Kattan as Watson Prichett.

WHEN TOMORROW COMES
From the album Revenge (1986). This is another great song, with a great sound. This song originally came off of the album, Revenge (1986). That album, an amazing album I might add, also includes the 12" remix of this song as the bonus track.

HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN
From the album Touch (1983). The album and single version run up to 4 minutes and 50 seconds, while this one runs 13 seconds longer, making it a 5 minute and 3 second song. This is another classic hit. I recently seen the video on VH1 Classic's All Star Jams. It is a very strange video, but yet amazing, just like the song.

WHO'S THAT GIRL?
From the album Touch (1983). No, Madonna did not re-record this song in 1987. Madonna had a completely different song, only with the same title as this. But both are incredible.

WOULD I LIE TO YOU?
From the album Be Yourself Tonight (1985). The album, Be Yourself Tonight (1985), which is Eurythmics' fourth album, did not get as much recognition because of it's R&B sound. But the album did have three major singles and this is one of them, although, I don't really care for this song as much.

SISTERS ARE DOIN' IT FOR THEMSELVES (with Aretha Franklin)
From the album Be Yourself Tonight (1985). Now this is more like it. For years, I never knew who the other vocalist was, until about four years ago. I finally figured that the voice of the dueting vocalist belonged to Aretha Franklin. Although, I do not like Aretha Franklin, I do love this song. Somehow, I only like Aretha Franklin when she duets with other people, like this song, for example, and her duet with George Michael, which would be I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me). This is a classic song. Back in September of 1998, when the Spice Girls (when the lineup was left with Victoria 'Posh Spice Adams-Beckham, Emma 'Baby Spice' Bunton, Melanie B. 'Scary Spice' Brown, & Melanie C. 'Sporty Spice' Chisholm) toured Europe, they performed this song and their live version can be found on their US single, Good-Bye.

THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL (PLAYING WITH MY HEART)
From the album Be Yourself Tonight (1985). A lot better than Would I Lie To You?, but not as good as Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves.

MISSIONARY MAN
From the album Revenge (1986). The beginning is cut short, but still a great song. The video is creepy, but it's incredible.

DON'T ASK ME WHY
From the album We Too Are One (1989). An okay song.

I NEED A MAN
From the album Savage (1987). The album Savage (1987) is my favorite album from the Eurythmics and this is the only hit that made it onto this collection. There were many other great songs from that album like Beethoven (I Love To Listen To), You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart, Savage, I've Got A Lover (Back In Japan), Do You Want To Break Up?, etc. But this is a great song, with an incredible rock and roll beat.

LOVE IS A STRANGER
From the album Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (1982). A good song, but not as good as Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This).

THORN IN MY SIDE
From the album Revenge (1986). Another awesome song from the Revenge (1986) album. That acoustic guitar in the beginning sounds unbelievable.

THE KING & QUEEN OF AMERICA
From the album We Too Are One (1989). This is a great song to begin with and it certainly is much better than Don't Ask Me Why.

ANGEL
From the album We Too Are One (1989). A romantic ballad.

The Eurythmics have shown us that they were one of the best acts of the 80s. They tried to do it again in 1999, by releasing their tenth album, Peace, but it didn't get anywhere. But their older material will always have them remembered.

A rare "hits" antholgy that is actually essential
Throughout the eighties, Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox made consistently great songs and often great albums. Their main influence as Eurythmics was to prove that the genre that based itself primarily in electronics was not without a soul. By the time they evolved into the band that was recording their terrific "Be Yourself Tonight" album, they had transcended whatever limits the genre had initially imposed and began blending all sorts of styles.

That kind of stylistic cross cutting made for an amazing batch of singles. Even the breakthrough hit, "Sweet Dreams," holds up today, and there's a lot of soul to "Here Comes The Rain Again." By now, Annie had grown so much as a vocalist that she could hold her own with Aretha as a singer and Stevie Wonder as a musician, and Stewart had hit stride as a musician/composer/arranger. It was also amazing that, when the time came, Eurythmics could also rock as hard as the best of them ("Missionary Man," "Would I Lie To You").

Even the later stuff, like "Angel" and "Thorn In My Side" gave the duo plenty of room to expand their range. "Angel" is an obvious stepping stone to Annie's solo career, and even without the benefit of it actually being a huge "hit," belongs here. So what you finally receive is a hits package that flows evenly, doesn't skimp on the songs, doesn't contain any dregs, "bonus remixes" or annoying demos. An actual five star recommendable album from a band that rarely slouched on their full length recordings, and for that alone, worth getting.

Great 80's Duo
The Eurythmics are one of my favorite duos. Ever. They have those fun, catchy pop rhythms that only the 1980's could show ya. I never really heard of this band until I heard Marylin Manson's Sweet Dreams remake, and I liked that song when it was out, so I decided to get the original. They became one of my favorite bands. Get this, if you like 80's pop/rock or new wave. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Manchester's pivotal post-punk quartet offer a 16-track opus that skips obscurities and early material in favor of their greatest singles. Highlights include "Blue Monday," "Thieves Like Us" and "The Perfect Kiss" and sparkling Stephen Hague remixes of "True Faith" and "Bizarre Love Triangle." --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (47)

The Best of New Order? Not Exactly.
Putting together a single disc anthology of the best of New Order would be a difficult undertaking in any circumstances. The band had no easily identifiable hits, and many of their most popular songs were dance mixes (like "Bizare Love Triange") radically different from the original versions that appeared on the original albums.

Having said all of that, "The Best of New Order" is still a strangely programmed attempt. One of their most popular dance tracks, "Blue Monday" is not even included. Also left out are other first rate songs like "Love Vigilantes" and "All Day Long." And yet, strangely, the CD contains three tracks from their last and weakest CD (before their recent reunion) "Republic." Other oddities are included, like an updated version of the rare track "1963" from the B-sides disc of "Substance" and the previous non-CD released "Touched by the Hand of God," which is not one of their better songs.

Overall, this best of collection shows only intermittantly what made New Order the best-ever synthesizer rock band. Ardent fans may want it to fill in some missing gaps. But casual fans will be disserved by it. They should go with the far superior anthology "Substance" instead.

Goodish
Although a decent enough 'best of', this is patchy in comparison to the minimalist simplicity of 'Substance 1987'. Instead of simply compiling all the singles and b-sides from 1987 onwards (a process which would, admittedly, have resulted in a fairly short album), this is an odd overview of their career from 'Power, Corruption and Lies' onwards. It's nice to have 'World in Motion' on CD, and although fans might moan at the inclusion of remixed versions of 'True Faith', '1963' and 'Bizarre Love Triangle' the songs don't really suffer for it. On the other hand, it's criminal that either of the versions of 'Confusion' aren't on the CD, and quite why the excellent early singles 'Everything's Gone Green' or 'Temptation' have been omitted is a mystery. The ultra-obscure 'Murder' would have been nice to have, too. That said, it seems as if this compilation was intended as a way of introducing the group to non-fans, and as such it works very well - the songs from 'Technique' and 'Republic' haven't dated much, and sound fresh today. Furthermore, it must have been a way for London records to justify buying the group, as, after extricating them from the corpse of Factory records and releasing 'Republic', they promptly went on haitus.

The UK version has a slightly different track listing, omitting the first four songs from this US pressing. There's a companion-piece, 'The Rest of', which is fairly bad, and contains lots of undistinguished modern remixes of their old songs, most of which sound like totally new tracks.

the rest of..
this album doesn't even remotely do this band justice. The renditions of the songs they have selected are often weaker(i.e perfect kiss,blue monday,bizarre love triangle), because these are the radio versions, but no one is a buying the cd because they want the radio dammit, they want the best of new order. bottom line: great band, but this disc is waste of time. check out substance instead and wait patiently until someone actually compiles a real best of collection. Also note this album completely neglect power corruption, and lies, my favourite new order album and the turning point in their career.

Misleading Title
Fusing rock with dance, New Order has, for almost a quarter of a century, been producing music that has been a hit with the public, critics, and peers. New Order started out as Joy Division, part of that explosion in the United Kingdom in the late '70s early '80s that gave birth to experimental synthesizer-based acts like Gary Numan, The Human League, Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark, Depeche Mode, and Yaz.

New Order's Peter Hook's melodic bass and Bernard Sumner's unemotional singing--copied by the Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant?--and subtle lyrics help set this group apart from other artists. Their albums, for the most part, are stark in design, provide no pictures of the band members, and do not even mention their names. In the early part of their career, they rarely gave interviews--they preferred to let their music do the talking--gave short sets during their live performances--about an hour--and no encores. No wonder a mystique built up.

New Order can rock with the best as "Run 2" demonstrates; this is danceable, but you will get a better idea of the dance gods they have become with "Touched by the Hand of God" and "Blue Monday--88"--a shorter and different version of "Blue Monday" that is the biggest selling twelve-inch ever; these are three of New Order's best songs, but it is debatable whether the rest of the material on this album is among their best.

"World in Motion" is not in any of their studio albums, so it is a welcome addition here. "True Faith--94," "Bizarre Love Triangle--94," "1963--94," and "Round & Round--94" are pleasant but no huge improvement over the versions that appear in their studio albums and _Substance_. Similarly, "Fine Time," "The Perfect Kiss," and "Shell Shock" are shorter versions. "Regret," "Vanishing Point," and "World (Price of Love)" are, like the previously mentioned, all good songs, but, again, it is debatable whether they are New Order's best.

What happened to songs like "Dreams Never End," "Your Silent Face," "Love Vigilantes," the album version of "Sub-Culture," "Temptation," and "All the Way"? Other songs that should have been included would be a selection from "Age of Consent," "The Village," "586," "Ceremony," "Everything's Gone Green," "In a Lonely Place," "Mesh," "Hurt," and "Confused Instrumental." The early version of "586" on _The John Peel Sessions_ is also outstanding. If you have nothing by New Order, this is an excellent recording to get you familiar with the band's sound. Just do not think that you are getting anything close to their best.

If you like this recording, you should also buy their double-CD set, _Substance_. After that, buy, in this order, their albums, _Technique_, _Low-Life_, _Power, Corruption & Lies_, _Get Ready_, _Brotherhood_, and _The John Peel Sessions_. If you enjoy _Peel_, you may also want to buy Joy Division's _Closer_. Joy Division has a much different sound--darker and less melodic, less poppy, and less danceable.

Great Collection
When I bought this CD I was only familir with some of the New Order singles so I love this album mainly because this is where I heard the rest of the singles. For that fact I recommend this album but I'm not sure how the tracks compare to the album cuts since I'm not as familiar with their albums so I can't say if this is just a collection of the album versions of songs. Great collection though, highly recommended if you're new to this group. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Among the benefits of picking up the new Tears for Fears album--the band's first since 1989--maybe the least obvious is looking cool in front of friends. Flick it on over cocktails, say, and brows will furrow: Few would think to match the heaving, synth-heavy boys who lit up the '80s with "Head Over Heels" to this new material. Which is mostly a good thing. The vocals of lead singer Roland Orzabal, powered by some all-cylinders thing, still squash all traces of irony in their path, and there's a moodiness to the music, minus a lot of the old broodiness, that borders on the masterly. Yet the sound has changed completely. Old-school overproduction has fallen away in favor of real guitars, pounding pianos, and a melody-driven, Beatle-y sensibility. It's there on the title track and first single "Call Me Mellow," and only slightly eclipsed by something pleasantly Bacharach-ish on "Secret World." Everybody who loves a happy ending will find one here: Tears for Fears skirts the has-been trap impressively, translating years of experience into play-it-again, sophisticated modern pop worth paying attention to. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (32)

The Complete Singles Collection
This American compilation (not available in the UK or anywhere else other than as an import product) is the most complete singles collection on one CD. Unlike "Tears for Fears - Tears Roll Down - Greatest Hits", it also features songs which cannot be found on the duo's first three albums 'The Hurting', 'Songs from the Big Chair' and 'Sowing the Seeds of Love'.

The track listing is almost chronological to the singles released back in the eighties and nineties, and therefore gives the listener a chance to experience the way Tears For Fears changed its sound with the passing of time.

It is worth noting that this compilation is the only one that includes tracks from Tears For Fears 'Elemental' album -- 'Break it Down Again' and 'Goodnight Song'. 'Elemental' is in fact a solo album by singer/songwriter Roland Orzabal released after the duo 'split' in the early 90's. There are no tracks here from 'Raoul and the Kings of Spain', Tears For Fears's last album, and another solo project by Roland Orzabal. For the record, there is a new album (not another compilation, but a collection of new songs) due for release in April 2004 titled 'Everybody Loves a Happy Ending', featuring the original duo line up of Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal.

If you're looking for a solid collection than spans around fifteen years, then 'Shout: The Very Best of Tears for Fears' is the one to get.

Good collection from under-rated duo
Tears For Fears is the duo who crafted intelligent, tuneful pop songs back in the 1980's, riding the "new wave" sound of that era. The duo parted ways in the early 90's, and this is the first hits album to include Roland Orzabal's post breakup material recorded under the TFF name. Curt Smith has the more impressive voice, but Orzabal is also a solid vocalist, with his solo hit Break It Down Again a memorable track. This album fails to include anything from the 2nd Orzabal TFF solo album Raoul and The Kings of Spain, which had a few memorable tracks but was a commercial and chart flop. If you like Tears For Fears you might also want to get the last album and Elemental in addition to the hits collection.

Long Live Roland and Curt!
This is just an absolutely fantastic collection of music. Tears For Fears wrote some of the most beautuful tunes I've ever heard and this compilation puts all my favorites in one place. It is still a stunner to hear these tracks and I will never tire of songs like "Mad World", "I Believe", or "Shout".
...and the best part is, Roland and Curt are back! I found out recently that they have a new record coming (9/14/04) called "Everybody Loves A Happy Ending". Damn Right! Their 1st record back in like 15 years! It's a great to be a TFF Fan again.

Best of TFF
A great collection of Tears For Fears songs. I haven't heard any of their songs that weren't one of their big hits, but their greatest really were the very best. It was also helpful to read about their inspirations. Now that I know they used psychological theories to write their songs, the music makes even more sense.

Has a lame version of "Mothers Talk".
Has a lame version of "Mothers Talk". ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Best Cyndi Collection Yet
Sure, before you could buy the pricey imports, but "The Essential Cyndi Lauper" is much better than her previous American "hits" collections. It's not perfect, yet I think it's superior to "12 Deadly Cyns."

The big complaint was that for so long, american fans couldn't get "Good Enough" from "The goonies." Well, FINALLY it's included. Whether or not Cyndi likes the song, it's an 80's movie song classic and was a top 10 hit. Eight of Cyndi's top 10 hits are on here including the classic "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", "She Bop", "All Through the Night" and "Time After Time" frm her debut. all four of these were massive radio hits and still heard to this day. "True Colors" and "Change of Heart" were big hits off of her sophomore album. Her last top 10 single is included too from "A Night to Remember" which is "I Drove All Night" *recently Celine Dion did an amazing cover of it.* "Money Changes Everything" is graciously included also which didn't hit the top 10, but was still a big top 40 hit. The non-hits are also very worthy. "Hat Full of Stars" is gorgeous and "Sisters of Avalon" is very catchy.

So why 4 stars? As outstanding as this collection is, "What's Going On" *a top 10 hit from "True Colors"* was left off as was the minor hit "Hole In My Heart." These are minor gripes but would've really put it over the top. Still, it's a great hits collection and well worth the money. Cyndi is awesome.

Very solid Lauper collection, and finally, The Goonies!
When I heard that another Cyndi Lauper best-of album was going to be released, my first question was whether this new collection would measure up to her previous best-of collections, especially 12 Deadly Cyns...And Then Some. Well I can tell you that it certainly does. Essential Cyndi Lauper, in my opinion, comes the closest to being the ideal Cyndi collection available. But before I go on, I thought it would be helpful to first give a track listing (taken from her official website) since there doesn't seem to be one here:

1) Girls Just Want To Have Fun
2) Money Changes Everything
3) Who Let In The Rain
4) She Bop
5) Time After Time
6) I Drove All Night
7) Hat Full Of Stars
8) Change Of Heart
9) Sisters Of Avalon
10) All Through The Night
11) True Colors
12) When You Were Mine
13) Unhook The Stars
14) The Goonies 'R' Good Enough

The first thing I noticed about this collection is that it offers *all 6* of the smash hits from She's So Unusual. That alone is a major plus when it comes to a Cyndi Lauper collection. I would have liked to see "What's Going On" on this disc instead of "Change Of Heart," as I think that song better represents the True Colors album. But oh well, "True Colors" is here, and that's the biggest hit from her sophmore release. Yet again, only "I Drove All Night" is included from Cyndi's highly underrated A Night To Remember album. The powers-that-be still think that this song is the only worthy one off that album. But we know better, don't we?

Another thing worth mentioning about this collection is that it offers songs from both Hat Full Of Stars and Sisters Of Avalon. Whether you agree or disagree that the songs here representing those albums are the best selections, it's nice to see some songs from Cyndi's lesser-known (but still great) albums here.

And of course, my review wouldn't be complete without saying that "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" has FINALLY been included in an official domestic best-of collection. Until now, one had to spend quite a lot of money to get this song from the import collections or the (also pricy, not to mention hard to find) Goonies soundtrack. The inclusion of "The Goonies" here will surely make a lot of Cyndi fans quite pleased. I think it's a tragedy that "Hole In My Heart (All The Way To China)" is again not included in a Cyndi Lauper best-of compilation. If it had been, I would have given this album 5 stars without a second thought. So if you want that song, you'll need to find the Japanese version of 12 Deadly Cyns or A Night To Remember: it's a bonus track on both of those albums.

All in all though, this Cyndi Lauper collection doesn't disappoint and delivers. Highly recommended.

The Essential Cyndi Lauper (2003)
Cyndi Lauper has been another one of the most successful female solo artists of the early 80s. Her career started to take a fall with the release of 1989 album, A Night To Remember. After the unwanted failure of A Night To Remember (1989). In 1993, Cyndi released another album that failed entitled, Hat Full Of Stars.

In 2003, she was able to release, The Essential Cyndi Lauper, her second greatest hits compilation since Twelve Deadly Cyns ...And Then Some (1994). I definitely call it a must-have album.

GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN
From the album She's So Unusual (1983). I have loved this song since my years in middle school. I love it's fun-filled energy and I love it's crazed vibe. It's a classic all the way.

MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING
From the album She's So Unusual (1983). Another great song, but in my opinion, not among the best. I hope you know that it's true that money, in most ways, most certainly does change everything.

WHO LET IN THE RAIN
From the album Hat Full Of Stars (1993). The album Hat Full Of Stars (1993), as for I know, only had three songs I ever liked and they are That's What I Think, Hat Full Of Stars, and Who Let The Rain In. This is a moving ballad and I recommend that you all listen to it.

SHE BOP
From the album She's So Unusual (1983). I still can't get over the fact that this one talks about female masturbation. Nobody wagged their fingers at Cyndi for making a song like this, but if Madonna recorded this song, the critics and parents would have been down her throat. This is a great song. I remember watching Cyndi's Behind The Music on VH1. When they were talking about this track and all the controversey, Cyndi said that her mother called her up and said, "Is this song about... that?" I was laughing for days.

TIME AFTER TIME
From the album She's So Unusual (1983). I have always enjoyed this song because of its moving arrangements and vocal arrangements. Everytime I see Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow dance with Alan Cumming to this song in 'Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion', I cry after laughing so hard, even though they did a great job with the choreography. I know shouldn't be laughing because they danced so great, but it's just that they chose a romantic ballad that requires slow-dancing and they decided to use ballet as their dance.

I DROVE ALL NIGHT
From the album A Night To Remember (1989). This is one of the best songs I have heard from Cyndi Lauper and it came from the best album Cyndi Lauper has ever recorded, A Night To Remember. The album did not get the recognition it deserved, it is her best album by far.

HAT FULL OF STARS
From the album Hat Full Of Stars (1993). Another great song from the Hat Full Of Stars album. I knew from the moment I read the title that it would be a great song and I was right. I love it when I'm right.

CHANGE OF HEART
From the album True Colors (1986). This is one of the three songs from the True Colors (1986) album that I like. The True Colors (1986) album is not a favorite album of mine, all though I love the front and back covers of that album. This song has a great vibe to it and the lyrics are well-written. Cyndi's voice was amazing on this one to begin with, but The Bangles', who provided back-ups, vocals thicken Cyndi's voice, making her voice sound like it has more enthusiasm.

SISTERS OF AVALON
From the album Sisters Of Avalon (1997). This is a good song, but it's not like her original sound. If she decided to change her sound, she shouldn't have made it sound like this. I know she has the talent to better than this.

ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT
From the album She's So Unusual (1983). This is another song with a moving sound. The vocals are incredible, the music is incredible. Who would not love this song, except for people with no brains?

WHEN YOU WERE MINE
From the album She's So Unusual (1983). Although, this is a great song, I don't like the fact that it was originally done by Prince. I literally hate Prince with a passion. In my opinion, he's a great lyricist, but he and his music can go straight to hell because I can't stand him or his music.

TRUE COLORS
From the album True Colors (1986). The second of three songs I like from the True Colors (1986) album. The guitar arrangements are incredible.

UNHOOK THE STARS
From the album Sisters Of Avalon (1997). She did reinvent her sound for the Sisters Of Avalon (1997) album and not well at all. This is a song I always skip. I can't waste my time listening to a song that sounds like crap.

THE GOONIES 'R' GOOD ENOUGH
From the original motion picture & soundtrack The Goonies (1985). The Goonies has always been one of my favorite movies. The movie was filmed and released in 1985, the year that I was born. It's hard for me to believe that this movie is as old as I am and I still get a kick out of it. This song is amazing and Cyndi was the right choice to record it. The movie, original motion picture score, and this song all remind me of Wildwood, New Jersey. I don't know why, it just happened. This is one of the best songs from Cyndi Lauper and I'm happy to know that it was included in this incredible collection.

If you are a Cyndi Lauper fan, then you need to buy a copy of this collection. It's worth all the money you pay and you are guaranteed to be impressed.

What I Remember.
Most of my childhood was spent in the 1980s. I remember MTV when the music videos were largely nothing more than cheap backgrounds with the singers standing in front. I do remember that besides Madonna, Cyndi Lauper was one of the truly rememberable artist and one that used MTV and other new mediums to advance her career. I also remember that Cyndi Lauper showed up a lot on the WWF and that she had one of the few (though probably one of the best at the time) music videos I had ever seen on MTV, singing the song "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" from THE GOONIES.

With that said, I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of Cyndi Lauper. Nevertheless, she did make some really memorable songs that I remember from hearing from my childhood and this is the first album that contains all of them. My favorite songs on this album are:

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun"

"Money Changes Everything"

"Time After Time"

"True Colors"

"The Goonies 'R' Good Enough"

"Time After Time" and "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" were songs that I've been looking to have as part of my music collection for a long time and they are the reason I bought the album. Nevertheless, the other tunes on Essential are almost as good to listen to and make the investment more valuable. I've been told by Lauper fans that there are a few missing titles that should be on the album, but since I'm not a huge fan, The Essential Cyndi Lauper 'r' good enough for me.

one of the best!
A great cyndi lauper this is! I would dare to say it's even better than the 12 cyns one!

This is a must have! ... Read more

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Collection of Blondie Hits that Accompanies the Band on their Winter 2002 Tour. This Disc Updates the Collection and Adds their Comeback #1 in the UK "Maria" to Make this the Most Up-to-date Blondie Set Ever Released. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Crystal clear hit sounds
This is the best Blondie hits compilation by far and the sound is crystal clear; the hits are not arranged chronologically however, which makes it impossible to chart the development of the band. But that doesn't matter - this collection demonstrates the band's versatility - compare their early punk-pop Rip Her To Shreds or X Offender with the hypnotic synthpop-disco of Heart Of Glass or Atomic! My favorites include the wistful I'm Always Touched and the bilingual Denis (a classic slice of sixties pop), as well as Tide Is High with its percolating reggae rhythm, plus Sunday Girl (more lovely 60's pop). In my opinion, their best albums are Parallel Lines and Plastic Letters, and these are well represented with 6 of these gorgeous 19 tracks. I wouldn't call this a "Best Of" since there are some album tracks that I like more than some of these hit songs. These include Fan Mail and Bermuda Triangle Blues from Plastic Letters and Fade Away And Radiate from Parallel Lines. But this was never intended to be anything else but a greatest hits collection and serves it purpose very well. It just goes to show that classy pop music is timeless, and Blondie always had that special something, whatever the style they chose to do it in.

For Blondie's Hits, This is the Place to Go
Over the past twenty years, there have been at least a couple dozen collections of Blondie's hits put on the market. However, only two of those compilations have given an effective overview of the group's career- THE BEST OF BLONDIE from 1981 and PLATINUM COLLECTION from 1994. But fortunately, this GREATEST HITS edition can also stand alongside those two retrospectives, rather than be buried among the other budget collections that have probably picked up plenty of dust over the years.

To put it bluntly, the title says it all- GREATEST HITS collects nineteen of the biggest hits Blondie has scored from 1976 to 1999. Besides including their biggest hits on both sides of the Atlantic- "Heart of Glass"; "Call Me"; "The Tide Is High"; "Rapture"- this collection also includes lesser-known US hits ("Dreaming," "One Way or Another," "Atomic"); songs that only became hits in the UK ("Sunday Girl," "(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear," "Maria") and standout album tracks ("X Offender," "Rip Her to Shreds", "In the Flesh"). So basically, every essential hit and album track that Blondie scored during their career is here (with the exception of the UK hit "War Child," which is barely a loss at all). Hardcore fans will likely have a personal favorite or two missing, but GREATEST HITS pretty much tells everything a casual fan needs to know about one of the greatest new wave bands.

If there is any complaint about this collection, it's that upon listening, it may seem that more than one group is being represented, for GREATEST HITS does not sum up all of Blondie's styles into one effective mix. That may actually be nitpicking, but casual fans should still consider purchasing THE BEST OF BLONDIE instead, for not only does it focus on the very best of Blondie (and for the record, everything from BEST OF BLONDIE is on GREATEST HITS), but its nonchronological sequencing actually works so that it showcases only one group- a group that was seemingly consistent. But if you want to get virtually every essential Blondie hit and album track on one collection, then you should purchase GREATEST HITS.

BLONDIE IS BLONDIE
It's undeniable that Blondie has to be one of the best band out there(diggin' many musical styles and territories a fine example to groups like NO DOUBT), her last single GOOD BOYS represents the band at their best if you haven't heard it. So without a question this new compilation includes all their charted hits and some exclusive favorites, it would be out of place to describe each song because the titles of the songs speak for themselves, HEART OF GLASS, ATOMIC, CALL ME, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER all classic songs of the late 70's early 80's, this is one of the best compilations of Blondie around today, + include here is their hit MARIA, not available in another GH package...so delightful Blondie will always be Blondie...a must have.

The Price of Admission
"Dreaming" is one of the best pop songs ever written and makes this CD worth purchasing. The rest is great, too.

A TRUE GEM!!!
There is no doubt about it, Blondie is the band that has redefined music in a whole other way! They have gone from pop to rock, from disco to jazz, from rap to punk, and they have even done country! Every song on this compilation deserves to be here!

THE SONGS
Dreaming- A mix of pop and Debbie Harry's voice can really make some sweet music!

Call Me- One of my favorites!!! Also the theme from American Gigolo. (which happened to be a great movie)

One Way Or Another- Truly a great ROCK N' ROLL SONG!

Heart Of Glass- A true gem!!! One of Debbie's finest songs.

The Tide Is High- A happy summertime beach song! FUN!!!

X Offender- Classic as always!!!

Hanging On The Telephone- A great punk-rock tune!

Rip Her To Shreds- Reminds me of some of the girls at my school.

Rapture- I think Debbie can rap!!!

Atomic- You can really dance to this one!!! Or at least I think so!!!

Picture This- A nice sweet song thats likeable.

In The Flesh- Sounds like something out of the 50s. But its a great song!!!

Denis- Gotta Love Denis!

(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear- Not my favorite, but I like it.

Union City Blue- A great vocal performance!!!

The Hardest Part- Loved It!!! She Can Sing!!!

Island Of Lost Souls- Catchy tune!

Sunday Girl- Love the French!

Maria- Another true pop gem!!!

Blondie is a band! (A great one I might add) And I am so glad they made such enjoyable music! Thanks!!! Peace Out!!!

Blondie Is: Debbie Harry
Chris Stein
Clem Burke
Jimmy Destri ... Read more

Album Description

Formed in NYC in the mid-'70s by David Byrne, Chris Franz, Tina Weymouth, and ex-Modern Lover Jerry Harrison, Talking Heads soared out of their humble CBGB's beginnings to become Rock and Roll Hall of Famers and one of the most adventurous and influential bands ever. The onstage energy that propelled their rise to fame was documented in the 1982 double-LP set THE NAME OF THIS BAND IS TALKING HEADS, now available on CD for the first time. Following them through several early evolutions from '77-'81, this live gem - a 1982 Top 40 Billboard Album- is a riveting portrait of a stellar band on the rise. For its CD debut it's been expanded with over 30 minutes of rare and mostly previously unreleased bonus material. ... Read more

Album Description

UK exclusive reissue includes new artwork, 13 of the 15tracks which appear on the 1997 domestic & five moretracks, 'Seven Days', 'De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da', 'BrandNew Day', 'Desert Rose' & 'So Lonely'. 18 tracks. 2002. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

"one of the most popular bands ever ~ Sting & the Police"
UTV Records brings to the table an all-star line up of songs ~ "The Very Best of Sting & the Police", featuring some landmark performances by a group that was born twenty-five years ago back in 1978. The Police were always a talented trio, with a one-of-a-kind style of Sting's bass, falsetto vocals creating a rhythmic interplay between this trio was exciting. This is the CD to own, if you don't feel like buying their entire collection.

Would like to mention some of the stand outs ~ "FRAGILE", just remember how fragile you are, and Sting we can really relate to those tender words ~ "DESERT ROSE", this is a non-stop arrangement of Araic blends give the listener a taste of the Middle East ~ "IF I EVER LOSE MY FAITH IN YOU", a message that we need to take to our heart ~ "WHEN WE DANCE", my soul salvation with the angels gathered, is so touching.

The sound is a wonderful improvement over their original greatest hits release from the 80's and the inclusion of the original "DON' STAND SO CLOSE TO ME", makes this a complete package of a must have for all fans of Sting & the Police. Each one of the songs on this CD is excellent and covers the best of all their albums. One of the finest "Very Best of" packages ever, from one of rock's most intelligent and creative forces.

Total Time 78:33 on 18 Tracks ~ UTV Records 069-493-252-2 ~ (2002)

Deserted Rose
For the musicians that came out since the 1970's, nobody remained as strong, or a determined, or even as a brotherly love-hate relationed game, better than The Police. Since 1978, The Police captivated millions with their Punk edge, and skilled tales and songs. For Sting, it has been 25 years ago, since The Police broke out of Newcastle, England. Although The Police have had a great legacy, this collection lacks the focus of Sting.

The 2002, revised collection of The Very Best Of Sting And The Police, reflects upon 18 of Sting's biggest recordings from his smash solo career, and with The Police. Although the album has huge hits like Every Breath You Take, Desert Rose, and Can't Stand Losing You, the record lacks some of their best songs including, Invisible Sun, and Don't Stand So Close To Me '86. The album also drags down, with a shame of few of Sting's solo recordings, without putting up a little more to the table. There were a lot of good songs missing including, You Still Touch Me from Mecury Falling, The Soul Cages, and even After The Rain Has Fallen, even his Oscar-nominated song My Funny Friend And Me wasn't even displayed.

Let's face it, when it comes to record labels making good Greatest Hits collections, they always seem to fall flat on their faces. For Sting, I truly do not recommend this collection. Instead, I suggest that you get two seperate Greatest Hits albums, Every Breath You Take: The Classics, and Fields Of Gold: The Very Best Of Sting 1984-1994. You'll be a little happier if you have both of those as a die hard Sting fan, than the newer collection.

Not Sure If This Will Let Me Give It No Stars...
But simply put this compilation is pointless. It sucks ass to put it bluntly. If you were going to repackage a greatest hits cd and then jumble Sting's solo crap with the Police material you could have come up with a hell of a lot better selection than this. "Russians"? Dated and melodramatic. Don't waste your money.

STING THE GREAT COMPOSER
This isn a brief compilation of the POWER TRIO in the 80s.Although the selection is uneven,STING's voice stands out brilliantly.The focus is on his SOLO WORK period.Therefore,Many police fan will be disappointed to hear this.The main point is
that STING is very proficient in making big hits and beautiful,romantic songs.This is a nice introduction to the casual fans of STING.If you like STING,try this one without hesitation.

a BIG con
Come on guys!!! How many times can you repackage this!!! Is this because Sting sold the rights to the songs, now they're being milked? Wake up everyone - this is a big con. There are NUMEROUS Police greatest hits collections AND there has been a Sting Greatest Hits prior to this - both Police and Sting fans have been well serviced already.

They were and still are great songs (The Police songs I'm talking about here - Sting's solo stuff I can take or leave it without much heartache) - leave them alone and let them live in their original packaging.

There should be a law against artists putting out more than 1 of the same greatest hits. Disgraceful! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Most great rock has embraced the influences of the past with a contemporary urgency and seldom an eye on the future. And if Richard Butler and the Psychedelic Furs took critical heat for fusing the pulsing darkness of the Velvet Underground with Iggy Pop edginess and a few mid-'70s U.K. art-rock flourishes (most notably Berlin-period Bowie and Roxy Music), they were only doing what rock artists had already been doing for decades; their chief sin seemed to be doing it in an era when musicians seemed expected to reinvent themselves every six months. This single disc effectively documents the Furs' canon from the droning menace of "Sister Europe" (from their highly recommended debut album) through the original, nonsoundtrack version of "Pretty in Pink," and on to an increasingly pop-influenced body of '80s work ("Love My Way," "Heaven," "The Ghost in You"). Ironically, as they distanced themselves from the late-'60s through mid-'70s influences they'd been criticized for aping, their sound took on the synth- and production-heavy trappings of '80s pop clichés. -Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (8)

There's A Face In A Glass and It Looks Like Mine
Any comparison between the Psychedelic Furs and the Sex Pistols is mind-blowingly stupid. They were from different planets.

Believe it or not, when I hung out at Washington DC clubs like The Wax Museum during the 1980s, Furs music seemed rather romantic. The Pistols were dead by then--literally and figuratively--and you could never by any stretch of the imagination call anything they touched romance-driven. I loved the Pistols, but they were a social movement, the soundtrack to a riot, not dance music or something you'd put on the car stereo as you polished your make out moves.

But "Pretty In Pink" was fun and young and fast and danceable; Rolling Stone may have insisted that it was an attack on the highschool mainstream but we all understood it to be a whacked bit of praise for the pretty girl who had more behind her blush than a wish to be a varsity cheerleader; if you were 18 and in those clubs you knew there were a lot of Pretty in Pink types--male and female--hiding on those dance floors. I may be waxing too poetic, but it was amazing to see how many Perfect n' Pure people ended up moving their hips to this kind of thing.

"Love My Way" and "Heaven" and "The Ghost In You" created an atmosphere that I've never found duplicated, where all of these young suburban kids were able to transpose themselves into some kind of hip ultra-modern netherworld, and the fact that the Furs and a lot of other bands like them sang in Ziggy Stardust drones, played a lot of dry electric synths, and made even human drummers sound pre-programmed had a lot to do with that other-world feel. Too much Vodka and who knows what all else didn't dampen the feeling either. Here in DC we had the premier alt radio station, the now long-defunct WHFS 102.3, driving the scene, and everything you ever saw in Valley Girl and Pretty In Pink---and Rock n Roll High School and Square Pegs and Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Geeks & Freaks and, later, High Fidelity and Almost Famous---was all true. We listened to "Until She Comes" and things like "New Toy" and Cyndi Lauper's awesome cover of "Money Changes Everything" and LONDON CALLING and even Boy George and Marshall Crenshaw and Devo worked their way into the mix. It all seems like another planet now.

The break down came when you got past the first tier of tunes for bands like the Furs, when you realized that the annoying squawking on "Heartbeat" sounded way too much like a Duran Duran record, when Madonna and all of the other mall mavens took over the charts, when the Vodka wore off and all of the wonderful dreamscapes of Saturday night just hit a brick wall on Sunday morning. I got tired of trying to make the transformation from my oh-so-cool 2 a.m. Wax Museum persona to somebody who could get out of bed and make a cup of coffee before lunch.

So the Furs and a thousand other bands like them are now just a reflective bit of their former selves, and my generations former lives. Both have a glittery patina, but the shine is thin; shallow and hollow and, in too many ways, in the end, meaningless.

Curious? New Wave? Don't think so.
I wish people would buy at least one CD from a band and give them a chance, instead of buying greatest hits packages, some really great music is forgotten and The Psychedelic Furs had alot of songs that were better than the hits. Don't get me wrong, this is a good greatest hits! I love every song on it! and they will always be one of my favorite bands...I still can't figure out why they call this new wave? it's too guitar heavy, lead singer with a cigarette stained voice, jamming drums it sounds more like alternative rock...go figure?

Good compilation, but
In the eighties, new wave hit a peak it has never reached again since, and will probably never again reach. One of the great bands of the genre was the Psychedelic Furs. This is a single-disc compilation of their greatest hits. Read on to see how it measures up.

PROS:
If you're looking for the band's biggest hits, you've come to the right place! Love My Way, President Gas, and Heartbeat are all here for your listening pleasure. Plus, you have several other tracks that are excellent. There is no filler here

CONS:
There's one big problem with this compilation. It's called a greatest HITS compilation, but for some reason they used the less-popular ORIGINAL version of Pretty In Pink! WHY!? I bought the compilation just for that song, so I was pretty mad to discover it wasn't the version I wanted. This is the ultimate sin, people.

OVERALL:
Take my advice. Get this if you're a casual fan of the band. This is much more affordable than the two-disc Should God Forget compilation, but if you're a casual fan, it should please you just as well.

Nothing against the band but...
I like the band but at this point they have more greatest hit packages and retrospectives than actual CD's... At this point it makes more sense to buy the original CD's.

This is starting to get silly.

Greatest Hits
This beautifully packaged Greatest Hits single cd set is a 17 song career overview picked by none other than Tim Butler of the Furs. Contains all the Johnny Rotten com '80's Butler sneers and the classics one expects when using "Greatest Hits" as a title. Plus, a previously unreleased live version of "Only You and I" and interview w/Richard Butler & John Ashton. For the casual fan, newcomer or one in need of a quick fix - this is perfect. For the seasoned veteran, I'd suggest the in-depth 2 disc set, "Should God Forget. A Retrospective." "Greatest Hits is basically a shorter version of "Should God Forget (note same covers/different colors). ... Read more

Amazon.com

The reflexes of those old enough to remember when "The Reflex" and "Rio" went rocketing up the Hot 100 in the 1980s may not be what they used to, but certain reactions to the first full spin of Astronaut can't help kicking in anyway. First among equals is exhilaration: Few can sit through pop this inventive--titillating, even, on the thumping disco dazzler "Bedroom Toys," which features Chic's Nile Rodgers--without owning up to a genuine thrill. And though the original fab five, as they're being heralded on this first disc in more than 20 years, leans a little heavier on Andy Taylor's guitar work than in the past, the band stays loyal to its original electropop sound, skillfully shuttling the faithful back in time but kicking in enough keyboard wizardry to avoid leaving them feeling old. Once the inevitable buzz dissipates (give it a while--the sunniness of opening anthem and first single "(Reach Up for) The Sunrise" sticks around, as does the moodiness of "Still Breathing"), puzzlement takes its place. Simon Le Bon sounds not a day older than when he recorded "Girls on Film," something for which he owes fellow 80s-band singers who flopped on the comeback trail an explanation. More puzzling still, though, is why Duran Duran waited so long to return: Had they reunited sooner, legions of dedicated, sophisticated popsters might have been spared the indignity that was the boy-band craze. --Tammy La Gorce

Talking with Duran Duran
Amazon.com contributor Beth Massa spoke with lead singer Simon LeBon and keyboardist Nick Rhodes separately to discuss the band's original line-up reunion, the passion they felt recording Astronaut, and their appreciation for their female fan base.

• Listen to the interview with Simon LeBon
• Listen to the interview with Nick Rhodes

Reviews (34)

One of the eighties best!
What can I say about the Femmes! I was ten years old when I first bought this album only to have it confiscated when my parents heard the infamous "Add it up". From that point on, it was lost and I had to purchase it again by tape. This is one of the very best of the bands from the eighties. When you hear this cd, it is very weird to think that this came out twenty years ago. Though, I'm a child of the eighties and enjoy the music, the Violent Femmes stand out for their unique sound. The words, the voice, the music is what teen angst is all about. Each song is great so I can't pick a favorite, but "Add it up" was "the" song that my friends and I played so much.

This cd is a classic and is still enjoyable even now. Its fun to watch kids that weren't even born when this came out fall in love with it. When I hear these songs, I think of being a punk and driving around in my friend's camaro listening to it over and over again. Even now, I never get tired of.

If you like punk, if you like alternative, if you like something different, pick this up now. You won't be disappointed!

Original
The Violent Femmes' landmark debut album redefined punk music with their maverick acoustic sound. KROQ in Los Angeles put Blister in the Sun into heavy rotation. This catchy little song (actually more like the skeleton of a song) has the habit of showing up in the funniest places including in the repatoire of a hockey arena organist. The tortured and nervous lyrics of this first album lets you perfectly imagine the sweaty foreheads of some demented characters. Oddly, front man Gordon Gano makes it cool to be weak - on the verge on some breakdown and on the verge of lashing out. Most often he sounds like a sexually warped character alienated from, or obsessing over dependence on, some female. Other times he is a characature of someone disenfranchised from the rest of us at large. The jagged guitar work (reminds me of those of Pivot Foots guitarist Brent Walker) matches his obsessions and serves to echo them like his mental demons nodding and jumping up and down in agreement with all his sentiments. We the audience witness the whole mental illness dancing party. They were once described as a "coffee house trio gone insane." This album is a an absolute must have.

Gimme Five....
I forgot how good this release was....It's a fixture in my car CD player at the moment!

Timeless; beautifully weird as hell; an undeniable classic
This album is, in the very best way, like a perfect pair of toenail clippers.

That is: it's something you don't use all the time, but every so often you realize, "It's been too long, I need something..." and it occurs to you that only one thing will do the job. Either toenail clippers, or "The Violent Femmes."

It shouldn't work. The instruments are simple and spare and loosey-goosey. Gano's voice is weird and the lyrics tend to be whiny and self-pitying. And yet the whole thing stands up as a remarkably fun, wonderful little album.

Aside from the music, one of the best things about "The Violent Femmes" is its bizarre, broad appeal. It always gets a smile when played at a party and beyond all reason it gets people of all shapes and sizes singing along. When I was in high school and college, all the cool freaky girls liked this record. As well as some of the regular girls who were really freaky girls pretending to be regular, even back in the day when Bon Jovi and Poison supplied pep rally soundtrack.

But that was a long time ago, and it seems like people are still picking up on it. It's a nice thought that one of the sonic staples of my teen angst period is now being picked up by kids who've heard Beck and The White Stripes first.

An absolute classic album
I can't believe I'm the first person to review this album; I just assumed that there would be hundreds of reviews praising the songs and the band. I'm shocked...

This is a masterpiece; this is a must have album for anyone who appreciates punk and/or rock music. I can't fathom anyone not loving this album. It's poetry; it's teenage angst; it's unique in its musical stylings.

The Violent Femmes are brilliant musicians who redefined the genre of punk music.

Buy this album! ... Read more

Album Description

This Super Audio Compact Disc (SACD) recording offers high-resolution sound and is playable on both standard CD players and SACD-compatible devices. ... Read more

Reviews (65)

One of the finest greatest hits releases ever!
I'm not big on greatest hits packages. I believe the artist has an idea in mind when they release an entire album. It's like taking excerps from a great novelist's many books and putting them in one book. However, with time passed by, it appears that The Police were an excellent singles band. A lot of their alb