Reviews (14)

A must have for any INXS fan...get this!
I had enjoyed the music of INXS as a young boy in the 80's, but I didn't become a full fledged INXS fan until my college years. I got my first INXS album just a month before the death of Michael Hutchence. While the "Kick" album contains many hits that us Americans are most familiar with, "Listen Like Thieves" contains some great gems that some new American fans of the band (like myself) may not have heard before. Tracks such as "This Time", "One X One", and "Kiss The Dirt" are some of the best pieces of music that have ever been made. Of course this album contains the US hits "What You Need" and "Listen Like Thieves", the title track. US fans may oy may not be familiar with the track "Shine Like It Does", but either way you won't get it out of your head after you listen to that beautiful song. INXS was not yet burdened by the mega-success they would soon achieve in the mid/late 80's, so they could experiment with different sounds on this album. They were even free to put a cool instumental song on the album ("Three Sisters") If you're a die-hard INXS fan, you probably have this already. If you're just getting into INXS, like I was, than get "Listen Like Thieves" into your possession right away. It's OK if you wanna get "Kick" first, but get this album soon after.

INXS does it yet again
There are Three albums by INXS in which, in my opinion, are FIVE STAR albums. This album has gotten better as the years went on. The songs here are flawless "What You Need" gets you rockin' right away as we drift into the title track which has a dark glow to it everytime you listen to it, I think the video of the song does it. "Kiss The Dirt", "Shine Like It Does" and "This Time" were the other three singles. Then you have "Same Direction" which appeared in the movie AMERICAN ANTHEM and on the soundtrack and the instrumental track "3 Sisters" is also a great song. This is just a great album through and through.

'Miami Vice'-Don Johnson
This episode of 'Miami Vice',concerns piracy and the high sea's. The story plot is about a bunch of rich kids who fancy the pirate Sir Francis Drake,and go on a killing spree,ripping off drug dealers,and later stealing there boats for joy rides.In this episode of 'Miami Vice',the song's (1)'What you need',(2)'Three sisters' are played in this memorable episode.

XS-ively Good.
"Kick" sold more copies, but "Listen Like Thieves" is the Aussie group's most consistent and enjoyable album. This disc is loaded with all the things I like in pop music: hooks galore, catchy choruses, and top-notch instrumentation. THERE ARE NO BAD SONGS ON THIS ALBUM. The disc starts moving in the right direction with the funky "What You Need," moving to the loud and fun title track, the groovy bite of "Shine Like it Does," and the solid first single "This Time." Other favorites are "Same Direction" (lifted from the 1980s Mitch Gaylord campfest "American Anthem") and "One X One." Vocalist Michael Hutchence yells, screams, and growls through each of these tunes with feeling and verve. INXS never got enough credit in their multiplatinum days, but they were a solid pop act that suffered some catty blows from petty critics. Pay them no mind. Crank this one up, and let the grooves take you back to the glory days. Party like it's 1985.

1985, the World is coming to an end, time to PARTY!
It is 1985 and Inxs is, according to Rolling Stone Magazine, the "coolest band in the world."

Believe it or not, top 40 music was once not angst ridden, tremendously self- conscious, bitter, and without a high conception of self- importance. It also used to be catchy. In 1985, nuclear proliferation was at a peak, and bands like Limp Bizkit would have been booed off the stage of the local dive in Omaha if they were to play. Yes, Nu Metal would have been viewed as the [bad music] that it is if it were introduced in the 80's.

Listen Like Thieves is the perfect answer for the cold war blues or the garbage that is on the radio today. It is a pleasant "best of class" blend of new wave and 80's party music that is sure to put a smile on your face. The Inxs sound has never really been replicated despite selling many millions.

Put on your wayfarers, head to the boardwalk, and smile. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

wow.what a shock this cd is bad
this cd is really bad for a greatist hits cd.i bought this album for heaven,pretty in pink and the ghost in you.these songs are real masterpieces .when buying this album i thought the rest of the songs would be good also,man was i wrong.besides the three songs i just mentioned the only other good tracks are president gas and imitation of christ.i spend over 20 dollars for an album of 14 tracks with just 5 good tracks on it.what a waste of money.don't make the same mistake i did.

Good Collection for the Casual Fan
"All of This and Nothing" is an excellent single disc anthology from a band that was always better at producing singles than albums. It covers most of the band's history--they faded into obscurity not long after its 1988 release. The highlights include some of the better hit songs of 1980s new wave, the absolutely gorgeous "The Ghost in You," the soundtrack title song "Pretty in Pink," "Love My Way" and the more bombastic "Heartbreak Beat." With a total of 14 selections, the album is just substantial enough to be filling without overstaying its welcome. As a bonus, the CD booklet contains a lyrics sheets and some good liner notes.

Overall, an intelligently selected anthology from one of new wave music's better bands.

A Must Have!!!
I remember watching "120 Minutes" a few years back (when it was still good!) and the video for "Dumb Waiter" was on as a 'Cult Classic'. Afterwards, I thought to myself, "I wish I could find a CD of all of my favorite Psych Furs songs. Unexpectedly, I stumbled upon "All of This and Nothing"! I fell in love with record immediately. "Dumb Waiters" has got to be one of their best songs. I just love the slightly out-of-tune sax playing on that track. I'm also quite fond of "Highwire Days" and the obvious favorites like "Pretty in Pink", "Love My Way", and "Heartbreak Beat". This is a great compilation to purchase if you're just becoming familiar with the Furs. You won't be sorry!

PEOPLE FADE AND I FORGET YOU
The Psychedelic Furs were undoubtedly one of the best and most overlooked bands of the 1980s, apart from their misused, misinterpreted and overplayed "Pretty in Pink" which lent its name to a film of the same name. The Furs' real brilliance shone elsewhere. This is a collection of some of that brilliance. My favourite here being "All that Money Wants" with its cynical lyrics and gorgeous music, "Painted lies on painted lips, that promise heaven tastes like this... I don't believe that I believed in you...". Butler's unique vocals coupled with the sharp, intelligent, and caustic lyrics make for extremely satisfying music... I can listen to it over and over and the music still sounds fresh and undated. Another gem here is the pleasantly monotone drone of "Sister Europe", "Lonely in a crowded room, the radio plays out of tune so silently... radio upon the floor, oh stupid it plays Aznavour so out of key..." This album can also serve as a good introduction to their work, although they recently released a U.S.-oriented best of which consists of good material but not their best by any stretch of the imagination. Like many 80s bands, the Furs have recently reunited and toured. Not sure what to think of that all-too-common phenomenon. Capitalise while you can?

Richard Butler...you rock!
This is a great way to introduce yourself to The Furs if you are a novice. "Love My Way" and "The Ghost In You" are worth the price of the CD all by themselves. It's like getting the extra tracks for free! Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Blast from the past
I haven't heard this album since I was about 12 years old, and at that time, I must have worn out two cassette versions of it; I loved it that much.

So many years later, I can vaguely remember hearing shorter versions, hence I can only assume they remixed or extended a few tunes to pad it out for the CD issue. In any event, it really doesn't matter, because even though I've branched out into a plethora of musical genres since then, I've found that this album still holds up, due to its extreme melodiousness.

The production and synths are dated, of course, but any hummable tune has to have some appeal to it, otherwise you'd forget it like that. And even though Dolby only scored his one major hit with 'She Blinded Me...' (and a minor one later on with 'Airhead'), there are no shortage of similarly solid songs on this album.

'Airwaves', 'Cloudburst at Shingle Street', 'Wind Power', are equally good, and the stately 'One of Our Submarines' (and my fave tune on the album, 'Flying North') is absolutely sublime.

It still holds up, boys, never fear.

A Classic !
Dolby never quite gets the credit he deserves. This is one of the best paced albums I've ever heard with great songwriting throughout. Truly an inspiration. There were actually FOUR different releases of this album (in response to another reviewer spotting two). This CD is the 2nd US LP pressing version with the different version of "Radio Silence". There were also 2 different UK versions, neither one has "She Blinded Me With Science" or "One Of Our Submarines". The first version adds "Wreck Of The Fairchild" (a very rare early single) and both contain "Urges" and "Leipzig", neither were ever on any US version. If you're a fan you'll want them all !

suffers from lack of air time
This effort from Dolby always gets pushed back behind the absolutely brilliant "The Flat Earth" and rightly so, its not as good. But take a second listen, listen to more than "Blinded.." and you'll find a collection of really good, high quality pop."flying north", and "Airwaves" are a lethal one-two punch on the CD. Which add quality to set up the already notable "Europa..", and "One of our submarines". Come to think of it there really is not bad cut on the whole album. Although the album seems to be the polar opposite of "The Flat Earth" I have taken a CDr and juxtaposed songs from the two CDs to listen to in the car and the two albums work together brilliantly. They do seem to be cut from the same cloth. If you like "The Flat Earth" get this before it goes out of print.

Five Stars, but how about a deluxe reissue?
If you're reading this, you probably know that "The Golden Age Of Wireless" was an amazing moment in the budding synthesizer new wave explosion. As anyone into the instrument could have told you at the time, Thomas Dolby was not just an incredible synth player, he had an amazing sense of keyboard construction and compositional skills. His credits before his solo career included Lena Lovich, Bruce Woolley and The Camera Club and (gasp) Foreigner! (Those are his keyboard washes that grace their classic "Foreigner 4" and the hit "Waiting For a Girl Like You.") So it wasn't like Dolby's debut came without a pedigree.

But the original "The Golden Age Of Wireless" album came with completely different cover art, different running order, a much better mix of "Radio Silence" and two other songs, "Urges" and "Leipzig." It wasn't until after an EP release of five songs for "She Blinded Me With Science" became a hit did the CD/Album as we know it come into existence. Even then, the versions of "Science" and "One Of Our Submarines" added to "Golden Age" are different, shortened edits. To this day, I am fascinated by both versions of the album and CD, and I keep wondering why, in this age when everything is being remastered, remixed and re-issued, this classic album hasn't been mined for the deluxe treatment?

First off, we need the album resequenced to replace the original mix of "Radio Science" and relegate the vaporized remix to a bonus track. Then replace "Leipzig" and "Urges" to their equivalent positions on the first issue of the album. Then, for more bonus tracks, the "She Blinded Me With Science" EP's remixes of the single, "Windpower," "Flying North" and "Submarines." It would, for me, take an already five star album of the eighties and truly do it justice for the influence that Dolby had.

And while we're at it, a DVD of the "Golden Age of Video" would be nice......

How about it Capitol/EMI?

Blinded By Excellence!
New Wave has never been a very appreciated aspect of popular music even during it's heyday but that being so,Dolby's
"Golden Age Of Wireless" stands out.The classic period hit
"She Blinded Me With Science" not withstanding this record contains some classic pop such as "Wind Power",the soft,heavily
vocal "Weightless" but what really carries this album is
"Airwaves",a song with a cryptic but very important message and
a catchy arrangment-this didn't have to be new wave;it couldv'e
been any style and worked.The Devo-esqe satire "Commercial Breakup" and "Europa And The Pirate Twins" are also important
highlites.To get the full bredth of this project,another
essencial purchase would be the VHS tape "The Golden Age Of Video",featuring a collection of Dolby's MTV-era video's,many of
them hard to find these days.A classic. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A TRULY Great Album
Don't listen to any "overanalytical" reviews. This album is awesome. Cyndi does a much better job singing. Practically every song is unforgettable. Her voice successfully conquers every imaginable musical style, such as rock ("Change of Heart", "One Track Mind"), romantic ballad ("True Colors"), Mardi Gras music ("Iko Iko"), pop ("Calm Inside The Storm", "The Faraway Nearby", "911"), and a much more successful remake of the "Blue Angel's" "Maybe He'll Know". IMO, "Change of Heart", "Iko Iko", and "The Faraway Nearby" are the greates tracks on this album (although all of them are distinctly different). "True Colors" is a real classic; it's one of the greatest albums I've ever heard. It's not a mess of different styles, though. "True Colors" is a very solid album. All songs are logicall integrated into one unforgettable performance. For those who would like to listen to other awesome Cyndi records, I suggest "A Night To Remember" and "Sisters of Avalon". You won't regret it!

The Before and After review
Cyndi Lauper followed up the blockbuster "She's So Unusual" with True Colors in September 1986

BEFORE:
Cyndi Lauper had recently won Best New Artist at the Grammys. Her last album spent nearly 2 years on the Billboard chart.

AFTER:
True Colors didn't quite duplicate the success of it's predecessor, but it definately proved Cyndi wasn't a one-hit-wonder. The album had three big hits, True Colors (#1), Change Of Heart (#3) and What's Going On (#11). She also embarked on a sellout tour that culminated in a June 1987 HBO concert (released on video as Cyndi Lauper In Paris). The album went double-platinum and equaled SSU's Billboard Top 200 peak of #4.

True Colors is a hit and miss effort from La Lauper. It has some great moments (True Colors, Boy Blue, Maybe He'll Know, The Faraway Nearby) but it also has some misses (911, Iko Iko). The album evokes nostalgia from all of us who lived during this album's run in 86-87, but I don't think it's quite become the classic She's So Unusual has become. I did love Cyndi's image at this album tho, a lot sexier than she was during the Unusual period.

All in all, a good album, but certainly one of Cyndi's weakest.

This CD will put u on a ONE TRACK MIND
This CD is the one of the WAY best CDs of CYNDI LAUPER

Totally Different
This was the album that got me into cyndi lauper. This album will take you to a musical soundscape, its as if each song is connected all throughout. It exhibits the psychidelic playfulness of Cyndi's music. I would even dare to say that this is better than She's So Unusual. Tracks are:
1. Change of Heart - Rock, soundblasting, exhilirating, and exciting!
2. Maybe He'll Know - a trip to the oldies
3. Boy Blue - A bit long, but the overall trip is good, i like the synths.
4. True Colors - quite different from ballad formats at the time it was released.
5. Calm Inside the Storm - I dunno what to make of it, it doesn't seem to fit in any genre that I know, or i could be wrong.
6. What's Going On - the single version is much better, her vocals are weak here.
7. Iko-iko - cute track, I like it a lot.
8. Faraway Nearby - cute track, compliments iko iko.
9. 911 - the weakest tracks on the album, but I heard it on her 'Live in Paris' performance, and it sounded much better than on this record.
10. One Track Mind - One of my favourites. Its different, it takes you to a trip, the lyrics are a bit odd though. A good ender for an album

Good!
I Like Cyndi Lauper. I actually have True Colors on cassette tape and I think it's a good tape. All of the songs are good but my favorite is True Colors, after I heard that song on the radio I had to buy the cassette tape and I recommend this album to fans of Cyndi Lauper. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Considering that Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, the English duo known as Tears for Fears, were avid followers of Arthur Janov, father of the Primal Scream form of mental therapy, it wasn't surprising that one of their biggest hits was titled "Shout." What was surprising was how the two managed to take all their deep-rooted inner turmoil and make such positively buoyant music. Case in point: their other Songs from the Big Chair-spawned, No. 1 hit, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," was a meditative contemplation of the struggle for power within interpersonal relationships as a metaphor for global supremacy--which, thank god, had a good beat so you could at least dance to it.--Billy Altman ... Read more

Reviews (32)

The essential Tears For Fears album
Tears for Fears seems to have aged more gracefully than most other 1980s music, in part because the band relied more on real instruments than synthesized noise, in part because they really sang. Fifteen years after its release, Songs from the Big Chair remains the essential album from this duo.

Beyond having two huge hits, which sound great even now, the album has a consistency and continuity. 'Head over Heels', for example, just fits best when it is bookended by the live recording of 'Broken'. 'Working Hour' is a fantastic vocal and instrumental romp -- why it never made it to the 'Greatest Hits' set is beyond me. While it might be stretch, I have always thought of 'Big Chair' as one of few 1980s concept albums. Every track is distinctive, but you cannot help but listen to the whole thing through.

A CLASSIC RECORD
Songs From The Big Chair could perhaps be considered to be a typical 80's album. Black and white cover with a photo of the group, aggressive music done almost entirely on synths, driving vocals.

This album has got to be the peak of 80's synth pop. It has some great songs, at least three of which were top ten hits. The orchestration is fascinating, and the synthetic sound has a strange, raw appeal to it. A couple of the tracks are less synthetic (Working Hour, I Believe), but most are based almost entirely, with the exception of the guitar parts, on synths. I think some of the drums are done on keyboards also.

The tracks flow into each other well, and they make fascinating listening, Orzabal's passionate vocals echoing over the bouncy, driving synthesisers. The sound of this album is so different to its successor, The Seeds Of Love, in many ways. It shows how flexible TFF were.

The best moment on this album is the end of the Head Over Heels / Broken, which was recorded live. After the end of Head Over Heels, the track is crossfaded into what must have been the end of a stage performance of Broken. This consists of a driving bass line underlining the backing instruments (synths again!!) with a furious guitar part over the whole ensemble. It ends after a brief two bar piano interlude and the audience goes wild. Excellent.

Get the album, listen to it and then get The Seeds Of Love. You will be staggered at the musical difference.

Essencial!
While "The Hurting" is surely an artistic triumph "Songs From The Big Chair" made Tears For Fears songs.The arrangements
are fuller and a full band sound is evident but their lyrical themes haven't changed-more people just were able to share in them.The result are the classic radio hits "Shout" and "Everybody Wants To Rule The World"-not to mention the John Lennon-like "Head Over Heals".It's obvious these guys spent alot of time not just with new wave but with John Lennon and Cat Stevens albums-the songwriting is classic and the aforementioned songs sound timeless despite this albums fairly recent vintage.The uptempo "Broken" is actually very dancable and "I Believe" is a simple,almost Beatlesqe ballad of high note.Mabye in the next twenty years or so "Songs From The Big Chair" will emmerge along with the "Sgt.Pepper"'s and "Pet Sound"s of all-time classic rock albums!

One of the best CDs ever made
Tears For Fears music has endured very well, far better than alot of music from the 1980s. What TFF put in their music was depth and creativity, something alot of other music at the time and especially now lacks.

There were two huge hits off The Big Chair. Shout is one of the angriest and heaviest songs with it's blasting guitars and angry lyrics. Everybody Wants To Rule The World is the other one. EWTRTW is one of the best songs that 1985 offered. There was one lesser hit and that was Head Over Heals.

In my opinion I like the parent album version more than the version on both the Tears Roll Down(Greatest Hits 82-92) & Shout: Very Best Of TFF mainly because the song ends with a live performance of Broken as an attachment for a more incredible listen.

The best song though in my opinion is The Working Hour. This track my favorite song off The Big Chair. It's a very intense song that begins with as an eerie track but then African drums come in and then a huge wash of powerful synthesizers and rock guitars come in.

The other track to point out is the final track(On the 8 song editon of this CD)Listen. Listen is a very apocolyptic song with a cold brooding atmosphere that is more intensified with the industrial mechanical beats and sound effects combined with dark melodies.

The Big Chair was re-issued in 1999 with seven bonus tracks added. The Big Chair(song title), Empire Building, & Marauders are also available on the brilliant B-Sides rarities collection Saturning Martial Lunatic. One track called The Conflict was previously unrealeased. The other three are remixes.

For those who might be turned off by the excessively abstract bonus tracks I wouls say get the older edition but for those want to start their TFF collections get the remastered editions of their first three albums. They're all worth owning.

A great album that was very well handled in it's reissue The Big Chair deserves a place in everyones music collection.

After this TFF would morph into a whole different sound with the artistic pinnacle known as The Seeds Of Love

Great Album
This is a fine creation of the 80's, with many classic songs. But we must not overlook the fact that the best song on here was not even released. It's name: "The Working Hour." Check it out it is haunting. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

One of the most exciting albums ever recorded
As a recent convert to the world of Killing Joke, I must point out the album that gave me the impetus to check out more of this energetic, "a singular musical category does not give their music justice" band's music. This was simply one of the most exciting, lively, raucous albums I've ever heard in my entire life and is What Rock Should Be.

First, let me point out the title track -- "Night Time" has quickly become one of my five favorite songs of all time, which is impressive considering how much music I love. It is also indicative of the music that this album contains. The guitars are absolutely on fire without being overpowering, the drums are thumpa-thumpa tribal without being cliched, the keyboards give the track a swirling atmosphere, and Jaz Coleman's vocals give the song an urgency and pure ENERGY that wakes you up faster than a triple shot of espresso followed by big bottles of Red Bull, Jolt Cola, and Mountain Dew. This could very easily be said about the rest of the songs on this album.

BUT WAIT! There's more to highlight. "Darkness Before Dawn" is a catchy, slower track with a unique beginning (all of those "oh oh oh"s). "Kings and Queens" is another song that has a unique beginning (to describe it would just be ruining it, really) that quickly segues into a danceable rock & roll song that The Cult must've really struggled to attempt to replicate. "Tabazan", with YET ANOTHER unique beginning, is a lovely track with a barrel full of catchy rock hooks. "Multitudes" is another slower track that shows off not only Jaz Coleman's prowess as a singer but also shows how, despite Chris Kimsey's uberpolished production style, Killing Joke can still rock. "Europe" is a multilayered track -- slightly uptempo, slightly melancholic, slightly dancey, and slightly punk all at the same time, all layered together to create yet another masterpiece. You should be aware of the big hits, so I won't go into great detail about "Love Like Blood" (probably the most romantic song Killing Joke ever recorded) or "Eighties" (all fire and dance and power punk/pop) except to say that if you do indeed love the music of the '80s, you already know you love those two songs.

I adore this album. Overall it's a bit more polished and "pop" than anything else Killing Joke ever did, but if you love this album you will love everything else they've done in due course. I would highly recommend picking _Night Time_ up for anyone with even a passing interest in this fantastic group. What you choose to do with the fire afterward is up to you. ;)

Hidden Jewel
Geordie Walker is one of my favorite truly heavy guitar players. This was the first Killing Joke record I ever heard so I kinda missed out on the timeline when people associated them w/ the punk/ new wave thing. I heard this amazingly heavy atmospheric record that was also perfectly arranged. Perhaps I am projecting here a bit, but for me, Killing Joke has alway ruled the heavy, quasi-occult, intelligent realm of rock. Jaz Coleman's voice is one of the few I find believable singing about such themes. Like the characters in Lovecraft books who, through some tinkering w/ nature and old manuscripts, have glimpsed the other side of reality and left barely sane enough to talk, Coleman's voice delivers convincing tales from the darkside. I am completely confused by the common classification of this record as some "accessible" offering that was intended for the charts and succeeded w/ "Eighties" which you can now find on your favorite "Hit's of the EIGHTIES" compilation. This is easily the hidden jewel in my top ten RECORDS of the decade. Night Time is a perfectly composed masterpiece that was a decade ahead of it's time at least. Fans of current "thinking/heavy/industrial" stuff and who haven't heard of Killing Joke would be well served by listening to the album.

This album changed my life...
Set the wayback machine to 20 years ago (yikes!), I was babysitting and my girlfriend and I were watching MTV (well, sort of). On comes this video, there's this incredible guitar, twangy, dark and sinister backed by this primal beat. On the screen it goes back and forth between this guy in a suit behind a podium singing, nay, preaching the lyrics of this incredible song. Behind him were the flags of the then Soviet Union and US. Then stock footage, then this guitarist playing a huge goldtop hollowbody. He wasn't playing it, he was caressing it, squeezing out this beautiful, angry and ominous sound.

I sat there transfixed, then ran around the house like a madman looking for a pen and paper to write down the name of the band and the album.

I searched all over and finally located an import pressing and paid dearly for it, but it was all I'd hoped for. This was Killing Joke, the voice of Jaz Coleman's muse. There were lyrics like none other I'd seen before. Songs about man as animal, sex, life in Europe waiting for the apocalypse (remember, this was '84), the emptiness of life in the 80's, and looking at the aforementioned apocalypse not as a bad thing, but the inevitable way to set things right and return man to his proper place as a tribal creature, not one of cities and civilizations.

I immediately set about getting Killing Joke's previous works. This band SPOKE to me. While I don't think this is their best, I do think it's probably one of the more accessible and definitely the title to buy for those that enjoy the music of the 80's.

Such a Fitting Album Title
If you were a child of the 80's, how on earth do you find out about this band? I had gotten a random email from someone only 3 years ago recommending I check them out cuz they thought I would like the bassline to "Love Like Blood".... how thoughtful of them, huh? And how right they were!! I was hooked, & had to get this cd... & that song is still my favorite on here. I have, of course, checked out some of their other stuff, & what an interesting history they have! If you like diverse histories of bands (ahem, Ministry for one), then KJ would be right up your alley. Yah, you might either just like the "new-wave" albums or the later heavier ones, that's up to you... I personally like both, depending on my mood of course. If you've only vaguely heard of them before, this would be a great starting point... unless you want something harder, but then you'd prolly be looking at one of their later albums anyway, huh? The only complaint I have about this cd is it feels too short!! It's only 8 songs... but they're so freaking good! "Eighties" is definitely one of the catchier ones, & you've MOSTLY LIKELY heard it at an '80's club. It also seems to be my theme song for my musical listening habits :-D

If you want another album of theirs like this, then definitely check out 'Brighter Than a Thousand Suns' (you'll instantly love "Sanity").... &/but if you want something heavier, their new one is a must hear also!! I just saw them live this weekend, & though they only played "Kings & Queens" from this album (might I add a bit heavier version), they put on a helluva show. I must also add this interesting note... since Dave Grohl played drums on the new album, it does make sense the striking similarities to the riff of "Eighties" & to that of Nirvana's "Come as You Are"...yaaaaah, if you didn't notice that before, you notice it now, huh? :-D

KILLING JOKE
THIS CD NEVER GETS OLD, ITS GREAT TO HEAR SOME REAL MUSIC, ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Amplified noise that counts for nothing
In the days when I listened only to hits from the 1980s, it was natural that I would want to hear Big Country, whose hit "In A Big Country" was one of the most played songs from my childhood.

However, that relatively melodic piece, which seemed to epitomise my native Australia if by no means through intent, was ecstatic compared to the rest of the material on this compilation. Just about every song - even the power ballad "Chance" - appears to sound the same. Based around loud guitars and dance beats, Stuart Adamson and Bruce Watson succeed only in turning daceable pop into unpleasant, loud, tuneless noise. The way the band claims to make guitars sound like bagpipes is quite interesting on the title tune, but the rest of the songs are so loud that Big Country could never have pretentions to be an "art" band.

Even the song "Broken Heart (Thirteen Valleys)" which begins soft enough to have some really serious feeling and depth to it, descends into the shallow, loud guitar noise that typifies so many songs Big Country produced during the 1980s. There seem to be no distinct parts to the songs, certainly no changes of mood or feeling. The result is that Big Country's music, for the most part, must be seen as perhaps the worst earache I have ever tried to inflict upon myself. The last part of the slow "Chance" really is exactly the same in content, even concept, as such a slushy ballad as "Everything I Do, I Do It For You".

This albums should be a warning to anybody who thinks they can get away with buying something knowing only one song. Unless you like hard rock, avoid this.

No Drums?!?!?
Was not a pleased with this as I'd hoped..had a very short version of "Big Country" without the wonderful drum solo at the beginning. I wound up purchasing the original "Big Country" CD instead and have since sold this one to someone else.

Great Music- Horrendous Remastering
This album features some great music from an extraordinary band... Unfortunately it suffers from terrible remastering. Straying far from Big Country's trademark bass-heavy, echoey, drum-heavy mix (listen to the Crossing & Seer), the engineer on this reissue leans more for a brittle, clean, dry, highly treble sound that is altogether displeasing & far from Big Country's original vision. I recommend instead purchasing the reissue of "The Crossing" which has been masterfully remastered AND includes several stunning bonus tracks that date from Big Country's early & most prolific era!

The alternative is a bit better
This is a good retrospective of one of the most underrated bands of our time. This anthemic, honest, Celtic-influenced real rock is not for everyone, but for those it touches, there is nothing that compares. This music is withstanding the test of time and these guys just released the finest collection of their career with 1999's "Driving To Damascus". "The Buffalo Skinners" is another essential latter-day release. This "best of" is almost identical to the U.K. release, "Through A Big Country". Unfortunately, the fine tracks, "The Seer" and "Eiledon", were dropped and the ok "Heart of the World" and the positively annoying political rant, "Republican Party Reptile", were added. "Through A Big Country" (remastered) gets the 5 stars. Stay alive.

This band should have been huge
Big Country burst onto the music scene about the same time as fellow Isles rockers, U2. What is amazing after listening to this CD is that they didn't enjoy even slightly comparable sucess. The hard driving riffs and lyrical imagery of "Wonderland" is reminicant of U2's earliest work. Unlike U2, Big Country preserves more of the folk sounds of their native Scotland. "Harvest Home" roars; "Fields of Fire," another 80s US MTV hit, is one of the best on the CD; "In a Big Country" of course has the sounds that help define the brit pop new wave of the first half of the 1980s without the techno silliness of groups like Flock of Seagulls. As with many greatest hits CDs, some of the songs trail toward the end just as their careers did in the early 90s. To first time listeners, Big Country sounds like a cross between early U2, a bit of the Chieftans and maybe even a hint of the melodies and senisbilities of Dexy's Midnight Runners "Come on Eileen." In short, if you are looking for a good greatest hits CD that doesn't have the jumbled feel that many greatest hits CDs have, buy this one. ... Read more

Album Description

Reissue of the hit English female new wave/ dance/ pop trio's 1988 'best of' with six bonus tracks NOT on the U.S. edition, 'It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)' (with Fun Boy Three), 'Rough Justice', 'Venus' (12 Inch Hellfire Mix), 'Love I ... Read more

Reviews (9)

avoid these rotten bananas
i would strongly plead with you to stay far away from this terrible album. i am convinced this has to be one of the lousiest compilations to be ever made by this outdated eighties band.songs like venus ,love in the first degree and shy boy sound dated and dreadful.avoid this stupid cd like the plague.my rating would be minus 10 stars.

A 5 STAR always!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Look,let me get something straight.....I have heard nothing like this atleast from the Indian standpoint and Bananarama will always hold the top most position......I am so sorry that most Indian popsters cannot even sing or produce music even half of what Bananarama can! That's a FACT!! Let's face the truth......If you know what I really mean.....Try to look yourself from the rear end..........that's the way Indian.......most (especially girl bands sound)OOOOps ,not my tastes at all.....I would grade them not even a Zero................So sorry.....Bananarama are REAL STUFF and Quality music.....I LOVE them and so will Generations to come.I think if Bananarama is considered Cheesy......well I consider our own girly band totally stupid and idiotic and even cheesier..........ha ha.I don't wanna mention names.I would love to see these Banana girls come back......Wish they make a tour of India......let our Indian counterparts have a taste of them..........LIVE!!!.............ha ha ha!!!Just wait.Bananarama please teach our girls the real knack of "GIRL POWER"........they have so much to learn.

Good 80's pop
They're sassy, they're sexy, they're Bananarama. Though they were much more popular in England than they were in America, Bananarama had a sound all to their own in the muddy mixture of 80's dance music where the synthesizer ruled everything. Their harmonies worked well together in that their voices 'fit' each other. It's hard to describe, but you'd just have to call it magic.

Excellent music, views and 80's fun!
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The ladies of Bananarama are full of life, harmonize well together, and are very easy on the eyes. As a man whose musical tastes run the gamut of styles from 1940 to present(and whose collection of music encompasses said), I rank Bananarama the top girl group ever. All the early hits are here, and the later ones are obtainable as well.

Taste (or the lack thereof) is a personal thing of course. Music and the appreciation of it in its various forms is a gift to be treasured; this treasure of a cd has great 80's memories from the trio (featuring the original three girls and the fourth who joined the group after an original left), making it well worthwhile. Today a duo (featuring original members Sarah and Keren), Bananarama is currently working on a new release scheduled for 2004. My recommendation is buy a greatest hits CD, and if you like it, you will likely find their other cd's and music videos enjoyable as well.

TRULY TRULY - X' TASY!!!!!! - February 26,2003
WOW!!!!!What was that?-This is THE best compilation CD of any artist I have seen!I just recently bought this CD (was imported),and am DELIGHTED with this purchase.If you're a fan of Bananarama,this is it!...the tracks speak for themselves!Almost all their massive hits from the 80's are here for us.. Banana fans to relish.I very much urge you guys to rush for your very special copy of their GREATEST HITS CD right now!The remix (7"MIX)version of 'PREACHER MAN' is well done-a lot of energy in the vocals here.'Cruel Summer' off their second album,Bananarama,still makes me CRAZY!!!This track will definitely make you feel that our girls still reign SUPREME!I think TLC and other girl bands of our present times are awed by the brilliance & ecstasy these songs produce.I should say that the people who say that Bananarama really cannot sing...are totally pathetic-let me get that straight.No one in their right mind could ever say that their music is a waste of time...Bananarama's music is TIMELESS.The money is also worth it.I can assure you this CD is sure to rock you once you hear it.The remixes of songs like VENUS and LOVE IN THE FIRST DEGREE,are unbelievable making this CD a VERY rare treasure. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Worth the money for "Just Got Lucky" and "Emotion"
Volume 11 of the New Wave Dance Hits series is an excellent collection of great 80's rock mixing some of the biggest new wave hits with other lesser known but still strong tracks. The tracks "99 Luftballons", "True", "Talking In Your Sleep", and "One Thing Leads To Another" were all Top 5 singles in the early 80's. Of these tracks, only "One Thing..." has stood the test of time as it still gets regular airplay on modern rock radio.

As with many of the albums in this series, it's the lesser known tracks that truly stand out. Some of these include the driving "In A Big Country", the moody "Send Me An Angel", the excellent pop of "Black Coffee In Bed", and the hyperactive track "The Fanatic." But the best tracks here, and the reason to pick up this album, are the tracks "Just Got Lucky", quite simply an excellent pop song that should have made JoBoxers huge, and "Emotion", a track by DFX2 which sounds reminiscent of Greg Kihn Band but is more danceable with its killer bass line. Other solid tracks include "Change", "Jukebox (Don't Put Another Dime)", and "Shiny Shiny." The rest of the album is pretty decent too. A great compliation. Highly recommended.

VERY Shiny
It automatically gets 5 stars just for including Haysi Fantayzee! It never leaves my carousel, except maybe for a trip on the subway in my discman.

Another Cool Collection from Rhino !
Another strong collection in Rhino's New Wave Hits series. Great stuff like Jo Boxers' "Just Got Lucky" and the super cool "Fanactic" by Felony. Add some classic cuts from Squeeze, The Fixx and Big Country and it all adds up to a very worthy collection. Overall, great fun stuff from a time when music was catchy, clever and optimistic. If you grew up in the 80's, chances are you'll dig this CD as well as the others in this great series.

real life rocks
this is a great disc......

HAS SOME GOOD SONGS ON IT
I first bought this cd just for Big Country and Nena, but I found myself enjoying Tears for Fears and The fixx and and Joe Boxer and some other songs that I didn't know I new until i heard it on the Cd. I jock 80's music though so i appreciate any music from that era. good cd overall ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Their most purely enjoyable work.
Although many people regard 'Time & Tide' as Split Enz's finest album, 'True Colours' was their biggest hit and I still find it the most fun to listen to. The three Neil Finn compositions ('What's The Matter With You', 'Missing Person', and the classic 'I Got You') are perfect pop/rock. Tim Finn's 'Shark Attack', 'I Wouldn't Dream of It', 'Nobody Takes Me Seriously', and 'How Can I Resist Her' (great guitar solo by Neil on this one!) are terrific too, although his two slower numbers, 'I Hope I Never' and 'Poor Boy', pack less punch than the rest of the album as far as I'm concerned. The two groovy instrumentals 'Double Happy' and 'The Choral Sea' complement the songs nicely, and it all adds up to one of my all-time favorite albums.

Gateway to the eighties
This album was the gateway for Split Enz success in the eighties, espcially with the hits "I got you" and "I hope I never". There are a couple of nice instumentals (inc. The Choral Sea) and some haunting lyrics including "I hope I never" and "Nobody takes me seriously anyway". "Poor Boy" and "Shark Attack" are the sort of tunes that stay in your head for hours!!

Great Album!
Split Enz is certainly a major group that influenced many later artist. True Colours the album was also innovative. The original LP featured a laser etched design which looked cool on the turntable! The music is quite good. Tunes such as Shark Attack, I Got You, Double Happy, are clear progressive new wave, and a look at music, to at least where many thought is was headed in the 1980's. True Colours is a true gem!

Power Pop at its Finest Hour
Tracks 7 thru 11 are 5 of the best pop songs ever recorded. Those songs are "Nobody Takes Me Seriously", "Missing Person," "Poor Boy", "How Can I Resist Her," and The Choral Sea". Oh, and by the way, the 2 best instrumental songs ever recorded are "The Choral Sea" and "Double Happy". I'm sorry that I let this album sit more on my shelf rather than on my turntable as a kid since I tended to listen more to Ultravox, Japan and Simple Minds. However, I picked this one up recently on CD and have, with my more mature tastes, found that it surpasses much of what came out during that time. I can compare it in nature to such great power pop icons as Elvis Costello or XTC when they were producing interesting power pop records.

On the crest of a (new) wave
As good as their early material was, it was also largely uncommercial. The Enz follow up 1979's transitional "Frenzy" with a fine slice of new wave pop-rock. This is the first album where Neil Finn emerges as a lead singer and songwriter. There is much more to this album than their most famous hit, I Got You. ... Read more