Reviews (136)

Ha ha
Limp Bizkit produced a new album. I forgot about them 4 a while then they suddenly came out with this. They got Wes back, which is good, and this album does not dissapoint. Only thing is that there are only 7 songs (??) but i guess the second part (i guess they're comin out with another one)will make up 4 that. I like Limp Bizkit a lot but a lot of people hate them. They're a "Hate 'em or Love 'em" type of band and i happen to be a love em person. Fred Durst does a pretty good job in this album (though he is definitly NOT the best part Wes Borland is). I like this rap-metal type of music though its pretty outdated now. I hope that they make a music video 4 any of their songs on here. No publicity either.
-Remember this is My opinionLil Slim

rubbish
Just more proof that a big chuck of modern rock is just
for nerds and teenage high school outcasts. It doesn't
get anymore patheic than Fred Durst. He is supposed to
be a rock star, but the loser can't even get any chick
he wants.

the unquestionable truth...limp bizcit sucks
Come on people, its time to quit kidding yourselves. The results are in; 37,000 copies sold the first week (ouch!). I respect you guys for being so loyal to these guys for so long, but its time to 'sober up'. Limp Bizkit was never good. In fact, they may be the worst band that ever lived. Their first hit song was a cover tune, that should tell you all you need to know. All of their 'original' songs are just old catch-phrases turned into cheesy, generic sing-along garbage. Seriously, even you die-hard Durst fans have to admit that his "rap" with Method Man was one of the most laughable moments in music history.

So now they have released a new record... and SUPRISE! It's a political statement record. Haven't seen that one before! I can see Fred Durst in a board room right now: "well, it got Green Day back on the map... maybe Limp should try it too".Nice try Fred, but you're the last person anyone's gonna seek for political guidance. You're the guy that is best known for lying about sleeping with famous women and leaking a sex tape & then going to every news outlet that will still listen to you & saying it was stolen. You should have asked around about the idea of releasing a cheesy political album, & maybe someone would have clued you in that the formula fails way more often than not. Madonna failed at it, Ministry failed at it, and now Limp Bizkit has failed miserably at it. I think even Justin Guarini's album sold more than yours.

So please, do the world a favor & take the hint. Please go away. Just enjoy your millions & leave us in peace.



by the way, to see fred's amazing guitarmanship, look for the "fred shred" video floating around the internet.it's an instant classic.

Much harder!
First off, for those people who keep comparing the new Limp Bizkit sound to Rage Against the Machine are off their rockers!Although this is one of Limp's harder albums, I just don't see them as having the same sound as Rage.This album is closer to metal than to anything that they, or Rage have done before.

I like this album for the sole reason that it is very un-Limp Bizkit like - it's much harder, and not as "poppy".For the price, it's a decent buy, and as a person who is not the biggest of Limp Bikit fans, I certainly enjoyed it!

Great but needs more
I think the new album is great but it needs more than just 7 songs.I am glad that Wes Boreland is back and they returned to their old form.Looking Forward for more. ... Read more

Album Description

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS : The Modern Rock #1s are "Give It Away," "Soul To Squeeze," "My Friends," "Californication," "Otherside" and "By The Way" (also Top 40 Pop). The Top 20s are "Higher Ground" and "Suck My Kiss." ... Read more

Reviews (106)

Good...but they should have done something different
Most of the songs on this CD are excellent and the Peppers put their huge hits on this CD. There are clearly some great songs missing on this CD. However I believe that the Chili Peppers should have instead of this CD made a CD entitled:
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Greatest Hits 1991-2003, since they already have What Hits out that covers their 80s stuff (and Under The Bridge).
I would include 18 songs on this CD, including the 2 new ones.
It would go something like this:
1. Under The Bridge
2. Give It Away
3. Scar Tissue
4. By The Way
5. Aeroplane
6. Soul To Squeeze
7. Otherside
8. Can't Stop
9. Suck My Kiss
10. Love Rollercoaster
11. Californication
12. My Friends
13. Around The World
14. The Zephyr Song
15. Breaking The Girl
16. Parallel Universe
17. Fortune Faded
18. Save The Population

I believe these are the Greatest Hits from 1991-2003 for RHCP. Of course, they have so many amazing songs it's hard to create the perfect greatest hits album.
As for the one they have out, it's missing some but it does cover their best.

great compilation but missing a few songs
this set is awesome but its missing a few songs and it also has a few songs that shouldn't be on here like road trippin and universally speaking. this is what the track listing should have been.
1. give it away
2. under the bridge
3. suck my kiss
4. breaking the girl
5. soul to squeeze
6. warped
7. my friends
8. aeroplane
9. love rollercoaster
10. scar tissue
11. around the world
12. otherside
13. californication
14. parallel universe
15. by the way
16. zepher song (sorry if i spelled it wrong)
17. can't stop
18. dosed
19. fortune faded
20. save the population
if this is too many for one disc kick out parallel universe since it was only barely made the modern rock chart. anyway if this would have been the track listing this would have been the only chili peppers disc most casual fans would need. nevertheless this is a great greatest hits album and is a perfect introduction to the band. (actually anything from blood sugar sex magik on is a great introduction to the band with the exception of one hot minute, depending on your view of the album)

Addictive
This CD is one of the best compilations ive ever heard. EVERY track on the cd is awesome. I never get tired of listening to this masterpeace. The two new songs are also very worth being put on the greatest hits cd, my favorite being Save the Population. The ending of the song is very well done. If you are a fan of the Peppers or simply a fan of good music, you owe it to yourself to buy this cd.

Beware - This is the Best of the Warner Bros. Years
I don't know why everyone's complaining about this Greatest Hits compilation not having any material, other than Higher Ground, from the pre-BloodSugarSexMagik Chilis. Has anyone taken into account the fact that all of that material is still owned by EMI, the Chilis label from 1984 (Red Hot Chili Peppers) to 1989 (Mother's Milk)? I think that this is a pretty good history of the Chilis from BloodSugarSexMagik to the present, with the exception of a Rick Rubin-remixed "Higher Ground". (Really, listen to it - it's not the same version that appeared on "Mother's Milk" or "What Hits?!".) Granted, there is some stuff missing - for instance, I own the Greatest Hit and Videos version of this album, and I can't help but wondering why "Aeroplane" is on the Greatest Videos DVD, but not on the Greatest Hits album itself. All in all, this is a pretty solid Greatest Hits album. If you want any Chilis material from pre-1991, then check out thier "What Hits ?!" album, released under EMI records - THAT'S the album with classic songs such as "True Men Don't Kill Coyotes", "Backwoods", "Johnny Kick a Hole in the Sky", and "Behind the Sun".

Curious, but solid
I do not own this cd and don't plan on it since I already own the majority of these songs on Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Californication. However, for a beginner to the band, this would be all you need. Sure, with any greatest hits collection, there's going to be a couple of songs missing (Can't Stop, Aeroplane, Around the World) but those weren't my very favorites so it isn't a big deal to me personally. What I can't understand though is why their 80's catalog is almost completely ignored (only Higher Ground is listed). Granted, this was their only big hit at that time.. but there are several "non-hits" on this cd from the 90s and current. Sure, their previous compilation "What Hits?" contained mostly 80's material, but why did that include Under the Bridge? So, RHCP now has 3 cds with Under the Bridge on it... not that that's a bad thing!

Anyway, enough of the petty stuff. All in all, a good overview of one of the better bands of the past 15 years. If you already have all their albums though, it is a bit of a waste being that the 2 new songs aren't anything special. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Not since the days of the Clash and the MC5 has rock seen such political force as in the uncompromising debut from this L.A. quartet. Expanding the hip-hop/metal style of bands such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage tap the spirits of vintage Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, coupled with hardcore punk intensity and Public Enemy-style grooves. "Bombtrack" opens the LP with a shot of adrenaline and singer Zack de la Rocha's infuriated chorus of "Burn, burn, yes, you're gonna burn!" The intensity doesn't let up an inch on the militant "Killing in the Name" (with the inspiring chant, "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!"), the ultrafunky "Bullet in the Head," and the engrossing "Fistful of Steel." Tom Morello combines time-honored metal guitar riffs with sounds that suggest a hip-hop scratcher over a rhythm section that simply takes no prisoners. Intelligent and aggressive, this is unimpeachably one of the best hard-rock records ever made. --James Rotondi ... Read more

Reviews (442)

Music as brutal and uncompromising as the cover art.
From the beginning in 1992, Rage Against The Machine rank as the best, most intelligent foray into the tepid rap-metal genre. While their radical politics may not be for everyone (I'll get to that in a minute), when they were "on" not many mainstream bands could rival their intensity. Rage Against The Machine's debut is perhaps their most consistent and best album.

The debut has a different feel from their later releases--the song structures are stretched longer, and the lyrics read more like political slogans than the poetry of The Battle Of L.A. The rhythm section also plays a more prominent role, with Tim C.'s funky slap-bass rhythms and tight drumming by Brad Wilk. Tom Morello's guitar playing never fails to amaze, with big Led Zeppelin-esque riffs (check out the Kashmir homage on Wake Up!) and unique electronic blips and effects.

Zach De La Rocha is a unique vocalist--love him or hate him, few can argue with the power of Rocha's delivery and lyricism, somewhat remiscient of Chuck D. from Public Enemy. And the lyrics here are VERY powerful. Take Know Your Enemy, for example (which features a strong guest vocal by Tool's Maynard Keenan):

"Yes, I know my enemies/
They're the teachers who taught me to fight me/
Compromise, conformity, assimilation, submission/
Ignorance, hypocrisy, brutality, the elite/
All of which are American dreams.."

The last line is repeated several times, driving the song home and leaving the listener stunned. And the album achieves this level of power again on Wake Up, with the verse:

"Ya know they murdered X/
And tried to blame it on Islam/
He turned the power to the have-nots/
And then came the shot/
What was the price on his head?"

The rest of the album approaches or matches this level of quality, with only Settle For Nothing leaving me somewhat cold. Definitely worth a purchase, then check out the great third album The Battle Of L.A. (skip over Evil Empire).

Note: I agree with some of the political views and disagree with others expressed on this album (such as the pro-socialism stance), but ultimately it is possible to enjoy the top-notch music and not agree with the rhetoric. As far as being charged as "hypocrites," yes they are on a major label. However, a great deal of Rage Against The Machine's proceeds go to Amnesty International and other organizations, so I wouldn't be so quick to call them "sellouts." Just thought I'd contribute my opinion.

A Historic Album For Music
In 1992, everything was about grunge and flannel. Enter Rage Against The Machine. While everyone was finding a way to rip off Seattle bands, RATM were smelling revolution instead of teen spirit. RATM weren't the first ones to rap over riffs (see: Anthrax's "I'm The Man"), but they were the first to really do something with it. Melding Black Sabbath-esque guitars, Public Enemy political raps, and a punk rock tinge in both their music and intensity, RATM gave birth to an animal known as "Rage Against The Machine" that would forever change music. RATM's anti-government political stance in their songs is as relentless as Tom Morello's riffing. Just look at the names of these songs: "Take The Power Back," "Wake Up," "Know Your Enemy," "Freedom"--this isn't your typical rock album here, folks. Everything hear has a meaning, and it doesn't stoop down to the level of sticking cookies up your girlfriend's ... Zack De La Rocha's furious vocals are nothing short of amazing. Every lyric, every gasp of air he takes, and every scream shakes the skull like only Fat Freddie could dream of. "Instead I warm my hands on the flames of the flag" goes one line, "So called facts are fraud, they want us to allege and pledge, and bow down to their God" goes another. Then, there's Tom Morello--my personal pick for the greatest guitarist ever. Taking a page from Tony Iommi's book (Black Sabbath--maybe you've heard of 'em?), Tom's guitars are dark and sludgy--but with that extra punk rock kick that guitarists in Iommi's era were missing. But while Iommi had those dark, sludgy, demonic riffs, Morello has dark, mean, ugly and nasty riffs that are fueled by punk rock rage. And who could forget Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk? Hands down, one of the best rhythm sections in rock history. Tim and Brad alone are amazing musicians--Tim's bass playing rivals Flea's, and Brad's drumming is fast, powerful and devastating--but together, there's no stopping them. They're funky, they're awesome, and they never fall victim to being redundant. As a whole, RATM are unrivaled. Limp Bizkit, Taproot, Papa Roach, etc. couldn't get the rap-metal formula right with hand-written instructions from RATM stapled to their foreheads. It's easy writing a review were you disect a song and talk about its good or weak points. But not here. You see, ALL these songs are top-notch, rock classics. From the religion bashing of "Killing In The Name," to the goverenment bashing of "Know Your Enemy," to "Freedom" which is about Leonard Peltier, this disk is perfect anyway you look at it. But my personal favorite was "Freedom." Saving the best for last, RATM create a relentless rock song that is up there with "Bulls On Parade." The way the song rolls and stops, then kicks into high-gear, and then builds up with so much tension and explodes like the atom bomb is just perfect. "Rage Against The Machine" is sheer perfection, any which way you look at it. It's aggressive, it's defiant, it's intelligent, it's groundbreaking, and it's a masterpiece. Just like all the classic albums, this one will forever stand the test of time.

"When ignorance reigns, life is lost..."
I first got into Rage Against The Machine in 7th grade, when I was into crap like Limp Bizkit and purchased Evil Empire because people said I would like it if I liked Limp Bizkit. In retrospect, that comparison is a big insult to Rage. That's like comparing "Goodfellas" to "You Got Served".

Anyway, I really liked (and still like) Evil Empire (especially "Vietnow"). However, I didn't get this album until this past January. Before then, I had a few of the songs on mixes, but that's it. I listened to samples in the store and really liked what I heard, so I purchased it. Forget Wimp Bizkit; this is rock-rap done RIGHT!

First of all, the musicians here; Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk (now of Audioslave); are all very talented. Check out the slap bass, the riffs, the drumming. Add Zack De La Rocha's politically-charged rhymes over top of them, and you get what might be the only band in history influenced by both Led Zeppelin and Public Enemy, which may sound like mixing pizza and ice cream but comes out sounding damn good. Most of the songs on here are favorites.

The angry, anti-authority/government diatribes are what made this album a classic twelve years ago. Before 1992, there weren't too many albums with "[...] you, I won't do what you tell me!" as a lyric. And I think "When ignorance reigns, life is lost" is very relatable to the Iraq war going on today.

Overall, if you want a REAL rap-rock record, check this one out first, then get the others.(...)

Classic
Their self-titled debut would prove to be Rage Against the Machine's best effort, though they hardly slipped over the ensuing years and albums. This is a classic in the truest sense of the word: it begs you to pull it out of your collection at least 2-3 times a year, and it represents some of the best music from its time and place. RATM reminds you that the best music SAYS SOMETHING, whether it's politically-motivated or just something the artist feels the need to share with their audience. Rage's blend of incendiary metal riffing (courtesy of Tom Morello's groundbreaking guitar work), pounding drums, and scream-in-your-ear agenda-pushing lyrics was powerful, unique, and uncompromising. This is an essential album for anyone that listens to message-heavy music.

finally, real rap/metal
I have to say, listening to Linkin Park, P.O.D, etc, RATM is by far the best rap/metal band out there. Alot of rap/metal bands just talk about sex drugs and stuff cough*, cough*, Limp Bizket, cough*. But Rage is differnt they talk about right and wrong. Zack De la Rocha is one of the most respected people out there for his political opinions on our US Government, his lyrics are expreesed in various amounts of anger in hardcore rap. Tom morello, 1 word, AMAZING, his guitar playing is crazy. And would you believe that most of these cool sounds are made by guitar, thats awesome. Timmy C with the bass, very good, the bass blends perfect with the guitar. And Brad wilk, another jaw dropper, his drumming is also amzing, when you listen to all the tracks, the drum pattern is perfect. There Self titled debut is filled with lots of great rap, guitar solos, and plenty of screaming.

1)Bombtrack (4:05) - great opener to the album, also a nice intro too. 8/10
2)Killing in the Name (5:14) - After listening to this track I was amazed, great song to listen to when you're pissed off, my third fav. track. 10/10
3)Take the Power Back (5:37) - a very political song with some great lyrics. 8/10
4)Settle for Nothing (4:48) - not my favorite but still good. Has a cool guitar solo. 7/10
5)Bullet in the Head (5:09)- cool guitar, another great track one of my favorite. 8/10
6)Know Your Enemy (4:55)- cool lyrics, and great guitar riffs. 9/10
7)Wake Up (6:04)- first heard it in the matrix, another great guitar, best lyrics. 10/10
8)Fistful of Steel (5:31)- meh, ok. 6/10
9)Township Rebellion (5:24)- meh, ok. 6/10
10)Freedom (6:05) - An excellent way to finish the album, my favorite track. 12/10

In all, out of all the best RATM albums pick this up first then move up to there other ones, Evil Empire, Battle of L.A, Renegades, and Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

A nice collection of hits.....
This disc is great for the person just discovering 311! All of the good hits are here....TRANSISTOR...DOWN...BEAUTIFUL DISASTER....and others. However, if you are a hardcore fan of 311 (like myself), you will still want to listen to the individual albums because their best songs were not released as singles. I am glad, though, that they did include the remake of the Cure's LOVE SONG on this CD as I just didn't have the heart to buy the 50 FIRST DATES soundtrack just for that song. And...what a nice remake they did at that! Way to go, guys! Like I said, it's a nice retrospective, but stick to the individual albums for optimum listening pleasure!

Everyone Should Stop Complaining
I wish people would stop whining about this album. Everyone person who's complaining about the track listing should actually look at the title. It's 311-Greatest Hits 93-03, not 311-Best of-93-03. Whoever wrote the review that stated that the band even posted the reason why this is not a greatest hit's album is obviously the only person who gets it. It would be impossible for 311 to gather songs for a Best Of compilation, because almost every 311 is great. Now, that being said, the 17 songs on this album(14 orginal, 1 cover, and 2 new songs) are great and, while they don't nessascarily capture the potential of 311, it offers a fantatic rock album that any true 311 fan, or a fan of rock music in general, can appreciate. So, if you can look past all the complaints you will discover a great album that is well worth it's price tag. Here's to 11 years of 311, and hopefully 11+ years to come.

Best Songs=Homebrew, Do You Right, First Straw, All Mixed Up, Love Song, Creatures(For Awhile), Beyond the Gray Sky

Damn Good Songs=Down, How Do You Feel, Beautiful Disaster, Flowing, Don't Stay Home, Amber, You Wouldn't Believe,

Okay Songs=Come Original, I'll Be Here Awhile, Transisitor

Greatest Hits, NOT Greatest Songs
If you are a die hard 311 fan, there is no point in buying this album. We all know theyre best songs do not become hits because theyre not poppy. This CD however does capture all the great songs that casual 311 listers would enjoy. I still love all the songs to death, but I prefer throwing all the 311 CDs in a disk changer and pressing shuffle. You can run that all day. My only true complaint about the CD is their single "First Straw" I gotta say, it sucks. My friends and I coulda sworn we heard it before, not a cover, just so formulated and poppy. I hope its not a sign of whats to come because I know theyre producer sucks and tried to mellow them out, look what hes doing to Pepper as well.

the best of the best
I just got back from an awesome concert put on by 311 today here in there hometown of omaha nebraska. it was a free concert for the city of omaha s 150th bithday. well they played a lot of the songs of this album, and in my opinion all their songs on all their albums are really good. Every album they have made is good, this is a good compilation for those who maybe havent heard the songs off of some of the earlier albums as well as their latest. Must have album the 311 live is another awesome compilation from them.

on the verge
The greatest hits of the greastest band? Yeah, true, but as a true fan I prefer the length albums better. This collection is good but I'm a bigger fan of some of their songs that weren't singles (ie Uncalm, Jack'o'lantern's Weather, Eons, etc.) . This is a good collection though for those of us who don't want to or are too lazy to constantly switch albums to hear one particular song. I wish the remix album would have been included, but that is just wishful thinking on my part. Anyway, as most 311 is one of the most original and diverse bands out there and they are only getting better so check this out if you have the chance. ... Read more

Amazon.com

More than a mere rap album, Mos Def's long-awaited The New Danger combines hip-hop, blues, soul, and rock in an 18-track package that seeks to transcend convention. In that sense, it shares a similar spirit with Andre 3000's The Love Below or Common's Electric Circus, with mixed results. Mos's reputation has been built on the strength of his lyrical charisma, and songs like "Close Edge," "Grown Man Business," and "Sunshine" show that his skills haven't faded just because he's Emmy-nominated. He's already proven that he can cut more than just street heat--best evinced on the soulful, poetic "Umi Says," a surprise hit from his previous release, 1999's Black on Both Sides. Yet, the rock- and blues-inspired songs here, while by no means poor, are acquired tastes, given their tendency to noodle--they simply can't compare with Mos's cutting verbal displays. The album's length and sometimes clunky sequencing can make for challenging listening, especially when so many of his more experimental cuts come early on. New fans might find the album's eclecticism intriguing, although older fans will likely be a bit perplexed. --Oliver Wang ... Read more

Amazon.com

Reunited with producer Rick Rubin and guitarist John Frusciante (both of whom were on board for the 1991's breakthrough Blood Sugar Sex Magik), the Chili Peppers waste no time in burying their last effort, the so-so One Hot Minute. Californication's kickoff cut, "Around the World," swaggers around the room, reacquainting itself with old fans and welcoming new ones. Fuzzy Hendrix vibes and popcorn bass lines still rule the roost, along with a heaping helping of disco magic and some unexpected twists. Ten years ago, Anthony Kiedis and company wouldn't have been comfortable doing revamped new wave ("Parallel Universe") or unpretentious ballads (the acoustic "Road Trippin'"), but such material fits Californication's extra-wide canvas. Except for a few meandering numbers that could have been excised, the Red Hot Chili Peppers succeed and regain their footing on the mountain of adrenalized funk. --Jason Josephes ... Read more

Reviews (779)

an excellent album
This is an excellent peppers' album. John Frusciante is amazing. Flea too. Anthony Kiedis' voice is not so soft here yet. Like it is in By The Way. But the drums are bothering me. They really picked the wrong drums.

Around the world ***** . One of the best songs on the album. It's still a funky song.

Paralell Universe *** . A little harder.

Scar Tissue **** . An excellent ballad.

Otherside *** . Also a good song.

Get on top ** . If I would be the producer, I wouldn't put this song on the album. It's just hard, loud & noisy.

Californication ***** . Probably the best song on the album. A cool melody. Good vocals. And a fine guitar solo. And a good video. (I guess you saw the video for this song.)

Easily ** . A little harder. But listenable.

Porcelain *** . A good song to sleep to.

Emmitremus **** . Cool. The guitar is heavy here.

I like dirt ***** . A very good guitar solo. And the song is also good.

This velvet glove ** . I don't listen to this song a lot of times.

Savior *** . Weird & Strange.

Purple stain *** . Stupid lyrics & and a ok song.

Right on time *** . OK.

Road Trippin' ***** . A cool ballad. Without drums. I can play it with my guitar.

BEST ALBUM OF THE DECADE?
id say with alice in chains's 'dirt', we are looking at the best album of the decade. lets take a better look...
stars next to the songs mean how good they are out of 5.
1)Around The World **** - verse IS FUNK. lovley, with a sweet melodic chorus.
2)Parallel Universe ** - dosen't stand out much. your average track.
3)Scar Tissue ***** - beautiful song. lifting guitar riff and perfect vocals, very nice.
4)Otherside ***** - bettter than scar tissue marginally. this is nothing short of magic, i leave you to find out the rest.
5)Get on Top *** - Psychaedlic funk, just letting you know where you are.
6)Calafornication ***** - a fragile guitar and bass riff with refreshing chorus.
7)Easily ***** - chilis show that in true style, that they are still a flawless rock band.
8)Porcelain **** - slowest song to date, nice tranquil stuff.
9)Emit Remmus * - 'ive heard it all before' youll be muttering to yourself, oh well.
10)I Like Dirt * - oh dear.
11)This Velvet Glove **** - excellent piece of music, to the point yet subtle, at the same time.
12)Saviour *** - accepteble, not their best.
13)Purple Stain ***** - #FUNK#FUNK#FUNK#FUNK#FUNK#FUNK#FUNK#
14)Right On Time *** - chorus: i smell pop. nevertheless a good song.
15)Road Trippin' ***** - beautiful brisk acoustic number reflecting on america.

ok thats it. you have got to check out 'by the way' ITS AMAZING!
billycorgan266@yahoo.co.uk

1)

Top heavy, good stuff nevertheless...
"Californication" is top notch Chili Peppers, but the best tracks on the album are definitely in the beginning. 'Around the World' is one of the best openers ever, and it rocks hard. 'Scartissue' is a radio hit and so is 'Otherside', and 'Easily' is easily (sorry) one of the best tracks on the album. The title track is the best track and speaks of West Coast superficiality. The rest of the album is scattered and not very cohesive, but it includes a variety of different songs and some sound a little experimental. "Californication" was one of the most successful rock albums of the 90's and rightfully so. Highly recommended.

California Kings
I am not a Chili Peppers fan but this is one great album! I love the simple melodies and the powerful bass. My favorite song would have to be around the world but all are high quality. RHCP combine funk with rock and some aspects of rap, a very interesting blend. This album's only weakness is that the first six or seven songs are the best and the rest of the album does not support the firsat few songs. I find myself skipping some of the later tracks. This album is fun and interesting and I think it is a great introduction to RHCP's more recent sound.

A much-needed kick in the pants for modern rock
No matter what anyone does or says about this album, you can't change the fact that it was significant. After the prolific Blood Sugar Sex Magik record, John Frusciante left the band and became lost in the hard drug scene. When the Chilis recruited Dave Navarro for One Hot Minute, it just wasn't the same, and it didn't do as well as Blood Sugar Sex Magik commercially or critically. When John Frusciante rejoined the band for the recording of Californication, alternative rock fans knew they were in for another chart topper. And that's exactly what it was. With three #1 modern rock hits, ("Scar Tissue," "Californication," and "Otherside") this record was surely the first to do so. The only other album I can remember with three or more #1 modern rock hits was Linkin Park's Meteora, but then again, that's probably based on popularity.

But as successful as this album was, some might think all it has are the singles to achieve commercial success - but that's not the case at all. Take one listen to this album, and you'll see that Frusciante had the Chilis back in full swing in no time.

The album opens with Around The World, one of the four singles released from the album. It sounds very frenetic in the beginning, with a fuzzy bass intro, and a wild scream from Anthony Kiedis, but when it settles into the verse, and Kiedis begins to rap, you're reassured. After he namedrops a few states and countries, you're introduced to the song's soaring chorus. That's when you decide what place it should have in the band's top ten songs ever. It's that good! After it's over and done with, the song leads into my personal favorite on the album, Parallel Universe. A bit different from what the Chilis have done in the past, this one is rhythmically outstanding. Flea, the bassist (I hope you knew that), maintains a steady beat throughout the song that ensures the fact that he is indeed one of the greatest bassists of all time. The chorus is definitely a highlight of the song. From there, it flows right into Frusciante's magnificent comeback, Scar Tissue. Although this is a ballad, there are no elements within the song that will bore you. There are several small guitar solos in the song that showcase Frusciante's talent that we knew he had all along. This was the first single, and rightfully so. Next comes one of my favorite songs on the disc, called Otherside. It begins with a catchy riff that leads into a quiet version of the chorus. By the end, it's just so epic you'll want to listen to it on repeat. Another one of the Chilis' masterpieces.

I'm not going to describe every one of the songs on the disc in depth, but I'll have you know that other great tracks include Get On Top, Californication, Easily, Emit Remmus, I Like Dirt, and This Velvet Glove. The other five songs, which are entirely the last four songs on the album I haven't totally gotten into yet, but what I can tell you that the slow and short ballad Porcelain does not fit well into Chili Peppers repertoire. It just doesn't seem to sit right with the band. Aside from that one song, this album is packed to the top with musical gems.

I would without a doubt recommend it to any rock fan. One of my favorite bands is 311, so if you're a 311 fan, I can guarantee that you'll like this release from the Chilis. In my honest opinion, this is a record one could use to portray the meaning of alternative rock.

Keep it up, Red Hot Chili Peppers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Young, aggro, and from Los Angeles--it's tempting to put Incubus in the already crowded category populated by Korn, System of a Down, and their other loud and heavy brethren. But that would sell Incubus short, because Make Yourself, the quintet's sophomore album, is a strong progression beyond their 1997 debut, S.C.I.E.N.C.E.. More like Faith No More than Limp Bizkit, Incubus still have that teen-mosh appeal, though the songwriting and instrumentation on Make Yourself is diverse and thoughtful, both lyrically and musically. "Drive" is an easygoing, slightly trippy acoustic-based outing, while oddball scratching (courtesy of DJ Chris Kilmore) and trip-hop funkiness make "Battlestar Scralatchtica" aptly titled. "Nowhere Fast" is vaguely 311-ish with a reggae tinge and lovely melodic interludes, in contrast to the furious intensity of "Out from Under," which gives Make Yourself a surprisingly cohesive diversity that's hard to categorize. Ultimately, singer Brandon Boyd is not a vocal genius, but lyrically and in performance, he's sensitive, charismatic, and unique. Ditto for the 13 cuts that make up Make Yourself. --Katherine Turman ... Read more

Reviews (521)

A STELLAR ALBUM BY A GREAT BAND!...
After their bizarre (yet awesome) 1997 album S.C.I.E.N.C.E, Incubus decided to kick it up a notch in diversity with their 1999 album 'Make Yourself'. The album was a huge success with several hit singles that put the band into the mainstream of popular music.

The thing that made this album so successful was Incubus' wonderful way of crafting great music. It's not exactly raging hard rock there's a little more to it than that. Trippy sounds and great acoustic ballads meshed with rock music bring out Incubus' creative style on this CD. Hits like the acoustic driven DRIVE, the unique PARDON ME, the beautiful ballad
I MISS YOU, the rocking MAKE YOURSELF or the awesome STELLAR (a personal favourite of mine) bring out this unique style of music making. However the hits on this album do not over shadow the other material found here. PRIVILEGE is a great rocking opener. THE WARMTH is an excellent rock ballad. NOWHERE FAST and WHEN IT COMES are more powerful rockers. CONSEQUENCE is an eerie rock ballad like THE WARMTH. BATTLESTAR SCRALATCHTICA is a tune with an extremely unique flavour and some great mixing by DJ Kilmore. CLEAN is another quirky rocker with some wonderful singing and great percussion. OUT FROM UNDER is a great rocking album closer.

Bottom Line 'Make Yourself' is the best album of 1999! I love Incubus. I think their music is just so awesome and creative. Get this album! You won't regret it. This band is one of the very few that are actually excellent nowdays. Most bands have little to any creativity or feeling in their music (if you can even call some of it that!). Incubus is not one of those bands. I hope they continue to make wonderful music like this and their latest album 'Morning View'. Highly recommended!

A soothing rock experience
Incubus' "Make Yourself" is truly an incredible album, soaring with great acoustic work with brilliant lyrics. Their initial tone of rock is mostly softened from the normal definition (head-banging, full rock out), providing an ablum that really IS rock -- just a softer kind, based on more acoustic than electric guitars.

"Privilege", the record's opening track, is an enthusiastic cut that readies you for the rest of the album. Its catchy tone and cool lyric combine to make you addicted first-come-first-serve style. "Nowhere Fast" and "The Warmth" soon follow, showing us the band's incredible talent at having an emotional side.

"Drive", the more popular and largely known single from the album, is actually one of the album's best written lyric. Giving an inspirational side to living, it provides an infectious sound with contagious words that make you enjoy the song despite its overwhelming playback on radio.

"Make Yourself" truly is an amazing album that offers a unique sound giving us proof as to why Incubus has such a strong and faithful following. Their talent shows a potential that is hard to find among bands in 2000.

Overall Grade: B+

It's no S.C.I.E.N.C.E
My first taste of Incubus was Morning View. Even though I was not an Incubus fan at the time of listening I didn't think it was anything special. My interest in this band was reignited after a friend lent me S.C.I.E.N.C.E. That album simply blew me away with the way it used turntables and I became an instant fan. Then I bought Make Yourself. I was expecting music in the same vien of S.C.I.E.N.C.E but was slightly disapointed. The turntabling that made S.C.I.E.N.C.E. so great has been toned down in this album and in my opinion it is worse off because of it. Without the turntables I think this album sounds a bit blander and more mainstream. Don't get me wrong, this is still an awesome album, but could have been a lot better if DJ Lyfe had stayed on, or at least given some lessons to DJ Kilmore. But it still gets four stars because it is a very good album.

a good album!
1:Privilege 4/5
2:Nowhere fast 3/5
3:Consequence 4/5
4:the warmth 5/5
5:When it comes 4/5
6:Stellar 5/5
7:Make yourself 4/5
8:Drive 5/5
9:Clean 4/5
10:Batllestar scralacthica 4/5
11:I miss you 4/5
12:Pardon me 5/5
13:Out from under 2/5

Pretty good...
Incubus is a wonderful rock band. Maybe one of the best. This is the CD where they scored their first mainstreem pop hit "Drive". It was also #1 on the Alternitive charts. It has some good tracks on here. Brandon Boyd is the leader, and, he has an OK singing voice. Not the best singer ever, tho (duh). No tracks are bad, but, ill tell you why I just gave it a 4 soon. On with the songs!:

1. Privilege (5/5) Could possibly be the best song on the record. This is what im MAD about, tho. Why couldnt this be released as the 1st single?? It sounds like it shouldve. Silly Epic! This wouldve easily got to #1 on any rock chart if it was released!!!! Ah, sorry.
2. Nowhere Fast (5/5) Neat. Brandon is good on it, and, good beat. Pretty soft and hard.
3. Consequence (4/5) A pretty good hard rock ballad. Its half of a ballad, anyway.
4. The Warmth (5/5) OMG!! Listen to Brandon on this! Hes AMAZING! Great ballad!!!
5. When It Comes (4/5) OK.
6. Stellar (5/5) 2nd single. I luv this! A classic. It did well at TRL in 2000.
7. Make Yourself (5/5) OMG!!! Brandon screams! He sounds tight when he does it! He screams bloddy murder! Sometimes on it, anyway. Their is quite some cussing on it, tho.
8. Drive (5/5) Obviously a classic, and, 3rd single. Pretty overplayed, but, it never got that old. Too bad they barley play it anymore, tho. Ill always remember this by heart, tho, even till the day I die!
9. Clean (4/5) Very decent. Not 1 of my favs, tho.
10. Battlestar Scralatchitca (Instrumental) (5/5) Amazing instrumental! Ahh, funky, and, you can relax to it often. There is one weird voice in it, tho.
11. I Miss You (5/5) Cool! Very sad, and, youll love it at first listen. Pretty short, tho.
12. Pardon Me (5/5) 1st single. Classic. Good scratching at the begenning by the DJ in the group! (cant remember his name)
13. Out From Under (4/5) Pretty good.

OK, this was a spectacular album from Incubus. Keep it up, boys! Oh, they PRODUCED THE WHOLE ALBUM!!! Isnt that awsome?! OK, I hope you liked it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's fitting that the Kid Rock revival got started when the Beastie Boys featured him in their Grand Royal magazine--and not because the kid from Detroit shares their skin tone. Rock has often been compared with the early Beasties--the boys of "Fight for Your Right to Party" and "Brass Monkey," the boys no one ever thought would grow up. With lines like "I ain't straight outta Compton, I'm straight out the trailer" and "I started an escort service--for all the right reasons," it's obvious that Kid Rock doesn't aim to follow suit. But that's no hindrance to Devil--backed by the funky metal band Twisted Brown Trucker and special guests like blues vets Robert Bradley and Thronetta Davis, Rock is hosting one hell of an interesting party. Ultimately, Rock's party is great, schlocky fun, equal parts old Beasties and Sebastian Bach--making Devil a guilty pleasure, the Starship Troopers of hip-hop. --Randy Silver ... Read more

Reviews (425)

An excellent album, however, not as good as Polyfuze Method.
I loved it. I have had the album for months now, but it's definitly my 2nd favorite Kid Rock album. For some people, it's the only Kid Rock album they know of, but I'm a true fan (been down since Gritz Sandwiches for Breakfast). The Polyfuze Method was Kid Rock's best effort, in my opinion. But I love Devil Without a Cause. Kid Rock combines southern soul, rap, rock and metal to make a unique sound, apart from the fact that it IS of the rap/rock genre which has become steadily more popular in recent years. Remenicent of the early days of Beastie Boys and Run DMC (who were ahead of their time), Kid Rock has a pimpin', drug-usin', don't give a f***, old-school attitude that really appeals to young people today. I love it, because I can relate to what Rock is talking about. I, myself, am a white rapper and I give credit to Kid Rock along with the Beastie Boys, Tribe Called Quest, Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine and the Roots as my greatest influences.

Devil With A Cause....To Make Music
Kid Rock is nuthin' new. He wasn't the first to fuse rap with rock and he wont be the last. He's not the best at it but the album is still pretty good. Anytime a cd has 6 or 7 decent tracks on it I find it to be a good pickup.

I've heard people refer to this album as being heavy metal, um and that would be hilarious if people actually believed that. This album is not heavy, but it does have some rock to it. The best rock song on here as far being the heavist is "I am the bullgod". It's a great song and it was the reason I brought this album What....I didn't buy it because MTV decided to tell me Bawitdaba was cool? No I brought this when I first heard the cd from a friend and "I am The Bullgod" was gettin' no airplay. Anyways like I was saying the cd is good with other great songs like Only God Knows Why, and Black Chick, White Guy (great song), Devil Without A Cause, and Fist of Rage(last 2 not as good as the previous 4 mentioned).

Now if you are big on lyrics and saying that all your lyrics have got to mean something, then you might want to shy away from this album. There are a few songs on here with meaning, but the cd is more focused on good beats and decent lyrics. Most of the songs on here are good and this cd is a great buy. My advice if you like rock fused with rap then pick this up, if you are looking for heavy metal music, go elsewhere. I think you'll be impressed with it, as long as you don't try to make it out something it is not as soooo many people have in these reviews.

This Will Make You a Believer
Guns N'Roses are gone. Led Zeppelin is history. Aerosmith has been clean for years. The Rolling Stones are living, breathing anachronisms. Rod Stewart is a pop singer. And hip hop bands don't use live bands with loud guitars. Is the modern music scene hopeless?

Nope. It's alive and dangerous. For those of us who miss loud guitars and controversial lyrics, Kid Rock has come to the rescue.

If you are a hard rock fan and can keep from banging your head during "Bawidaba," you don't have the volume loud enough. If you don't bang your head after the piano break in "Cowboy," you need to buy Pat Boone's "In a Metal Mood." If you don't sing along to the bridge in "Roving Gangster," perhaps you need to take your a** to the early-bird special at Denny's and take your geritol.

If you miss the danger of G N'R, you'll love the drug-glorifying jams of "I Am the Bullgod" and "Where You at Rock?"

While I've never been a fan of hip hop, I must say I thoroughly enjoy the drug-glamorizing, braggadoccio of Kid Rock's "Devil Without a Cause." Imagine the Beastie Boys merged with G n' R, Zeppelin, and Skynyrd and you have Kid Rock.

If you're looking for modern music with the edginess of the backporch of a house overlooking the Pacific in SoCal, this is it.

A lot better than I thought it would be
"Devil Without A Cause" is a lot better than I thought it would be. It opens up with "Bawitdaba", which is one of the best song's on the CD. My other favorites are "Devil Without A Cause", "I Am The Bullgod" and "F-ck Off". If you like rap-rock than you should get this CD.

A real masterpiece
This is Kid Rock at his best! I love this album. The whole album is bad ass.If you don't have this album PICK IT UP! i guarentee you won't be dissapointed. from his opening " MY NAME IS KIIIIIIIIIIIID ROCK!!!" of " Bawitdaba" to his LAST cut "I AM THE BULLGOD" ( the remix version, NOT #4, the orginal one) is KICK ASS!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Having successfully fused music and politics from their start, inspiring both moshing and young minds in the process, Rage Against the Machine emerges in peak form with merely their third album in seven years. Guitarist Tom Morello is one of the most distinctive and innovative players of his era, and his foil, vocalist/lyricist Zack De La Rocha, is as unrelenting and inspiring as ever on The Battle of Los Angeles. Rage, whose past antics include performing naked with duct tape over their mouths to protest censorship, released Battle on Election Day, but the politics of the group can be separated from the sounds. Indeed, the 45 minutes of mayhem heard here can be enjoyed solely as rousing aggro hip-hop rock. There's more variety found on Battle than on its predecessors, however. "Sleep Now in the Fire" is one of their most straight-ahead rock tunes. The trippy guitar on "Calm Like a Bomb" is out there even for the adventurous Morello. And "Born a Broken Man" serves up lovely musical interludes. Overall, the more finely honed Rage heard on Battle may not inspire a generation of young revolutionaries, but they still stir up more mutinous spirit than the rest of the current rock pack. --Katherine Turman ... Read more

Reviews (569)

Straight Forward Simplicity Blends in Peak Form
Rage against the Machine was the first band to introduce the furious combination of hard rock, metal and rap. This musical style was unheard of in the music industry. After seven years and two multi-platinum successes, the Machine further shows its musical intensity and superiority with its recent release, The Battle of Los Angeles. Although they have not made any significant changes in their style and lyrics, they further enhance their musical approaches, coming through in peak fashion with their sharpest album to date. Lead singer Zack De La Rocha remains steady with his lyrical fuel. In The Battle of Los Angeles, he deals with topics such as the media, capitalism and political controversy. He also devotes many of his lyrical opinions toward Mumia Abu-Jamal, a jailed journalist and former Black Panther who was sentenced to death in the 1981 shooting of a Philadelphia policeman. Because of the heated controversy and large-scale protest, both nationally and internationally, toward Abu-Jamal's sentencing, De La Rocha states his beliefs in the album. He shows this through "Guerrilla Radio" and "Voice of the Voiceless." In "Voiceless," De La Rocha says, "My Panther, my brother, we are at war until you're free." The heart and soul of Rage Against the Machine is shown through guitarist Tom Morello. He proves, once again, why he is considered to be one of the most explosive and multi-talented guitarists in the business. He expresses a versatile range of music in the album. Besides his cliche of clean-cut power riffs in tracks such as "Guerrilla Radio" and "Testify," Morello displays every sound imaginable in "Mic Check" and gives a pure hard rock sound to "Sleep Now in the Fire." He also intertwines a solemn and ferocious effect in "Born of a Broken Man." It is this combination of Zack De La Rocha and Tom Morello that have formed a strong nucleus for Rage Against the Machine. They have maintained a sound that they have been able to expand on with simplicity, control and style. Their styles blend together perfectly in The Battle of Los Angeles, proving why they are one of the most dominant bands in the business.

Stir in a Cause...Mix in some Rage...It all Sounds Good
I don't have any of Rage Against The Machine's (RATM) other CD's so can't make a comparison, but if you like innovative music with a little harder edge, this one's for you. These guys are definitely ..., and not all that happy about the system, but through the seriousness of it all, it's good music period. You won't find too many light-hearted lyrics, so it's not always such an easy listen, but there is some amazing guitar work by Tom Morello and the intensity of singer's Zack De La Rocha screamed/rapped lyrics is actually catchy. You will be drawn in by the radio play songs of, "Testify," "Guerilla Radio," and "Sleep Now in the Fire" and then hooked by the amazing sounds and the mix of hip-hop heavy metal driving rhythm of the rest of the CD. The incredible sounds these guys can coax out of their instruments are reason alone to buy the album. It would seem they have to use some serious studio manipulations or obscure instruments to get those sounds, but as the liner notes testify, "all sounds made by guitar, bass, drums, and vocals." Pretty incredible to draw such disparate sounds and have it sound so good. Some past groups that remind me of bits and pieces of RATM are, King's X for some of the driving guitar chords, Living Colour (not sure why), Henry Rollins for the political rapped voice, and the Beastie Boys for the innovative Rock and hip-hop mix. This is definitely not one to listen around kids or in the office due to the language, but with headphones or in a car, turn it up, rock out, release a little rage, and enjoy. You won't be disappointed. Too bad these guys let some of their raging political anger spill out towards each other and broke up. They could have made some more incredible sounds for years to come. That's a long time to stay that intense though.

rage is great .....
this album is the most unique and powerful album that i ve ever heard.the album kicks off with testify,which is a mighty song .the second one ,gurellia radio, is a melodious track ,with zack spitting out his words prodigiously.sporadic track born of a brakon man ;is another track that can revitalize even the dead and listless soul.sleep now in the fire is a preeminent song which is so real and the guitar part of morello in this song is awesome with nasty effects like that of a running dj.fire spitter zack's rapping style in mariais simply perfect.ashes in the fall is another track which should be adored coz zack's ebullient vocals in this song is inevitable.mellifluous track mic check is nicely generated in timing and more than a song it sounds like a mayhem. all in all the album is greatly packed up with power and fury which can knock down so called system ,norm and values.now rage is no more with us .tom morello and other remaing freaks really made a bad move by colliding with chris cornell to form audioslave which is not at all worth listening.

Rage Against the Machine spews hyprocritical bull
I know of no women of any age, race, or ethnicity who listen to Rage's music. Rage is strictly a band for teenage male sheep who think they're doing the world some great justice by being "political" by listening to "political" music. Sure, just like the majority of Americans, I want Bush to get the hell out of office too, but instead of creating the chaos and moshpit-like riots that Rage want, we need to unite and vote against the hate-filled warmonger instead. The reality with Rage is that they're all about touting militant bullsh*t 90% of the time, and their fans don't even realize it. They just like de la Rocha's violent vocal delivery and stage presence because he makes being militant anthematic. He's mucho macho, that Zach de la Rocha. Rage Against the Machine have no idea what they're talking about when it comes to certain issues that they should have absolutely no say in. Rage Against the Machine claim they are for freedom and citizens' rights to do what they believe is in their best interest, but then Rage come out with an anti-abortion song ("Born as Ghosts"). And it's always the men who don't understand women that come out against abortion. Either those types of men, or Christian fundamentalists. Tom Morello thinks that just because he went to Harvard that he can spew his own personal bullsh*t views and have them be true. Sorry guy, but your opinion isn't what anyone else should live their life by, so quit acting like you state any facts. Hey, Tom, if you think you should have a say in whether a woman can get an abortion, how about we decide whether or not you can get a testicular cancer removed?

Question the government and all forms of media, especially music that shouts it tells the truth, because truth is in the eye of the beholder. There are as many truths as there are individuals in the world.

one of the best albums ever
This is, at the moment my favourite album. I will tell you the best songs on the cd. I love Testify, Guerilla Radio, Calm like a Bomb, Sleep now in the fire, War within a breath, and ashes in the fall. the lyrics are great politicly charged and angry. This album establishes rage's place as the best by far rap/metal band of all time. that may sound repetative but it doesn't even say it enough. Zack DeLa Rocha is the coolest guy in the world. tom morello is in my opinion one of the best guiatists ever he is insane (i base that on nothing ha ha just kidding). rage may not be around any more but they popularized rap/metal and for that they will never be forgotten. if u r interested in the members of the band are now 3 of them are in the band audioslave. thank you for your time. ROCK ON! ... Read more

Amazon.com

As the vitriol spewed from Evil Empire, Rage Against the Machine's long-awaited follow up to their 1993 debut owes much to Chuck D.'s polemic fury and rapid-fire urgency--though as always the band rages without hip-hop machinery in favor of the heavy-duty power tools of rock. But no matter if Rage against the Machine amounts to revolutionary rap, protest metal, or a combination of the two, the band's command of sonic rage makes Evil Empire a powerful assault in any musical language.

But wait, there's more to the name. Raging against the machine, like yelling at the TV, is woefully misdirected. Lyricist Zack de la Rocha is clearly someone with strong political views--particularly when it comes to the plight of fellow Mexicans on both sides of the border. He vents his indignation sharply at times ("Vietnow," "Without a Face"), rather clumsily and artlessly most others. Music this angry should be aimed at something more specific than an entire race or nation or government, or else it risks sounding like the empty rants of confused postpubescent rebellion. If only Rage against the Machine's raw musical muscles were grinding over a focused message, lord knows how potent they could be. --Roni Sarig

... Read more

Reviews (241)

Few flaws, but still a standout
After 3 to 4 years, Rage released this "more metal than rap" style album. Evil Empire doesn't have as much talent as the debut with the exception of a few songs(People Of The Sun, Bulls On Parade, Down Rodeo), but it's still better than Renegades. Battle Of L.A. Is better than this, but this isn't far behind. Tom Morello takes the guitar skills to the next level on Revolver, People Of The Sun and Roll Right. Zack De La Rocha really gives it the young Phil Anselmo style voice on the vocals on the songs like Snake Charmer and Tire Me. Well, here's the song-depth review:

1)People Of The Sun(2:30) - Shortest song, but really heavy. Pretty cool, sounds better live. This is a standout track. 4/5

2)Bulls On Parade(3:52) - My personal favourite on the album, much like everyone else. Seems really cool, no cheesy starts, just goes straight to the action. Not as good as Guerilla Radio from Battle Of L.A., but the best song on Evil Empire. 5/5

3)Vietnow(4:39) - Well, it's not too bad, but it's very average. A bit like Take The Power Back, only less good. Unfortunately it's my least favourite. 2/5

4)Revolver(5:30) - Long, but heavy. This is tied with Down Rodeo for 3rd best song. It's soft, much like Settle For Nothing and Born Of A Broken Man, but then it gets heavy with a lot of screaming. This is a song that never gets old. Standout. 5/5

5)Snakecharmer(3:55) - 2nd best song. It's nice, It's a fast song with a lot of screaming, much like Revolver, but shorter, heavier and more creative lyrics. Another standout. 5/5

6)Tire Me(3:00) - 3 minutes exact. This is the closest song to being much like 13 Steps To Nowhere from Pantera's Great Southern Trendkill. Perfect, but just loses to Down Rodeo. Still good. Zack really makes this a different Rage. This is the only song that even comes close to being heavy metal. 5/5

7)Down Rodeo(5:20) - Nice guitars. A pretty good tune. Nice screaming near the end. It's a very creative song, that doesn't drag on, despite the fact that it's 5:20. It's a perfect song. 3rd favourite with Revolver. 5/5

8)Without A Face(3:37) - Not bad. Just doesn't seem as good as the likes of Tire Me and Bulls On Parade. But still, you just can't skip it. 2.6/5

9)Wind Below(5:50) - Longest song on the album. Although it does tend to drag on, it's got a pretty cool guitar riff, courtesy of our dear friend, Mr. Tom Morello. Zack's vocals really make it seem like a lullaby when it becomes soft, but the chorus really makes him shine. 3.8/5

10)Roll Right(4:22) - OK, this isn't bad at all. Tom really shines here, as does Tim Bob. Zack shines again here. A combination of People Of The Sun and Down Rodeo, kind of. It's not a favourite, but it's listenable. 4/5

11)Year Of Tha Boomerang(4:00) - Nice, we end on a good song. Although not as memorable as Freedom, or the latter War Within A Breath from Battle of L.A., it really shines here. Screaming and rapping again. Nuff said. 4.3/5

That's Evil Empire. Go get it now, or start with the debut and work your way up. You might be disappointed, but it's still a good buy. Get it now.

Rage At It's Best!
First of all, let me start off by saying that I am the biggest Rage Against the Machine fan in the world! I worship everyone of their songs, even the ones on soundtracks, live shows, and compilations. I'm behind their political beliefs 100% Evil Empire is undoubtedly their greatest cd. here's a description of each song:

1. Peoeple of the Sun: Rage manages to gloriously blend alternative rock, funk, and metal with this revolutionary gem of a track. Definitely one of Rage's best!

2. Bulls On Parade: My personal favorite. This track starts off with a crushing two-note intro and continues its juggernaut assault on your ears and doesn't stop. One of the best rock songs ever!!!

3. Vietnow: One of their most angry songs, Vietnow mixes heavy metal with hardcore rap. Listen to this one when you're pissed.

4. Revolver: The intro guitar solo is unbelievable! It's kind of like a subdued Jimi Hendrix type solo. The rest of the song is superb too!

5. Snakecharmer: Many people overlook this one. Zack De La Rocha's (lead singer) mood swings are genius throught this entire song. Great great tune!

6. Tire Me: A grammy winner!!! Fast paced and entrancing, Tire Me is a furious track. Take a minute to catch your breath after listening to this one.

7. Down Rodeo: With highly offensive and revolutionary lyrics, odd guitar sounds, distorted, and furious drum loops, this song is a great example of what Rage is all about.

8. Without a Face: It was clear that the focus was more on rap for this song, and that's not a bad thing!!! Zack is unbelievably gifted. The end chorus is strikingly powerful (and loud not to mention!)

9. Wind Below: One of my favorite Rage songs (I'm not sure why), Wind Below is a devastatingly truthful tirade. You've gotta love it when Rage trashes major companies like GE and ABC.

10. Roll Right: The message at the end of this song ("Take 'em to the seventh level!") is just as powerful as "f*** you I won't do what you tell me!" This is a truly heavy song!

11. Year of the Boomerang: Not very heavy, but never the less catchy, Year of the Boomerang is a beautiful song and a wonderful way to close out the greatest cd ever made.

There is no logic to inciting violence to create peace
Look kids! If you shell out $16.00 you too can listen to the supposed socialist political musical stylings of Rage! So much for the band supposedly being anti-capitalism. Rage Against the Machine are 90% bullsh*t. I can't stand how they try to rationalize themselves. Violent, riot-like vocal inflections create riot situations (studies have shown). Vocalists don't get much more violent-sounding than de la Rocha (unless you're Alec Empire of Atari Teenage Riot, who has no relation to this album or Rage). Trying to get peace through inciting violent revolution doesn't work (and don't act like you don't know about the deaths attributed to tramplings at Rage concerts). I don't care if Rage played the Tibetan Freedom concert or not, it doesn't make them any more peaceful. Rage claim they're vehemently against capitalism, but then they go sell their records for profit. They don't even try to reduce the price either! F*cking hypocrites. Yeah, that's right: I'm questioning them, as anyone should be... just like everything political should be questioned. And unlike you Rage fans, I don't groove to the funky guitar solos of the upscale Harvard boy who has no business speaking for the downtrodden (I believe you fans know him as Tom Morello). I groove to my own beat of my own personal views instead.

Nice!
I like it a lot. But is not my favorite one.

The Joy of Rage
RATM's sophomore effort is a worthy followup to their incredible debut. I can't say that I enjoy this album quite as much as their first , but it still has a great collection of tunes. People of the Sun, Bulls on Parade, Vietnow, and Down Rodeo are some of my favorite Rage songs. I absolutely adore RATM's blend of politics and music. It is so great to hear intelligent music with an intelligent message behind it. I must say that I strongly disagree with Roni Sareg (author of Amazon's editorial review above). I don't find Rage's message misdirected at all. Zack, as he said on their first album, knows his enemy. Rage is against the entire global capitalist system. There is nothing empty or ranting about this. It is a much deeper and more philosophical political message than just railing against the President or the war or whatever would be specific enough. To me, the uncompromising opposition to the system that spawns so much destruction is a much more powerful message that gives RATM a uniquely powerful quality. Rage Against the Machine provides some of the best rock out there today. I highly recommend all their albums, both for the music and the message contained within the music. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The splicing together of nu metal, rap, funk, and sterile electronica laced with dark melodies as infectious as anything Britney has to offer inspired 6 million people to purchase copies of Limp Bizkit's Significant Other. With Chocolate Starfish, they perfect their formula. From the electro-infused "Intro" through the contagiously chugging "My Generation" to the straight-up rap of "Getcha Groove On," Chocolate Starfish is a slick, clinical, and flawless platform for Fred Durst's effortlessly savage--and occasionally unintentionally comic--sociological rants geared toward disaffected youth. Ultimately, though, it's that undeniably intelligent musical backdrop--the brooding guitar sound that gave the Mission Impossible 2 theme haunting new life and menace, and that defines "Hot Dog," "Full Nelson," "My Way," "Rollin'," "Boiler," and "It'll Be Okay"--that makes this a seething work of genius. The fact is, with rap and rock saying pretty much the same thing, Limp Bizkit have plenty of competition. They just do what they do better than everyone else. --Dan Gennoe ... Read more

Reviews (1018)

Limp Bizket has lost their touch
The best Limp Bizket album of all time is by far 3 dolla bill. All following albums have been mediocre and satisfy nothing more then the pure MTV neo hardcore audience that want to be with the "in crowd" at junior high school. Just attend a Limp Bizket concert and you will see amazingly young people running scared from the mosh pits with wild eyed fear. Lord knows they then go home to tell their friends that they had "a BLAST" at the show, "moshed the entire show" and "almost got into a fight with a two ton gorilla." The CD does show some effort however with catchy guitar work and reasonably decent mixed backbeats, but thats about the extent of it. Fred Durst is in with the whole Carson Daily, Kid Rock, Eminem TRL crowd that everyone seems to love today. In other words Durst is the Christina Aguilera of hard rock/rap core and it was quite fitting to see them together on stage at this years MTV Video Music Awards. If you want a truly innovative CD I recommend Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory, any Deftones CD, Taproot - Gift (Fred Durst doesnt much like Taproot for some reason *shrug*), or any Pitchshifter cd. Hope this helps.

Disappointing.
When the history of post-Nirvana rock is written, Chocolate Starfish will probably have a worse reputation than it deserves. I say this because it wasn't until after Limp Bizkit put out this album that I really noticed any comparisons of nu-metal to 80's hair metal. After seeing the heights Limp Bizkit was capable of in Significant Other, watching them crash with this one is all the more painful.

What is wrong with this album? In a word, filler. I don't mind filler on albums, as long as it doesn't distract the listener from the good stuff. The filler on Starfish, however, is either bad, or entertaining in its badness (like an Ed Wood film). It sounds as though Durst realizes his conflict with his ex-girlfriend has finished, but he's still angry. Probably the biggest mistake is starting out with "Hot Dog", Mr. Durst's ode to his favorite four-letter word. I might have been able to forgive this, had it not been for the track that immediately follows. I didn't expect "My Generation" to have any connection to my favorite song by The Who, but when Durst launched into the chorus with a cheap imitation of Roger Daltrey's stutter, I became so incensed that the rest of the album, was, for a intents and purposes, ruined for me.

Although there are some reasonably good singles ("Boiler," "My Way"), the bad tracks make this purchase questionable for anyone who isn't already a Limp fan.

Who'z in Tha Houze?
"Limp Bizkit Presents Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water"...Definitely one of the funkiest titles I've heard in my lifetime so far. And, I'm sure it wont be the last. Funkiest is definitely one word to describe this album. Its got a nice blend of Rock and Hop-Hip. A testament of that is "Rollin'" (both Air Raid"Rock" and Urban Assault"Hip Hop" Vehicles), "Getcha Groove On", and "My Generation". Tho LB has lost a bit of their Punk edge that they had with "Three Dollar Bill$ Y'All", there's still a hint of it in the song "Full Nelson". This years (and into 2001) angst anthem(s) are definitely "My Generation" and "My Way". The track "Getcha Groove On" feat. Mr. X to the Z (Xzibit)has got a nice beat going there made by DJ Lethal. And the collaboration with Scott Weiland on the melody ballet "Hold On" is reminisant of "Nobody Like You" of last years "Significant Other", only softer. There are also spoken cameos from actors Mark Wahlberg, Ben Stiller, Pro Skater Rob Dyrdek. This album wont compare to LB's breakthru "Three Dollar Bill$ Y'All" But it's a good album..more of a experimental album but like Wes Borland said,"I think we have a solid fan base that will buy it, no matter whether it's shunned by the mainstream or not,that's who we made it for - them (the fan base), and for ourselves." Die-hard fans of "Three Dollar Bill$ Y'all" will probably look at this album in disgust, Fans of "SO" will like this album....but if you're like me..both a fan of "3DBY" and "SO" and welcome changes in the music world then you'll enjoy this album.

the best limp bizkit album ever!!!!!!!!!!
1.intro-9/10 very good beat in the intro.fred did a good job on this intro.has the alien voices in it,there are pretty good.<br /> 2.hot dog-8/10 this song is good.good beat and guitar sounds.this song would have had 10/10 but it got 8 because the lyrics are nothing but the F word over and over again.He says it 48 times in this song.<br /> 3.my generation-10/10 AWESOME song.everything in this song is good.<br /> 4.full nelson-9/10 this song is pretty good.fred sings about how he was bullied all the time and how he would knock anybody out who picked on him.this song will pump you up to fight anyone who messes with you.good song though.<br /> 5.my way-10/10 absolute awesome song!!!lyrics,beats,guitar,everything in this song is great!<br /> 6.rollin {air raid vehicle}-100/10 The best song on this album!!!!!great for when your cruising around in your car.everything in the song iS GREAT.<br /> 7.livin' it up-9/10 a good rap and rock song.beat is alright.guitar is absolutely awesome!lyrics are awesome too.<br /> 8.the one-5/10 this song is ok.not rock or rap.not much to say about this song.<br /> 9.getcha groove on-10/10 very good rap song.fred and xzibit did a great job on this song.great beat and lyrics.<br /> 10.take a look around-9/10 the classic mission impossible song.beat and guitar is great.lyrics are alright.it's pretty good.<br /> 11.it'll be ok-7/10 this song is not bad.everything but the lyrics are good.lyrics are slow.<br /> 12.boiler-3/10 this song isn't really good.all it's about is fred's problems.<br /> 13.hold on-4/10 this song is fair.that's all i can say.<br /> 14.rollin [urban assualt vehicle]-10/10 great remix.fred,dmx,red man and method man did a good job with this song.this is the rap version.very good song.<br /> 15.outro-6/10 great outro.just like the intro.it's good until they start talking.the guy that starts the talking is annoying.<br /> <br /> <br /> WARNING:I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU GET THE EXPLICIT VERSION OF THIS ALBUM.THE EDITED VERSION SOUNDS LIKE CRAP.HOT DOG IS ALMOST NOTHING BUT INSTRUMENTAL.TRUST ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />

The most underrated album ever
Rolling Stone was smart enough to give it 3 1/2 stars, Amazon.com was smart enough to give it a rave review, and everyone who rated this album under 4 stars is dumb enough to bash this album for reasons that they are unaware of, I'm sure. People, grow up. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Is Kid Rock about to drop the first half of his stage moniker? Some alarmingly mature cuts on his sixth album, addressing the woes of single parenthood ("Single Dad") and painful separations ("Cold and Empty," a cover of Bob Seger's "Hard Night For Sarah"), might suggest so. But that's only part of the story. As Rock reiterates on "Son of Detroit," a butt-kicking revamp of David Allan Coe's "Son of the South," "I like country, soul, rock and roll, and I love me some hip-hop." Yet compared to his previous work, that last flavor takes a back seat to the other three: Hank Williams, Jr. drops by for the swaggering "Cadillac Pussy," Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love" gets a gritty nu-metal update, and ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd receive shout outs. Have no fear, fans--even as he reconciles having a child with acting like one, the Kid still lives to rock. --Kurt B. Reighley ... Read more

Reviews (207)

A new Kid Rock fan
I never liked Kid Rock's earlier Rap/Rock stuff... but it wasn't until I heard Carson Daly speaking on how talented this guy is that I started to pay attention. And now I can fully appreciate his sound. This artist is the most versatile artist I know encompassing exactly what he says on "Son of Detroit", country, soul, rock and roll, and hip hop. Although he is definitely taking a risk losing his earlier fans, I think he'll be able to pick new ones up (like me). This is the first Kid Rock album I have purchased (and mind you, I didn't hear one song prior to purchase)... This CD seems 60% rock and roll ballads, one or two hip hop/rock songs, and the rest a fuse of rock and country. Artists mature... styles change.. otherwise people would complain about it sounding the same as the first album... Rock on.

Change is the law of life.
To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly. It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. Love it!!! Kid Rock says it best in this very album when he says "You'll never put your finger on me". He has had straight up rap albums, rock/rap albums, and now a mostly (southern) rock album. Kid Rock is the real deal, this man has serious talent. God, how I've missed the guitar solo in todays so-called rock n roll songs. It's got meaningful lyrics, kickin... guitar licks, some harmonica, piano, etc... Simply stated, it's music. But if you're stuck on hip hop, stay far away. If you you miss classic rock, this is as close as you're gonna get in 2003. Just so you know where I'm coming from, I have everything from Willie Nelson, to Dr. Dre, to Metallica in my cd collection.

Like Old Sounds and New? This One's for You!
Let me first say that I am a new Kid Rock fan. I was very skeptical about a metal-rap artist at first. But I really enjoyed his beer commercials and his performance at super bowl 38 was the only one I enjoyed at halftime.

Several months afterwards, while bumming out that Creed had broken up, I purchased "Devil W/O a Cause" and this CD, also. I must say I wasn't disappointed.

This self-titled CD is full of Stones "Exile on Main Street" type rockers, such as "Rock and Roll Pain Train," "Rock and Roll," and a 70's-ish Rod Stewart sound-alike ("Cadillac P***y").

Kid pulls out the stops on the grunge, hung-over, drug abusing ear-splitter "Jackson, Mississippi" and produces another bragadoccio rap song on "Intro." These are the most in-your-face, modern style of rap and rock songs on the CD.

But it's his softer songs that are the most enjoyable. He bares his soul on "Cold and Empty" and "I Am." And the bonus song, co-written by country music outlaw and living legend, David Allan Coe, "Single Father" is a classic. It is minimalist in style with only drums and organ.

Kid also covers Bad Company's "Feel Like Making Love" with a cool arrangement but his cover of Coe's "Son of the South" could've done with a new arrangement somehow. He should have made the guitars heavier or perhaps included some kind of rap in the middle (He changed the title to "Son of Detroit.")

I must say that is you are pushing 40 and want to hear something modern that hearkens back to the 70's classic rock sounds, such as old Stones, Allman Brothers, Rod Stewart, and even my favorite country singer, David Allan Coe, this is definitely the CD to buy.

If you are a Kid Rock/Limp Bizkit fan, you probably won't like this one....unless you like the aforementioned bands.

Hardcore Redneck Rock N'Roll
This is by far the best Kid Rock Cd out there, he proves again just how versitile of an artist he is, combing Country, Rock, Hip hop, and Soul in one great browling pot of a cd. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes Southern Rock and Roll with a little country and alot of heart.

one hard core red neck
This album is a true American Bad Ass. KID ROCK IS SICK! I like the way Kid Rock brought out the old skool sounds on this album...IT F&*KING ROCKS! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Detroit-bred rocker/rapper Kid Rock has reason to be "cocky," as 1998's multiplatinum Devil Without a Cause established the multifaceted artist with the Southern rock influences as a generally likable braggart able to back up his boasts musically. Rock's Twisted Brown Trucker backup band also spawned a successful solo career for DJ Uncle Kracker, who wrote songs for--but whose turntables aren't on--Cocky. With a little help from fab friends, including actor David Spade, and musicians Sheryl Crow and Snoop Dogg, Cocky covers a mélange of styles, from rap to country, utilizing organ, pedal steel, and harp as well as metallic guitar solos. Ultimately, though, the 14 songs are schizophrenic and not always successful: on "Lonely Road of Faith," Kid Rock turns in a anthemic ballad nearly worthy of Lynyrd Skynrd, whose "Freebird" he samples in the laid-back R&B-flavored "You Never Met a Motherf**ker Quite Like Me," while Crow's vocals on the gentle, country tune "Picture" and the plodding "Midnight Train to Memphis" contrast with the metallic riffs of "I'm a Dog," the nasty "sex rhymes" of"WCSR," and the rapped boasts of the narcissistic title track. Cocky? Indeed. Commendable? Dubious. --Katherine Turman ... Read more

Reviews (179)

Kid Rock Is Back
AS usual dating back to "Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast" after 3 years have passed Kid Rock graces the world with his musical talents via compact disc. And with every album he has evolved and mastered a musical form. Rap, rock, metal, country, love songs, and sex beats. He plays multiple instruments, writes all of his songs, and is the best producer in the music industry today. With this album he has poured out his soul like never before through mostly country ballads. This album isn't as much about anger as his other ones have been and for good reason. He's got a lot less to complain about. Diamond-platinum record sales, a son, and Pamela Anderson don't leave a lot of room for anger-driven music. So, once more, he just keeps it real. Unlike most other musicians. It doesn't matter what color you are or what kind of music you say you like: Buy this album and enjoy.

The Kid Proves How Talented He Is
Finally Kid Rock is back and showing how talented he is. This cd "Cocky" has old kinds of music like rock, heavy metal, rap, country, slow stuff,blues, and many more. "Cocky" features a song with Sheryl Crow,a song with Uncle Kracker, and a song with Snoop Dogg. Here are the songs on the cd and what I think about them:
1.)Trucker Anthem-a rap/rock song featuring Uncle Kracker, GREAT INTRO TO THE CD!
2.)Forever-rap/rock song which is good, but I think he should have chose a different song for his first single.
3.)Lay It On Me-rap/rock/bluesy song, pretty good song.
4.)Cocky-rap/rock song that kinda reminds me of Devil With Out A Cause
5.)What I Learned Out On The Road-a good rock song that shows Kid Rocks great singing talent and kinda sounds like a Lynard Skynard song.
6.)I'm Wrong But U Ain't Right-one of the heavier songs I have ever heard from Kid, starts out slow then bangs your (...)head off(my favorite song on the cd)
7.)Lonely Road of Faith-a slow rock song that shows you again Kid's singing talent
8.)You Never Met A Mother F*cker Quite Like Me-rock song that tells u how good Kid Rock is, has some guitar from Freebird.
9.)Picture f/Sheryl Crow-kind of a country song, great singing from Kid Rock and Sheryl.
10.)I'm A Dog-kind of a southern rock song that I like a lot.
11.)Midnight Train To Memphis-slow/rock song, GREAT SONG, starts slow then comes some rap/rock, then comes some great rock.
12.)Baby Come Home-kind of a blues song, which is one of the only blues song i like
13.)Drunk In The Morning-starts out slow then turns into a GREAT rock song that kinda sounds like 80's rock (my other favorite song on the cd)
14.) WCSR f/Snoop Dogg-rap song with funny sex lyrics

Kid Rock At His Best.
This has to be Rock's Best Cd. I Love it but its missing something! A Track With his good buddy Uncle Kracker. besides that this is fine work its all Rock/Hip Hop Like The Classic Kid Rock. Best Song is LAY IT ON ME.

kid rock is back!
Kid rock is back again and i think he did a good job following up to his 98 lp devil without a cause, which if you listen to track 4 youl see the resemblence. This cd is cool i like the way he sounds on some of the songs on here, i few tracks i could do without though were #7, #9, #12, and #5.

I Love Kid Rock sooo much!!!!
Cocky is an awesome cd , but what Kid Rock cd isn't??? I love Kid rock! he is talented in so many ways, he is so hot,and hes just perfect all around!!! Nikki, Kid Rock's BIGGEST fan!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Florida-bred metal-rappers Limp Bizkit sold a million-plus records of their debut largely on the strength of a George Michael cover song. But the band indeed had "Faith" and the group's second outing proves that the Bizkit have the goods. Still, it seems as if boastful frontman Fred Durst is loading the band's deck again, this time by including scads of guest vocalists, such as Stone Temple Pilots' singer Scott Weiland, Method Man from Wu-Tang Clan, and Korn's Jonathan Davis. (In fact, Korn gave Limp Bizkit a leg up in the industry.) But the 16 diverse yet cohesive tracks on Significant Other don't need any help. Not as heavy as their mentors Korn--or as they are on their debut--Bizkit give Everlast a run for his money on the tuneful and appealing "Rearranged." "Just Like This" is another winning hip-hop and rock entry, while the amusing and memorable "Nookie" (as in "I did it all for the nookie") has self-deprecating lyrics not unlike the Offspring's "Self-Esteem." Bizkit segues with ease from pleasing rock and hip-hop amalgam to spooky Tool territory on "Don't Go Off Wandering" to moshable moments in the entreaty "Show Me What You Got." Significant Other may be hard to categorize, but it's easy to like. --Katherine Turman ... Read more

Reviews (1316)

I actually bought this one after Chocolate Starfish...
This CD is really good, and in my opinion it started the really good Limp Bizkit, Three Dollar Bill Y'all was to much heavy metal. Let's get started with the review:

Intro:5/5 It's hard to rate an intro, but it's important to the outro.
Just Like This:5/5 Great song to kick the CD off with, upbeat and addictive.
Nookie:5/5 This is a good song, thats all I can really say, so just listen to it.
Break Stuff:5/5 This song has lyrics that don't make sense. BUT THIS IS THE BEST SONG ON THE CD! Fred must have been extreamly (...) when he wrote it. It has great music to it and swears like crazy.
Re-arranged:5/5 A mellow song with lyrics that don't quit, great voice, nice edge to it and very important parts for DJ Lethal.
I'm Broke:5/5 This is a cool song. I hadn't heard it before I got the CD, and now I love it.
Nobody Like You:2/5 This song is nothing special.
Don't Go Off Wandering:3/5 This song's Okay, basically it's Fred singing about misery.
9 Teen 90 Nine:2/5 Igggh, no real reason to like it.
N 2 Gether Now: When Fred Raps, this song is good. When Method Man Raps, things go down the Toilet. This song is also funny. The chorus consists of "Shut the F*** up" over and over.
Trust?:2/5 This is one of the more heavy songs, and isn't to great.
No Sex:5/5 This song is actually really good. It is slightly perverted, but not as bad as Korn or anything. It is mellow with grat guitar and singing. It also features Staind in the Chorus and a few verses.
Show me What You Got:4/5 Kind of a weird song. Fred lists differnt famous Cities in the USA and sings about what he did in them. Then he thanks people who made appearances or helped in the album.
A Lesson Learned:1/5 ???This is Fred singing by himself. In a weird voice. Not really a point to it.
Outro:5/5 DJ Lethal says entertaining things in a electronically altered voice.(Slowing it down) After that, on the intro to track 16(which isn't anything) one of Fred's friends goes crazy. About 30 seconds later, (I think it is) his brother says some weird things.

This CD is a must if you don't already have it, so go out and buy it!

Rocks hard and mellow
This sophomore effort from Limp Bizkit shows their growth as a band more than anything. Their debut, Three Dollar Bill Ya'll$ showed their potential as a hard rocking group, but Signifigant Other exhibits their potential as a varying group, with hard tracks like "Nookie" and "Break Stuff," and mellow tracks like "Re-arranged" and "No Sex."

Cameos from Korn's Jonathan Davis and Wu Tang's Method Man change things up a little bit, showing other groups' styles mixed in with Limps unique blend of rap and rock. Personally, I don't like the track that Method Man raps on, "N 2gether Now" simply because it sound more like rap than real Limp Bizkit. But Jonathan Davis's track "Nobody Like You" is really good, and there's nothing wrong with hearing a little Korn in there.

Overall, this CD is great; it's something you could listen to over and over again, and it makes you want to get up and mosh. Plus, when Fred Dusrt mentions every city that's he's been to on tour in "Show Me What You Got," it's evident that the group is definitely down to earth and in touch with their fans.

The best LB ever had to offer!
Okay, you read my review on "Chocolate Starfish", now its one step back to Limp Bizkit's prior effort "Significant Other". This, according to me was the best album Limp Bizkit had to offer till date. Fred, Wes, Joh, Sam and Lethal were inseperably directed their collective talent towards the establsihment of Limp Bizkit as a Nu-Metal Heavy Weight and also find a deeper philosophy in their music, unlike their rather random debut. This was the first time they had an all-star lineup which includes Jonathan Davis of koRn, Scott Weiland of STP, Method Man of Wu-Tang Clan. Here is how the album goes:
01 Intro -- Damn weird and totally Limp Bizkit.
02 Just Like This -- Swingin Hip-Hop beats courtesy of John Otto.
03 Nookie -- He did it all for the Nookie. The flow continues.
04 Break Stuff -- The heaviest song on the album!Anger unleashed!
05 Re-Arranged -- Some people may buy the whole godamn record just for this song. Its the deepest and the most beautiful song that Limp ever made. Fred shows he can sing too, not only that, he can sing beautifully as well.
06 I'm Broke -- Continues where Nookie left last.
07 Nobody Like You -- Featuring Jonathan Davis and Scott Weiland.
08 Don't Go Off Wandering -- Uncanily weird.
09 9 Teen 90 Nine -- Don't Stop! It's 1999 baby! Swing!
10 N 2 Gether Now -- Awesome rhymes dropped by Method Man.
11 Trust? -- Probably doesnt belong on this album, but its there.
12 No Sex -- A rather philosophical song, "Dirty Sex!".
13 Show Me What You Got -- Another Thank-you song.
14 A Lesson Learned -- Isn't is supposed to be "Learnt"??
15 Outro -- Sick, and annoying as usual.

That's it hope it was useful. Reviews on the rest of the Limp albums coming soon!

DIE FRED DURST DIE!!!!
The title of this album outta be called "Untalented self." That's what these guys are, no-talent white boys with backwards hats and Fubu clothes who try to fuse rap and metal. Kill this band and all of its fans!!!!

Music for retards from retards.
I defend what is good in this galaxy. I degrade all that is bad. I degrade this band because they're the epitomy of music. They're System Of A Down with a DJ!! That's how bad they are!! Trash any Limp Bizkit album you can find!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

When you think about it, House of Pain really were ahead of their time. Tracks like "Jump Around" may have been light on the content side, but they delivered in the production department--they played with sounds in the same way that Missy Elliott and Timbaland have popularized, and they crossed over to a rock audience long before Puffy ever tried it. On Whitey Ford Sings the Blues, Everlast's second solo album, the opening is an appropriation of "The Fat Boys are Back"; a couple of songs favor a sensitive folk-rock touch, with Everlast on guitar; and others reach back for House of Pain's best rock-influenced sounds. Though plenty of others have rhymed over rock and folk tracks, Everlast has a good feel for it and his songs are solid. If this isn't a career album, it's damn close. --Randy Silver ... Read more

Reviews (291)

AMAZING TO SAY THE LEAST
For those of you who aren't familiar with Everlast,he got his start in the late '80's hiphop scene,and later went on to form House of Pain (you might know them for their 1992 hit single "Jump Around").His early material was vey good,and House of Pain,although extremely overlooked and underrated,were a GREAT group.But "Whitey Ford Sings The Blues" is the album that set a new standard in the career of the mighty one they call Whitey.There is a great variety of sounds on this album-everything from grity hardcore rap that picks up where "Truth Crushed To Earth Shall Rise Again" (H.O.P.'s final album;released in 1996) left off,to a very unique folk/blues/hiphop combo is on full display here.The album gets better and better with every song.There's even three cameo appearances in the form of answering machine messages from some of hiphop's finest (Sendog of Cypress Hill,Guru of Gangstar,and producer Prince Paul).I've listened to this album in it's entirerty so many times i lost count.Everything from the bluesy folk-rap tracks like "Ends","What It's Like",and "Today (Watch Me Shine)",to the distorted hard rock style of "Hot To Death",to the straight-up rap song's like "Tired" and "Praise the Lord", this album just downright delivers and never lets up for a second.It's imposible to pick a favorite song,but "Painkillers","Death Comes Calling", and "Get Down" definately stand out,as well as the previously mentioned "Today...". Do not,i repeat DO NOT pass this record up,it's worth every penny and then some.And if you dig this record (and trust me,you will) you should also check out "Eat at Whitey's",the most recent album from Everlast, and House of Pain's "Truth Crushed To Earth Shall Rise Again",for those are another couple of masterpieces brought to you by Sir Erik Schrody.

Everlast: Whitey Ford Sings the Blues
Ryan here, with another review. This time, it's Everlast's second solo shot in ten years, "Whitey Ford Sings the Blues". As an "at-home" music critic, I'm going to have to go with what I say whenever I'm reviewing a new album - it depends what degree of hip-hop/rock you like. If you like the aggressive, hardcore party stuff, this album's not for you. Still, Everlast, AKA Long Island's Erick Schrody dishes out some pretty bad-boy rap/rock. He takes a unique mix of hip-hop and rock music and twists and turns it into an 18-track, with 4-interludes, solid album that will bump out of an all-around hip hop fan's stereo. Here's a quick review of my personal favorite tracks.
#2 Money, Dollar Bill Y'All - This track, featuring Sadat X is a real winner among hip hop fans. Even though Whitey is white (hence the name), this track is gangsta. With thumping bass and aggressive lyrics, this is sure to satisfy any hip hop fan. Not for rockers, though.
#4 What It's Like - A major hit on alternative stations nationwide, this song focuses more on the guitar-influenced parts of Everlast's style. A slow, solemn song telling a couple stories about people that may be encountered in any community along with a great acoustic guitar performance by Everlast make this track a sure winner - among hip hop and rock fans.
#5 Get Down - This one is truly a very interesting blend of hip hop and rock. Vigorous acoustic guitar chords bang in the backround while Whitey spits his bad-boy style lyrics. This is one to love.
#7 Tired - If you need something to listen to when about to go wild, Tired is the song just for that. With bumping and consistent bass, Tired is probably one of the most hip-hop orientated songs on the album. Lyrics are quite aggressive - which sums up Everlast's style.
#9 Painkillers - This one tells about the story of a man getting shot while on a return to his hometown, New York. This is not true for Everlast - I believe he's telling another man's story. With a slow beat meant for a rap song, along with lyrics that tell quite a story, this track will appeal to all rap fans.
#11 Praise the Lord - Another hip hop orientated song, Praise the Lord helps everyone remember that the Creator himself must be remembered. E spits a few nice lyrics in the short song, with a consistent chorus. Could be longer, though.
#15 Funky Beat - A sure party anthem. Featuring Sadat X and Casual, this song has some of the most clever rhymes I've heard since Gin and Juice - dropped by these three underated hip-hoppers.

Overall, my opinion of "Whitey Ford Sings the Blues" is overall good, but a few things could have been a bit better. He turns his bad-boy style into kind of a tender style with slow beats and mellow acoustic solos on tracks 12 and 17. Otherwise, I think this album is a sure winner. But as I said earlier - it depends on what kind of hip-hop or rock you like - but for an all around hip hop fan like me, it's sure to be in my CD tray often.
Thanks for reading.

Sing whitey sing!!!!
If you're looking for an album that'll lift you, amp you, make you think, make you "get down" and entertain you, then look NO further...."whitey ford sings the blues" is for you. Its perfectly balanced with anthems like "get down", "praise the lord", funky beat", "money" and "next man" to get you amped. There's jams on there like "what its like", "ends", "today" "the letter" and "7years" to give you an accurate look at everyday life and makes you think. Songs like "death comes callin'", "painkillers" and "tired" just entertain you with tights rhymes and heavy basslines+beats. The ONLY track i dont like is "hot to death". Apart from that,its brilliant. The production is airtight, as you would expext from the SD50's. His husky voice is excellent when he's singing and its phenomenal when spitting a verse. TOP NOTCH.

Whitey Ford
"Whitey Ford Sings The Blues" is one of my favorite albums ever and Everlast is just wonderful. I first got into Everlast back in dec 2002 but I knew about him way before that. I remember when I was 9 seeing his video for "What It's Like" I always loved the video and the song. Everlast was a good songwriter in House Of Pain but the songs he wrote than were more like party songs. But,since "Whitey Ford Sings The Blues" he's really shown how great of a songwriter he is and what he writes rally has meanings. Everlast truly is a wonderful rapper/singer/songwriter and a good person too. His music has really touched me and I hope maybe one I'll get to meet him. "Whitey Ford Sings The Blues" is a wonderful album. Every Everlast fan should buy this!

The White Boy Is Back!!!!
This album is one word incredible. Everlast has grown up a lot (he had a heart attack during recording which changed his outlook on life) and diversified his music a lot. Instead of being a hard rappin bad boy, Ev is now a soulful troubador who does a little bit of everything. The sound of this album continued blazing a trail that House of Pain started, meaning the sounds that come out are unique in how they mix hip-hop beats and rock melodies, along with some pure songs of each. Ev's voice is gruff as ever, but he uses it to sing some hearty blues as well as spit out a flow or diss people (he beat Eminem down in their battle, despite what the MTV loving teenybopper below says). The key to this album is the great songwriting: tunes like What It's Like, Today, Tired, Get Down and the rest are just blazing, and sound like no other album you've heard. There are awesome guest spots too. There are great rap jams (Tired, Funky Beat, Money) more rock-based tracks (Ends, Today, What It's Like, Hot to Death) and some that combine everything into classic tracks like Death Come Callin, but everything here is top-notch and unique. Even straight up piano blues like 7 Years (the last thing you'd expect from Ev) is a nice twist. Don't mind, as E says, "the haters mad cause I got floor seats at the Lakers" check this album and you'll put this Whitey Ford in his own Hall of Fame. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If Renegades proves to be the last Rage Against the Machine albumto feature singer Zack de la Rocha, who quit the band after nine years, it's a cool way to go out. Produced by Rick Rubin, Renegades is a salute to the artists who made Rage what they are--or were. While it's easy to hear Rage's rap roots in songs from Afrika Bambaataa, EPMD, and Volume 10, it's more interesting to see theirtake on rock in its classic and punk forms. Rage capture the raw spirit, if notthe quite the intensity, inherent in the MC5 classic "Kick Out the Jams." A superior second livetake appears at the CD's end, followed by a concert version of Cypress Hill's "How I Could Just Kill a Man," with help from B-Real and Sen Dog. Devo's "Beautiful World" is rendered quietly unrecognizable, while Minor Threat's "In My Eyes" is given a wonderfully melodic, ultra-aggro treatment. The Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man" takes on a techno vibe that's unsettling and Bob Dylan's "Maggie's Farm" is also effectively modernized. Ultimately, Renegades is a must-have for its song selection, musical execution, and the unhappy fact that it's likely the ultimate offering from one of rock's most musically and politically relevant lineups. --Katherine Turman ... Read more

Reviews (134)

Excellent tribute album from an excellent band
To put it bluntly, this album rocks. A lot. Rage has taken some of the music that inspired them and made it their own. Too often cover songs ape the original and don't add anything. This time, the songs stay true, but are stamped with Rage's signature. There are numerous reviews for this album on this website, so I won't try to say the same things.
Defiant and fierce, Zack de la Rocha's vocals match the intensity of the music. The Springsteen and Dylan songs work the best, putting a new twist on some good songs. There really isn't a "bad" track on here. One tune I have not seen much written about is "Housin'". The guitar riff during the chorus is a monster, and I can't help but feel a rush of power and the need to groove. "Pistol Grip Pump" offers an "I dare you" vibe, even if you're not from the streets. The attitude permeates the music, and that is what is most impressive. Make no mistake, this is not a Rage Against the Machine album. It comes across as a thank-you, both to the musicians past and present, as well as the fans. Even though I can't take this cd out of my player for very long, I cannot make the leap to calling this their best cd. They put it out, but it's not "theirs." If you're looking for pure Rage, any of their other three albums will do nicely.

It's Sad To See Zach Go...But He Went Out With Style
I don't know, maybe it's me, but I am not a big fan of new school hiphop at all. I despise it. But for some reason I've always liked Rage Against the Machine. I've heard almost all of their songs (even though I only own this CD) and I have to say they must be the most influential rock band of the 90s, right next to the Smashing Pumpkins and Foo Fighters. Renegades is a modern rock masterpiece, with some surprise twists and some rockin' live tracks. Here's the low-down:

1. Microphone Fiend: wow. It's nice to hear a song that has subject matter other than sex and money. This is a top-notch song. The chorus is awesome: it'll stick in your head for days.

2. Pistol Grip Pump: I have to admit I didn't listen to this track until about three days into hearing the album. But I have to say that Tom Morello and Zach are at their very best in this song. Definately one of the best Rage songs.

3. Kick Out the Jams: So what if a Rage song isn't about politics? This is an awesome party song. The live one isn't bad either.

4. Renegades of Funk: Alright, so this song gets a lot of airplay. It deserves ever bit of it. This song is like a rock machine just pumping into your head. Don't skip this track.

5. Beautiful World: This is the surprise. This Devo cover is the softest song Rage has ever made. I had this song on repeat for a while, just listening to the words. It really makes you think and feel good to be alive.

6. I'm Housin': The bass on this song is unbelievable. I love this song. Don't skip this track either.

7. In My Eyes: Now this is speed metal. With a fast beat and a furious sound, it still relays an important message. Congrats to Zach for awesome vocals.

8. How I Could Just Kill A Man: Rage, who credits Cyprus Hill for helping them out in the start, pays much homage to the group. The drum beat is awesome, the vocals are awesome, the guitar is awesome, the bass is awesome. What else is there to say for this magnificent cover.

9. The Ghost of Tom Joad: oooh. This song sent chills down my spine. Rock legends covering rock legends. Who knew? Good five-and-a-half minute song. Finally it's on an album!!

10. Down On The Street: Odd song...It speaks for itself..you just have to hear it.

11. Street-Fighting Man: This beginning is mind-boggling. The words are fantastic. Probably the best song on the album.

12. Maggie's Farm: Bob Dylan's song was good. But Rage always does a better job the second time around. This song, albeit a bit lengthy, is one of those you just can't take your ears away from. Great job, Rage!

The last two tracks are the live songs. Kick out the Jams and How I could Kill A Man (with B-Real from Cyprus Hill and Zach on vocals). Overall, this album deserves to be placed up on a rock-and-roll pedestal. If you see this album, no matter what color the CD cover is, just grab it, buy it, run home, and keep this album on repeat. You will definately not be disappointed.

Hmm!
Good stuff. But is not my favorite one.

It was okay
This CD didn't live up to what Rage is known for. I will say that "Renegades of Funk" is my favorite rage song of all time.

AMAZING
am freaking amazing album
this si filled with classics and modern tracks .
you have to love rage for their records and i also got the live album so it was so freaking awesome ... Read more

Reviews (73)

Before the Pop Set In
Before Incubus were made MTV darlings with poppy tunes from Make Yourself, there was SCIENCE. This is about as far from pop as you'll get these days. I don't get the people who call this album some kind of holy grail, but I do like it. It grows on you. At first, I would have rated this maybe 2 and a half stars rather than four (which is actually a bit generous.) But it has alot of really interesting lyrics and good DJing. Too bad you can't make out a damn word of the lyrics, though. So unless you read the song book, you won't understand why I think Brandon Boyd is a pretty good lyricist. But he suffers from really poor USE of those lyrics. His voice is good, but he's not so hot at making a tune. Alot of the time it feels like the words are just crammed in there. But there are moments of good melodic use. This is my only real criticism, but I'd say melody and tune are pretty important aspects of music. This is why it takes some getting used to, unlike Morning View and Make Yourself that were instant gratification. The Dj is used HEAVILY, Brandon's voice is was better and Mike's guitar work is way more "punky" than it is now. Fewer effects, more raw. But the songs, since they lack tune, tend to blend in together. Overall, this is an excellent CD that takes a few days to adjust to. Really quite an acomplishment for...what, their second time around? This is for all those nu-metal folks that wish they'd stop playing "Stellar" on the radio and kick it into gear. You won't find ANYTHING this hard on Morning View and Make Yourself. Here comes the breakdown.....
1. Redefine- one of the best songs on the cd. more tuneful that 90% of the album. killer DJ work.
2. Vitamin- eeh, not bad. now you see what i mean about "lack of melody". still, a fairly respectable song with more good guitar.
3. New Skin- more good work. tuneful, good sampling, good lyrics.
4. Idiot box- a good use of guitar, and brandon's singing is impressive.
5. Glass- very catchy, very cool in all respects. one of the best songs. more good sampling. (like i said, the Dj is prominent)
6. Magic Medicine- trippy. the title is a good indication of what's in store. this track says "light up, sit back, enjoy." all the other members step back and let the DJ have the floor.
7. A Certain Shade of Green- catchy. this one sounds like it would be the closest thing to Make Yourself on the album. it bridges the gap a bit. great all-around song with a kicker of a chorus.
8. Favorite Things- lacking. a track i usually skip.
9. Summer Romance- this one will get stuck in your head. odd, jazzy trumpets and this very old-lounge-singer vibe to it. the most calm and collected song on the album. play it for mom.
10. Nebula- pretty hard. not very interesting though.
11. Deep Inside- a good song. especially when it feels like the album is going downhill.
12. Calgone- funny, indecipherable lyrics. part of me says "...", part of me says "interesting". what saves it is the audio clip at the end where the whole band is swearing at some guy with a video camera for almost erasing the whole track.

The epitome of creativity.
If you're here reading this review with interests of buying, I think it can be safely assumed that you're just starting to look into Incubus.
And whether or not you'll really like them, my friend, begins right here.
Fungus Amongus, their "first" album, is something you'd do well to avoid until you've accustomed yourself to S.C.I.E.N.C.E... mainly because it may be a little too wild and unorthodox.
If you're used to their Morning View or Make Yourself sounds, be prepared. This is new.
S.C.I.E.N.C.E., in a nutshell, is metal, funk, jazz, alternative, and punk thrown into a blender. I'll do the rest song-by-song on a percentage scale.

Redefine - 85%. A strong opening riff bleeds into funk-rap and strongly-wah'd guitars. The chorus is the opening riff with a vocal line plastered over it. The bridge is the strongest part, a wild instrumental highlighting fast-popping bass and funky electronicness.
Vitamin - 83%. Brandon's lyrics are the strong point here; speaking out against our sleeping somnambulist society. Compared to the rest of the album, this song is poorly written and the level of musicianship isn't necessarily up to par. However, it's still an interesting song in the least.
New Skin - 94%. The heaviest song on the album begins with a crunching guitar riff with wild drums and accompanied by Brandon's bongos. The verses are filled with nutty slap bass, an anxiety-inducing guitar line, and insane lyric-ing. A highlight track.
Idiot Box - 92%. Great main riff, verses have an EXTREMELY funky bass line and a good vocal line. Again, the bridge is probably the best part.
Glass - 95%. Starts quite weirdly, then proceeds into a jazzy bass/drum/vocal verse. Chorus is heavy. Bridge is by FAR the best part, outstanding instrumentals and the heaviest section on the entire album.
Magic Medicine - 70%. Negligible all-electronic/bass song. Fun sometimes.
A Certain Shade of Green - 71%. Repetitive riffs and poor songwriting make this the worst song on the album. It's still tolerable.
Favorite Things - 83%. Odd song, takes some getting used to. Good lyrics explain Brandon's animosity towards religion. Not my personal favorite, but it's likeable.
Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song) - 93%. Incubus shows their other influences in a full-on jazz fury. Amazing musicianship and songwriting, and a mellow but upbeat song. Another highlight track.
Nebula - 98%. "... Holy crap." Those were the first words I uttered after hearing this. Pure insanity. Quite possibly the best song on the record. You'll never have heard anything like it, and you probably never will.
Deep Inside - 98%. Incubus shows off their funk, their jazz, AND their metal sides in the same song. Quite possibly the best song Incubus has ever written. Amazing guitar, amazing bass, amazing vocals, amazing drums, and even the scratching is satisfying. Two guitar solos, both quite impressive. Pure bliss.
Calgone - 93%. The song itself is a crazy mashing of everything. Homage to Mr. Bungle, indeed. Weird lyrics, too. The rest of it is a humorous/funky/nightmare-inducing samplefest. Eeeenjoy.

I'm done.

Slick Aggro-metal that is all over the map
It is almost unimaginable that a band can, within the course of a few short years, go from the amateur funk rock of 'Fungus Amongus' to the uncanny and unmatched aggro-funk-jazz-metal of 'S.C.I.E.N.C.E'.

No past albums that I can think of posess a more fitting title, as this band, still very young at the time, masters the SCIENCE of genre-mixing and experimentation.

Brandon Boyd receives much credit on this album for dodging the rap-rocker schtick and keeping to a more funky yet nonetheless heavy vocal style. Think of him of the middle of the road between Anthony Keadis and Mike Patton. He is able to belt out energetic screams, but does so in moderation. The drums are the best of any Incubus album and they fit like a glove with the turntable beats. The turntables add the scientific feeling to this album and they are not abused or cliched (there is no overabundance of 'wicka-wicka' type scratching or sampled 'yo's').

This album features Incubus's heaviest material ("Vitamin", "Certain Shade of Green") but it is metallic in a slick manner. The funk element mixed with the metallic element have been mixed before, but this album seems to be the apex of that specific genre-mixture. It is not simply a tug of war between funkiness and heaviness, rather the two are molded together and sound as though they were meant to be. There is also some very jazzy material on the album such as
"Deep Inside" which always reminds me of Steely Dan, and "Anti Gravity Love Song", which just might be the best song Incubus has ever offered. The album ends on a high note with "Cologne" a song which seems more frantic and chaotic then any of those that came before it, but it ends with a 15 minute experimental turntable jam which is a great way to end such an unpredicatable alum as this. With the possible exception of 'Make Yourself', Incubus have yet to serve up anything this good in years.

incubus's best
Due to the heavy MTV play that hits, like Drive and Pardon Me, got. (they aren't bad songs in any way) I dismissed Incubus as just one more trendy band with no talent that just gets played on MTV. I was completely wrong. s.c.i.e.n.c.e. is proof that Incubus is a unique band with amazing talent. This album crosses boundaries between genres with ridiculously amazing flow and precission. This album has some of the greatest and heaviest Incubus songs.
A highlight throuhgout the album has to be the bass lines from jazzy, Antigravity, to slap A Certain Shade of Green, to funky Deep Inside (my favorite Incubus track). It was sad to know that Dirk Lance has left the band because the bass is what I liked most from Incubus and this album shows what a great bassist he is.
If you are an Incubus fan you've already got this album, if you are just getting into them start here. Their newer albums are a lot more mainstream s.c.i.e.n.c.e is a lot more experimental due to the fusion of many styles and genres.

cheers, enjoy.

Before Incubus sold out to radio/MTV, there was SCIENCE...
S.C.I.E.N.C.E. will always be the best album Incubus will ever make. Before they were heavily influenced by the likes of MTV and popular rock radio stations, Incubus was truly a band of gifted individuals. Every song on Science is a masterpiece and some are even radio-friendly without trying to be.

The sad part is that band couldn't write tunes like this again to save their lives. They're so involved in pleasing their record label and the masses that they're not creating music that will stand the test of time anymore. Every single Incubus fan that I know of that doesn't care about hit singles, MTV, the radio, etc. agrees with me that SCIENCE is their best album by far. That should be a good enough excuse for you to purchase this album and stop worrying whether or not Brandon Boyd is wearing a shirt in the new crappy Incubus video. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

This Album Crushed My Mind
This is the album that put BlindSide on the map. At this point you either loved thenm to death or you hated their guts. No band goes from alternatve rock to hard core metal but this band managed to somehow pull it off and with style. From the crazy opening of the now classic "King of the Closet" to the beautifully structured epic "Nothing but Skin" this album mixed all the harmonic elements of their first album with a new sound that caught everyone by surprise. It's light years better than "Silence" and matched only by the sonic velocity of "About a Burning Fire". The bonus tracks are a real treat and the bonus cover art makes this one really worth getting. If you own the first release of this record(and its probably worn out by now) than you owe it to yourself to get this version.

Since this record BlindSide have moved on from the hardcore scene but you can still see the remnants of it in their new songs.

Great way to witness the evolution of a powerful metal band
The Good
The best part about having both of the Blindside re-issues is that you get to hear how they evolved and defined their sound. On their self-titled debut, Blindside struggle with finding their sound. You can hear that they become torn between sounding sort of like Clutch or sort of like Shadows Fall. "Invert" comes barreling at you like a 16 wheeler out of control on a steep hill (long way to go for a simile), with its monster riffs and manic vocal delivery. It's almost like Blindside is messing with you on "Born". The track takes a completely different direction with more subdued vocals and minimal distortion. The track is defined by a simple guitar lick.

It's back to releasing the fury on "Empty Box". This time theirs a soulful bass line matched by heavy breakdowns. A meaty chugga-chugga riff runs rampant on "This Shoulder". The vocals are melodic yet still edgy. "Teddy Bear" has a clean arpeggio lick and somber drum rhythm. By the time the chorus kicks in, the riffs become thunderous and driving. It's nice to be able to compare the four demo bonus tracks to their final product.

On A Thought Crushed My Mind, Blindside have settled on what they want to sound like (more like Shadows Fall). It's also apparent that they had a bigger production budget when this was originally released. "Vow of Silence" is everything but silent. It's pure assault of heavy distortion and furious vocals. It's amazing that vocalist Christian Lindskog's lungs haven't exploded. "King of the Closet" is a tale of vampires that chugs along with breakneck unruliness.

"My Mother's Only Son" briefly flirts with the soulful sounds of Blindside's debut, but reverts to the angst they so relish in. Think bass riffs take hold of "Nara". The intensity builds when the guitars and vocals kick in. Instead of including demos with this reissue, Blindside decided to include two hard to find 7" vinyl releases and two previous unreleased tracks. If you want to hear a completely different side of the group, listen to the final track "[Phatbeat 1303]".

The Bad
Nothing

The Verdict
The Blindside reissues are a great way to witness the evolution of a powerful heavy metal band. It will also hold over their fans with demos and unreleased material, until their new album is released later this year.

Blindside's best gets better
"A Thought Crushed My Mind" has always been my favorite Blindside album.This rerelease has been beautifully remastered and is better than ever.The bonus songs are exellent stuff (sounding very punkish for Blindside).If you already own the first edition of this album, you need to buy this rerelease.The remastering alone makes it worth the 12 bucks (including shipping!), nevermind the extra songs.My only disappointment is that neither this disc nor the remastered selftitled disc contain the song "Sidewinder", which is on the original Swedish Day-Glo Records release of the selftitled album.That aside, I consider this to be the best Blindside album on the market to date.

Worth it for the bonus songs
This is still Blindside's best album, and the hardest. The bonus songs just make it that much better. They were recorded between "thought" and "silence" and were originally only available on a limited edition 7". If you are a Blindside fan, pick this up immediately! ... Read more

Amazon.com

From January 2000 to June 2002, Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong laboriously pored over loops and samples, collecting synth squeals and snatches of howling guitar and, naturally, writing songs. Aided by raging rapper Rob Aston, he's put it all together to form this often intriguing and strangely beguiling side project. The opening's not promising. With the death-riff of "Romper Stomper" followed by the urban R&B and chanted party-rock chorus of "Tall Cans in the Air," Armstrong flails badly. But then his Clash obsession kicks in once more. This London-Kingston-California hybrid is thoroughly weird but oddly touching. It rings out in "Weigh on My Mind" and "Diamonds and Guns," with its Sex Pistols-inspired marching intro, rollicking piano, and Stones-like woo-woos, while the closing "Down in Oakland" is an enthusiastic take on the Clash's later spaghetti-western reggae. These, and Armstrong's sonic experiments, provide interest, with adrenaline pumping from searing punk-metal bursts. Though Aston's outbursts are often confrontational in the most predictable and tedious sense, Transplants is something new. --Dominic Wills ... Read more

Reviews (108)

Don't care what anyone says....
This CD rules. Another Rancid side project. It's great. frontman Tim Armstrong laboriously pored over loops and samples, collecting synth squeals and snatches of howling guitar and, naturally, writing songs. Aided by raging rapper Rob Aston, he's put it all together to form this often intriguing and strangely beguiling side project. The opening's not promising. With the death-riff of "Romper Stomper" followed by the urban R&B and chanted party-rock chorus of "Tall Cans in the Air," Armstrong flails badly. But then his Clash obsession kicks in once more. This London-Kingston-California hybrid is thoroughly weird but oddly touching. It rings out in "Weigh on My Mind" and "Diamonds and Guns," with its Sex Pistols-inspired marching intro, rollicking piano.
1. Romper Stomper 5/5
2. Tall Cans in the Air 5/5
3. D.J. D.J. 4/5
4. Diamonds and Guns 5/5
5. Quick Death 5/5
6. Sad But True 5/5
7. Weigh on My Mind 5/5
8. One Seventeen 5/5
9. California Babylon 4/5
10. We Trusted You 5/5
11. D.R.E.A.M. 4/5
12. Down in Oakland 5/5
SO buy this already!

A few good moments but lyrically appalling
When I heard this group had Tim Armstrong of Rancid fame in it, i presumed they were going to be pretty good. I also heard it had Travis Barker from Blink and the Aquabats - I hate Blink but I think he's quite a good drummer. I also heard this cd was going to have fusion of ska, punk and hip-hop - being totally in to those three genres I immediately thought it was going to be an amazing release. However, despite some nice beats (Diamonds and Guns, D.R.E.A.M), the lyrics that Rob Aston spits are some of the worst of all time - they make some of Nelly or Ja Rule's lyrics seem good. Usually, I'd think if the lyrics aren't good but the music's nice, its still slightly good. However, I found Aston's cliche gangsta vocals just unbearable and they completely ruin the CD. They should have let some good rappers on this CD as guests instead of having their own rapper. I think even Tim's lyrics on this are boring and sound lke they took a day to write. I gotta say I love Rancid but this is really bad. If you're into punk get stuff by Bombshell Rocks (except their latest album), Leftover Crack, Propagandhi, and Common Rider. If you wanna hear good, intelligent hip-hop, listen to Company Flow, Aesop Rock, Dead Prez, MF Doom, and Jedi Mind Tricks. I doubt most punx can fathom why Tim has allowed himself to be a part of this.. He just get the new Rancid album over and done with.

ONE HECK OF A CD!!!!!!!!!
I love this CD!It is one of my favourite CD's. You don't even have to like Rancid or Blink-182 to like the Transplants (Although I love those bands), because they sound NOTHING like those bands. Buy this CD now. I have hand it for more than 4 months and listen to it every day. My favorite tracks are "Diamonds And Guns", "California Babylon", and "Romper Stomper". Like I said before, buy this CD immediatly.

GREAT ALBUM
tranplants, a side project of travis barker and t. armstrong combines essences of punk, hardcore, dance beat, and rap/hiphop. many say that it includes some metal, but that is plain bull, it's hardcore not metal, and that's easy to see by anyone who has ever heard the two. Anyway, all the songs are GREAT, except for D.R.E.A.M. which i think is just okay (after you listen to it a couple of times it gets pretty lame). As for the rest, i could listen to them over and over again for a couple of months (which i already have done).

POSERS!
so i had to redo this entire review, because i just recently learned the definition of PUNK. This band roots off of the poser punk, long time sold out rancid. Now, im not knocking the good ol' days of rancid, like lets go and out come the wolves, those are classics, but indestructible is the sorriest excuse for punk ive ever heard! Anyway, this band sold out on its first album, not very punk rock of you ask me. Check out dead kennedys, or the adicts, now thats some kick ass punk that has been around for more than 20 years and has yet to sell out! ... Read more