Album Description

Latest in the series of Stiff reissues. UK budget-pricecompilation culled from the TV comedienne's longout-of-print 80's albums, 'You Broke My Heart in 17 Places' (1983) & 'You Caught Me Out' (1984). 21 tracks includingher hit cover of Kirsty MacColl's 'They Don't Know','Breakaway', 'I Know What Boys Like' & 'You Broke My HeartIn 17 Places'. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A comedienne who can also sing
Various compilations have been released on CD with different track listings. The compilations all duplicate each other to some extent but there are significant differences.

Tracey first achieved fame in her native Britain as a comedienne, then had a brief career as a pop singer before moving to America, where she resumed her career as a comedienne. The public are always suspicious of established celebrities becoming pop singers, but make no mistake, Tracey can sing, as this and other collections of her music show. She knew her limitations and worked within them effectively and well.

Tracey recorded two original albums on LP. The first, You broke my heart in 17 places, was pure magic. The second, You caught me out, was quite a good effort with some magic moments. A compilation album was released containing the best tracks from the first two plus some other songs, including My guy, that didn't appear on either.
Tracey's biggest hit, They don't know, was a cover of a song by the brilliant Kirsty MacColl, whose own version of the song had mysteriously flopped. Tracey took the song to number two in the UK and number eight in the USA. It went to number one in Norway and several other countries. After that Kirsty supplied Tracey with other songs - You broke my heart in 17 places, You caught me out, Terry

Tracey had other hits in the UK, all covers. Breakaway (Jackie De Shannon) peaked at four. Move over darling peaked at eight in Britain just as Doris Day's original had done although neither made the USA charts. Sunglasses was first recorded by Skeeter Davis but was quickly covered by Sandy Posey. My guy was originally written and recorded by Madness as My girl. The minor hit Helpless is a Motown song originally recorded by Kim Weston.

Tracey recorded many other covers of songs from the late fifties to the early eighties including Shattered (Sandy Posey), Life is a rock but the radio rolled me (Reunion), I'm always touched by your presence dear (Blondie), Give him a great big kiss (Shangri Las), I don't want our loving to die (the Herd), Bad motorcycle (Storey sisters), I know what boys want (Waitresses), If I had you (Korgis) and Falling in and out of love (Sinceros).

Tracey also co-wrote some of the songs here, though I admit that I prefer to hear her sing covers. This compilation omits (for example) Bobby's girl, one of my favorite recordings by Tracey. Of course, there are several compilations to choose from and if it really matters, you can compare the track listings to see what the differences are.

As befitting a comedienne, Tracey's music is upbeat, fun, music not to be taken too seriously but Tracey is no mere novelty singer. This is great party music but can be enjoyed in any setting.

A complement to the US compilation
Not quite interchangeable with the US "You Broke My Heart..." (Rhino)collection, since this one has seven tracks (3,4,10,14,18,20,21) not on that disk. Consider this one as a complement to "You Broke...", which should be your first choice for its better song selection, but do pick this up. Ullman has an obvious affection for girl group and pop readymades that is fun to listen to. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Rick Springfield - second to NONE!!
Naturally, the Rick Springfield fan will want "Alive - The Greatest Hits", Springfield's first live album. All the hits are here: "Jessie's Girl", "Affair of the Heart", "I've Done Everything For You", etc. This album truly captures (and even improves upon) the excitement and energy of the Rick Springfield concert experience.

But this album is more than that. This is the album that might just banish the "pretty boy" image and win Rick Springfield the (much deserved) respect that has somehow eluded this outstanding musician throughout his entire 30-year career.

Springfield includes two songs from his 1999 album "Karma": "Itsalwayssomething" and a chill-inducing version of "Free". These, along with other lesser-recognized songs such as "Rock of Life" and "Living In Oz" will show the rest of the world what Springfield fans already know: Rick Springfield's skills as a songwriter, lyricist, and musician are second to none.

Rick ROCKS Alive!!
I've been fortunate enough to listen to a limited edition version of this CD for a few months now. All I can say is WOW! Rick Springfield rocks Alive. Anyone who has seen Rick live knows the energy, enthusiasm, and powerful rock he puts into every show. This man gives 150% every night and that shines through on this CD. It's appropriate that the first number is "Affair of the Heart". It is an affair of the heart both in what Rick gives his fans and how they receive it and feed back on into his energy. "Living in Oz" has never sounded better. Rock of Life is a plain fun with the audience participation on the chorus. The Medley alone is worth the CD price (listen for the sirens at the start of Calling all girls in that one). The studio performance of "April 24/ My Father's Chair", a tribute to his father, is hauntingly beautiful. The vocals overall are strong, and the band's sound is tight. If you haven't heard Jessie's Girl live, you haven't heard Jessie's Girl. The editting is also wonderful, in that you don't hear that annoying pause between songs. They just blend from one song to the next so you really feel like you're at a live performance. The CD cover artwork is also incredible, capturing the intensity of Rick live. In short, from the musical content and arrangement, to the presentation this is the best Live album I've ever seen. It's a must have not only for All Rick Springfield fans, but all fans of good guitar driven rock music.

HOT - HOT - HOT
I am a musician and this cd captures his songs in an almost "in the studio" sound. Which takes alot of planning and detailed effort. The energy and passion that you can feel delivered (as if you're sitting in front of the stage)as you're listening to this compilation, is nothing short of in-your-face tasty rock! Of course anyone with an ear for timeless, soul touching, kickass music will pick up on this from the first track. A must have if you enjoy great music, coming from a great performer and musician. Oh yeah, I saw his Vegas "EFX" show at the MGM GRAND it was phenomenal!!

Still HOT after all these years--- and this CD proves it!
Admittedly, I hadn't been paying a lot of attention to Rick Springfield in recent years, but on a whim, I decided to buy this Alive CD...and when I took it home to listen, my long dormant passion for Da Man and his music came back and overtook me. This CD brought back many wonderful musical memories and introduced me to a side of his music I had not had the opportunity to see as his music isn't widely played on radio. The Alive CD inspired me to join his fan club as well as using amazon.com to purchase darn nearly everthing in his long career...I remember when being a Rick fan was something of a joke and you kept it quiet, but not anymore! I am OUT and shouting from the rooftops about this fantabulous artist and strongly encouraging EVERYONE to re-discover this extremely talented and most relevant lyricist in American Rock today!

Rick Still Has It!
Back in 2000, I saw Rick in concert for the first time. Based on that performance, I made sure to purchase the Greatest Hits Alive as soon as it came out. In fact, I purchased one of the limited edition sets, numbered and with his autograph on it before they were released to the public. All I can say is...Rick Rocks live! And this CD shows that. All the old favorites are here, but turned up just a notch, Rick style. Rick has such amazing energy and puts his all into his music and live shows. This is definately a must have for true Rick fans. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Nearly Quintessential...Nearly
My biggest complaint about this particular album is the inclusion of "Hold onto Something" by Great Buildings. Many of these songs define my days in high school, but for the life of me I can't remember ever hearing of this band. However, I do remember hearing this song...or one very much like it -- Joe Jackson's incredibly popular song titled, "I'm the Man," from his album, "I'm the Man" (1979), which was hugely popular through the early eighties.

Re-mixing this album with the correct song would help this album's rating a lot.

Those Were The Days-- Great New Wave Collection!
The best entry in Rhino's awesome "New Wave Hits" series.(Volume 1 which covers the late 70's is also excellent).All 16 songs are culled from 1982 which was indeed a very good year for pop music. Haircut One Hundred's "Love Plus One" and Flock of Seagulls' "I Ran" were anthems of the(then) young MTV Generation. These quirky video darlings raged like a hurricane of fresh air in the face of bland corporate schlock which hogged the airwaves. Songs like the Go Go's "Vacation" and Tommy Tutone's "867-5309" were not only pure fun-- they were also well-crafted 3-minute pop gems. In fact, nearly every tune on volume 5 is cut from the same intelligent pop mold. Other standouts from this set include the vastly underrated Marshall Crenshaw's "Someday Someway", The Jam's "A Town Called Malice" and Soft Cell's absurdly humorous "Sex Dwarf". The only weak cuts are Gang of Four's "Man in Uniform" and the truly horrible "Art of Parties" by Japan. Overall, this is a fantastic collection which harkens back to a truly innovative time in pop music-- a brief time when catchy Hit Singles ruled and all possibilities seemed endless.

Best In The Series
This is my favorite of the series. Actually there are only two cuts that I consider weak ("Kids in America" and "Mickey"). ALl the rest are great little slices of the variety and creativeness of 80's new wave rock. Good c.d. to have.

Just Can't Get Enough vol. 5
I have 8 of the cd's in this series, and plan on getting the rest. This one is one of my favorite of the series. The song "Love Plus One" by Haircut One Hundred is a fabulous song. There are many other gems as well, such as "I Want Candy", "Someday, Someway" and "I Ran (So Far Away)". There are many obscure songs on here, so don't expect to know them all, unless you had an unbelievable vinyl collection in the 80's. The music hear can fit almost any mood you may be feeling. Pick it up and enjoy. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Heaven sent
I woke up and looked out of the window and lo! it was raining and the clouds looked like porridge.
I grabbed my iPod and frantically searched it for something to cheer me up. The fannies jumped out at me.
Needless to say the Fannies did their job.In my head the sun is shining and this remains the greatest testiment to one of our greatest bands ever.
Long live Teenage Fanclub.

Generous and selfless
There's a Teenage Fanclub song called 'Norman 3' (alas, not on this collection) that follows its first verse with 'Yeah, I'm in love with you, I'm in love with you, and I know that it's you'. After this simple chorus you expect a second verse but you don't get one. Instead the chorus is repeated, without variation, another TEN times - way beyond any conventions of songcraft. At first you feel surprise, then you start to believe that the singer is really in love, then a kind of euphoria takes over as you start to share the same feeling. Another song of theirs (on this collection) starts with a selfless expression of love that must be unique in rock music: 'I don't want control of you. Doesn't matter to me. The very heart and soul of you are places I wanna see'.

Teenage Fanclub sing songs of love. Love for their partners, love for nature (the Scottish Highlands in particular) and love for the planet. Their songs are generous and selfless. They have no trace of archness, hipness or postmodern irony about them. Their songs have gorgeous melodies, aching harmonies and neat arrangements played on jangly guitars. Although they have learnt a great deal from the Beatles and the Byrds, they are definitely their own men. In my humble opinion they are the finest songwriters working today. This CD is an excellent collection of some of their best songs. You should buy it.

A forgotten band on the landscape of good pop music...
Over a decade ago, amidst the grunge period in alternative music's hey day, Teenage Fanclub was quietly releasing albums on the same SubPop imprint that birthed hundreds of alt/grunge/punk bands that we've all come to know and love. I remember hearing a song of theirs on a compilation, thinking how out of place it sounded among other more disjunct and chaotic members of the imprint, and how a band like this would never reach the pinnacle of success seen by bands with less skill and purity that they possess...because Teenage Fanclub makes the music that you don't fall in love with at first sight, you ease into it until it becomes a comfort....like an old recliner in the living room that's been worn down to your shape...

I've always said that Teenage Fanclub is what the Beach Boys would be if they grew up today and didn't surf. And while this can't really be the perfect album (being a best of...retrospective kind of effort), it's a worthy addition to the collection of anyone trying to get caught up, or needing a crash course in one of the most underrated bands in the world.

Teenage Fanclub played before the Brit-pop invasion, and they're playing just as well after we saw it come and go. Their mix of relaxed lyrics and jangly guitars don't really fit into a genre other than pop, but it doesn't have to. They create the kind of sad, sweet music that manages to have some prestige to it, rather than just sound cheesy or hollow.

"Your Love Is the Place Where I Come From" is a short acoustic number that tugs at all the right strings, while "Ain't That Enough" is the closest proof I can find to the Beach Boys comparison stated above. But even looking at the song titles, "The World'll Be OK", "I Don't Want Control Of You", "Don't Look Back", they sing with reckless abandon about love, loss, peace, etc.....things that should warrant a roll of the eyes but strangely work in their context.

Buy this, and if you like what you hear, go buy the album "Songs from Northern Britain". Find out why Teenage Fanclub has lasted the test of time, and never had to change their tune.

Teenage Jubilation
There were no bands more fun, more diverse, more intelligent, and more talented then the members of Brinsley Schwartz and NRBQ. That is unless you were a Teenage Fanclub fan. While I disagree with a couple selections, this CD is still great enough to prove that they will be forever remembered. Get it and you'll feel good.

Meaty Pop
Somehow the greatest albums always elude your collection; their discovery, devourment and gospel spread providing temporary entertainment while espousing the truthful glee I displayed on the back of my WLOZ t-shirt, "A Drop of Honey in an Endless Sea of Top 40 Vomit." Run out now and get your copy of Teenage Fanclub: 4760 Seconds

My circuitous route to Scot Pop heaven was begun in the Connells lyric that starts their latest (and final?) release, "Old School Dropouts".

Morning lands like aeroplanes wrecked inside my bed.
Your favorite Teenage Fanclub song is knocking around my head.
In fits and starts remembering the things I should regret
but I don't want to sanitize my thoughts just yet.

I downloaded the Fanclub album from emusic.com just a month before this wonderful source of entertainment was sold and torn to digital shreds in the wake of the music industry's rush to sell bite-size britney pieces for 99 cents. This album is solid, meaty and deserving of your full attention while you ponder why you would ever feel so wonderfully happy and intelligent all the while belting out lyrics that could make Taylor Hanson proud.

OK everyone, grab your lovely white iPod earplugs and start singing;

She wears denim wherever she goes
Says she's gonna get some records by the Status Quo
Oh yeah... Oh yeah... ... Read more

Reviews (15)

buy it, borrow it, steal it
I echo the other review, if you think the Vapors was just Turning Japanese, you are one quarter right and three quarters wrong. All of these songs are as infectious, but Turning Japanese is the worst song on this CD. New Clear Days is pure power pop fun, Magnets should have been the White Album of the early eighties. Email me for more ravings

Both albums on one CD!
It's about time somebody put both FULL albums on one CD! Yes, 'New Clear Days' is a must-have, and while 'Turning Japanese' is certainly not THE worst song on that album it definitely isn't one of the best; that honor goes to both 'News at Ten' and 'Spring Collection', but it is a great album overall with nary a clunker. Very few albums from the New Wave era were consistently listenable all the way through, but The Vapors' first is a classic. They sound almost like a mod band (which is not a bad thing in my book) at times but stayed true on the pop course. 'Magnets' has its moments ('Jimmy Jones', 'Isolated Case') but sorely pales to that great first album.

New Clear Days is better than Magnets
I bought this CD because of "New Clear Days" which is the first 10 songs. I never heard "Magnets" before(the last 11 songs) and found it to be not as interesting as the first half of the CD. If you like the Vapors, this is the cd to get though.

Every song a winner!
Long ago I read an article that said that the Vapors took guitar New Wave farther than it had ever gone before - and they were right. There isn't a SINGLE bad song on this entire double-album collection! Which is a testimony to the songwriting skills of David Fenton, their lead singer (who is currently a lawyer in the UK, I believe). Magnets, their second album, is less edgy than their debut (New Clear Days), but displays far more maturity and depth - it was, simply, ahead of its time (and perhaps still is).

Brilliant, real, edgy, and just really really good music. I'd hesitate to join others in comparing them to bands like the Knack or the Pretenders, because in my book the Vapors were better. They were among the very best bands the New Wave ever produced. Which was why, I suppose, they were doomed from the start. What sort of industry produces thousands of cookie-cutter albums from cretinous boy bands and bimbos like Britteny Spears and only two albums from the brilliant Vapors?

Their music reminds me a little of another band that only managed to get albums made: the Cavedogs. Not as good as the Vapors, and of a far later era, but talented and very listenable.

Try the Vapors and I think you'll find it to be a secret musical lodestone that draws you back year after year...to remember when music was sincere, real, and just plain great to hear.

Magnets carries the Collection
This is a must own for anyone who remembers vinyl. The material may be a little dated, but the sound really carries you back to the void that was left between disco and 80s pop.

The song, "Magnets", is a masterpiece - it alone deserves 5 stars. The album, Magnets, is much more ambitious than New Clear Days.

We used to play Magnets on our Montgomery Ward turntable over and over and over. I think I learned the air guitar from listening to this band.

Young listeners who dig boy bands and MTV need not apply. You will not understand this collection and you really won't like it. Save your $ for the next Brittany Spears CD.

For anyone who was breathing before 1970 and missed this band the first time, it might be worth it to give them another listen if you are into the Cars, the Knack, old U2, Pretenders, Romantics, Etc. ... Read more

Album Description

Remastered U.K. reissue of Rundgren's 1975 album, complete with the original cover art & all of the original tracks intact from when it was first issued on Bearsville. Seven tracks, including the chart hit 'Real Man'. 1999 release. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Any album with REAL MAN can`t be all that bad?..
YES IT CAN! Unfortunatly. I`m a huge Todd fan and REAL MAN is one of his greatest songs and I truly thought this would be a classic mix of Todd`s synth experiments with some classic SONGS! There are no songs to speak of here other than the gorgeous PRANA (and that`s an instrumental!) THE DEATH OF ROCK&ROLL has a few cool riffs and that`s about it. Todd should have just stuck with the single release REAL MAN b/w PRANA and maybe save the other experiments on the cutting room floor. Put it this way INTUITION is a poor man`s TODD!

Born To Synthesize
Initiation is a good album. It kind of has the sound and feel of a Utopia album. "Real Man" is one of Todd's best songs, if only he would have done the whole album with material like this song, he could have possibly had another pop/rock masterpiece on his hands. "Born To Synthesize", "Fair Warning", and the insane "A Treatise On Cosmic Fire" somewhat drag the the album down. Due to the length and material on Treatise you have to give respect for remembering all the parts for a song as long as thirty six minutes. "Eastern Intrigue", "Initiation", "Real Man" and the out of context but fairly good rocker "Death Of Rock N Roll" make this album a good but not great Rundgren solo album. If only Todd had some discipline while making this one, Initiation could have been up there with Something/Anything.

Not near as bad as it's made out to be...
Yet hopelessly overrated by the Todd fanatics here.

After a listen to side one, it would be hard to argue that this wouldn't be shaping up to be a solid, yet not classic, Rundgren album. "Real Man" rivals (and in my opinion, betters) his tasty R&B inflected hits "Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel," "I Saw The Light" and "Hello It's Me" and is iced with a gorgeous, synth-laden production.

However, right when you're ready for a one-two punch of that trademark Rundgren power pop, he unleashes a pateince-testing, a-capella excursion in vocal manipulation called "Born TO Synthesize," which relies more on production and studio trickery than the presentation of a solid song. After some time, it does grow on you, and if you're in an especially patient mood it's hard not to get absorbed in the amazing production and vocal-stuttering effects used on the track. How did he do this in 1975? From a production standpoint it's simply brilliant, yet you end up wishing he'd have applied it to an actual song. The combination of these inventive prodcution tricks along with good song craft was finally realized years later with his "A Capella" album, but that's a different story...

Next, comes a major highlight of side one, the balls out rocker "The Death Of Rock And Roll." Although not his most memorable hard rock song, it's impossible to not get swept up and bowled over by the sheer energy of the track. Live versions of this with Utopia are simply amazing.

If one wonders what an outtake from the first Utopia album might sound like (and it very well may be for all I know) give a listen to the title track. It's blistering time changes and blowout ending are very reminicent of that first Utopia album, and it in fact features most of Utopia on it so the sound is identical if that's the kind of Todd you're into (I am :-).

"Fair Warning" features some beautiful melodies and amazing sax work from Edgar Winter. This could have truly been one of his most amazing ballads had he trimmed it just a LITTLE. All of the music presented is great, but at 8 minutes (and with an unnecessary and jarring reprise of Real Man) it kind of drags a little bit but isn't hurt too badly by it's unnecessarily long length.

So hey! Not so bad right?

Then, there's side 2. Oooohhhhhh side 2....

Here we have one of the worst and most inexplicably horrendous disasters of modern music. Thankfully, it at least kicks off with the best part of music on the album, which is the leadoff "Prana" instrumental. It is a blissed out synthesizer-drenched layer-laden melting pot of fuzzy trippiness, and if it's otherworldly, rediculously cute and happy melodies dont put a huge grin on your face then you are one sad individual! Plus, it has a jammin' hip-hop style beat and is the only real song on this side of the album.

Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worse. And god, does it get bad. I don't think I've ever heard a better example of a tripped out buffoon screwing around in his studio than this. Production tricks are abound, and boy are they amazing. The music comes from the sides, directly from the back, falls from the sky, and comes at you from the front, even with headphones. On drugs, this would be an amazing experience, but since I don't have the luxury of being able to afford large quantities of great drugs I'm afraid that I have to approach the track from a sober point of view, which doesn't help. Some demented and disjointed circus music follows, as does some reeeaaaaalllly long and boring ambient sections of music drenched with the most umusical and dissonant crap I've heard rung from any instrument. It also features a very strange, beatless and tempo-less excursion into the most highly agitating and jarring synthesizer noise that not even my Gentle Giant loving ass can appreciate. Did I mention that this mess rambles on for THIRTY SIX minutes? He must have been pissed at the record company.

When this fiasco finally comes to a close (and remember, there is no band, it's Todd and Roger Powell messing around with synths) it ends with the fantastic Prana theme. Considering that you had to wait through 30+ minutes of the most horrendous side in music history to get to it, it comes as more of a relief than as a wonderful conclusion to a jamming side-long slice of great prog rock. Yes, I have listened to it seriously more than a few times. That is why I am here strongly advising you NOT to, unless you REALLY feel like having your patience and nerves tested. You've been warned.

Overall, it is worth having for the actual song cycle and "Prana" section of the dreadful "Treatise," but should not be made a priority purchase by Todd or Utopia if you are just getting started.

A Multi-Talented Musician's Masterpiece!
Many words could be used to describe Todd Rundgren--soulful r&b singer, prolific songwriter, electrifying guitar player, high-tech keyboard wizard, genius composer, producer, etc., etc. In short, Todd Rundgren was one of the first, and still probably is, one of the premier multi-talented artists in all of rock music. On this album, Initiation, more than any of his others, he makes best use of all his talents, and tries his hand at new ones, as he puts together what can best be described as "the concept album to end all concept albums".
This album has piqued my curiousity for a long time. I spent many years trying to figure out the meanings to the songs here. I always had the idea that this was a concept album where all the songs seem to fit together in a "song cycle", much like The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds", or Pink Floyd's, "Dark Side of the Moon", something about the search for spiritual meaning. The strange song titles, even his tongue-in-cheek "Eastern Intrigue", led me to believe that Todd was much more deeply into Hinduism or Zen Buddhism, than perhaps, his Beatle counterparts. Strangely enough, before I figured that out, as a Christian, I always felt the positive messages in songs like "Real Man", the title cut "Initiation", and "Fair Warning" helped me to keep my own faith. Somehow, I felt Todd encouraging me to stand up for what I believe in, and 'suffer the slings and arrows'. And when people laugh at me and mock me, someday I'll be gone from this earth and they won't be laughing anymore. I've also found some interesting parallels to this song cycle, and the lonely journey of Jesus Christ to the cross to suffer for the sins of mankind. "Fair Warning", especially, reminds me of that. In another sense, the album, "Initiation", is aptly titled. The album also seems to parallel Todd's "Initiation" into the world of progressive rock from being a simple pop singer-songwriter, and perhaps his dwelling on the fact that he might have to suffer the loss of popularity if he follows "his heart, and his art".
The whole album culminates in Todd's 36-minute 'synthesizer symphony' called, "The Treatise on Cosmic Fire". There are several sub-songs under this heading, and because it's an instrumental, its really hard to tell when one section of the instrumental leads into the next. The "Intro Prana" and "Outro Prana" of the instrumental is essentially the same theme that leads in-and-out of the entire track, much like Iron Butterfly's, "In-a-Gadda-da-Vida". But this one goes much further than "In-a-Gadda-da-Vida", and is all Todd on a synthesizer. In 1975, "Treatise on Cosmic Fire" was probably the final great masterpiece of progressive rock, and probably marked the last hurrah of the psychedelic era in rock. Anyway, its great music to lay back and dream, or do yoga, to for 36 minutes!
Perhaps I was reading more into the music and lyrical content than was there. But it still captures my imagination to this day. It does have some kind of deep meaning, though. In a sense, it is the ultimate concept album with a song cycle, and plays like a movie soundtrack without the movie (the music would make for a great movie, though). The only song that seems out of place here is, "The Death of Rock and Roll", a real hard rocker with minimal use of synthsizers, and has the feel of an outtake that was accidentally left off a previous album and added here--a la The Doors' track "Waiting For the Sun" that ended up on "The Soft Parade". It's a nice interruption in the song cycle, however. This album also includes the greatest use of synthesizers at that point, outside of groups like Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, and Kansas. But unlike a lot of synth-music that came later, including Todd's own, the use of synthesizers here actually "enhance" the music instead of making it "sterile".
Only a genius like Todd Rundgren could make the combination of synth and r&b work hand-in-hand, the way he does on "Real man" and "Initiation". And the up-beat nature of his songs, as well as the atmospheric beauty Todd brings to them, will certainly brighten up whatever kind of day you may have, and stick in the record player of your mind for a long time to come. But I'm sure that was Todd's intention here. He was, and stil is, an all-around great musician that wanted to show off all his musical talents, and make great music for people to enjoy all at the same time. Much like a lot of other artists from a singer-songwriter background, like Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull, members of the Moody Blues, and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, the transition to progressive rock was a smooth one for Todd Rundgren. It all came together on this album. And like Brian Wilson with "Pet Sounds" and "Smile", and Pink Floyd with "Dark Side of the Moon", "Initiation" marked a creative peak for Todd Rundgren that he was probably never able to duplicate again.

Personal favorite
Not Todd's most popular, but my personal favorite. It is worth everything for the title track, a celebration for anyone who has ever made a quest for spirituality and inner knowledge. The lyrics are decidedly NOT for the casual Todd fan who never got past Bang the Drum All Day or Hello It's Me. ... Read more

Album Description

Reissue of the influential recording artist/producer's 1978 album, his sophomore solo release.Standard jewel case.1989 release. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The second coming
Thank God for Nick Lowe. When music was flirting with garbage, Lowe swooped in and helped save it. Or something like that. One of Lowe's finest albums is stocked with classic tracks. Every track here still sounds as fresh and catchy as the day it was released in a decade where Afternoon Delight had become the artistic standard.

From the off kilter and ultimately gross power pop classic Marie Provost to the stunning I Love The Sound of Breaking Glass, Lowe is possessed and possesses the goods to deliver on this stunning classic. Sadly, it appears that Jesus is out of stock but he will arise again.

If you can't wait, the great boxed set The Doings contains much of this classic album as well as its follow up. Well worth every penny, Lowe set a new high for witty, well written rock'n'roll.

R.I.P., Marie Prevost
Marie Prevost was a real person, a silent-movie actress. Her films include "Seven Sinners" (1925); "The Cave Man" (1926); "The Racket" (1927); "No Pork Chop for Max" (1928). Fidel Castro ditto, although the sortie that nutted him is most likely a figment of Nick Lowe's imagination. This is one of the essential rock and roll albums, period. Nick Lowe's words here and on his other great album, "Labour of Lust," are what rock and roll lyric writing is all about. There's no ideology and no attempt at meaningless significance, just a totally irreverent attitude toward everything. Nick has gone through some bad times since 1978, but he made a lot of money from a wretched version of what is perhaps his most famous song (after "Cruel to Be Kind"), "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding." Which he deserved. I liked "Dig My Mood" all right and didn't care for "The Convincer" at all; I think it's time Nick sat back and wrote his autobiography, or maybe he could get back together with Brinsley Schwarz and do an entire album of songs made popular by the Band. (See the highly amusing liner notes for the reissue of the other great Nick Lowe album, Brinsley Schwarz's 1972 "Nervous on the Road," which is coupled on the reissue with that band's strange attempt to sound like Ace or Pablo Cruise, "The New Favourites of... .")

The Winner That Became The Doggie's Dinner
Looking back, it's hard to believe that the Nick Lowe that released this meticulously crafted and brilliantly written album is the same guy whose last three releases have been "The Convincer," "Dig My Mood" (er, no thanks Nick, it depresses me), and "The Impossible Bird." "Jesus Of Cool," later released in a slightly altered form in the U.S. as "Pure Pop For Now People," is a near perfect pop masterpiece, combining wit, cynicism, harmony, and hooks, hooks, HOOKS! "So It Goes," "Heart Of The City," "They Called It Rock," and "Marie Provost" (among others) show Lowe getting the pub rock monkey off his back that he was burdened with from former group Brinsley Schwarz and serving notice to anyone willing to listen that he had a big pop heart beating within his chest. Sadly, it appears, something happened within the last several years to snuff that flame, resulting in a series of downright sullen albums. Hey Nick (and you too, Elvis Costello - are you listening?), getting old doesn't have to mean getting morose.

Pure Joy For Pub People
Without a doubt, one of the best pub albums ever made, not surprising considering Lowe's pedigree (both as a member of seminal pub band Brinsley Schwartz and as a house producer for Stiff Records-If It's A Stiff, It's A Hit!). Still, as good as most Nick Lowe albums are (and they are all pretty bloody good) this one clearly stands out; the only one that is really comparable is the equally excellent LABOR OF LUST. Lowe is known for his sharp lyrics ('little eyes that could not speak said even little doggies have gotta eat, she was a winner, who became a doggies dinner, she never meant that much to me') and his fine pop song craft, both are strongly in evidence here.

Lowe is also a traditionalist, making timeless classic material seemingly at a whim, if you don't like this album, you probably don't like rock and roll. All the tracks are excellent, especially 'Nutted By Reality', 'So It Goes', 'Marie Provost', 'Thirty Six Inches High' and "I Love the Sound Of Breaking Glass'. Lowe will appeal to rock fans of all stripes, particularly fans of power pop and roots rock, fans of Cowboy Mouth, Webb Wilder and Men At Work will be especially pleased.

This British import is far superior to the American version, which was called PURE POP FOR NOW PEOPLE (just compare the tight witty craft of 'Shake & Bop' to the tepid "They Called It Rock'). Still, the American album title says it all, pure pop indeed. Five Stars ain't enough.

Clever and sharp power pop for now people
This album was called "Pure Pop For Now People" when first released in the United States (with a few minor differences). The phrase "power-pop" has come to denote an entire genre now. Back in the day, as they say, it was just Todd Rundgren, Jeff Lynne and a few other sugar-coated miscreants. And this guy, Nick Lowe. This album is sublime. Smart lyrics (there is a song about a lady who was eaten alive by her dachsund), great melodies and solid, clean playing. America missed out on this one, Nick deserves BIG credit. Let's give it to him, shall we? ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A Good Album!
Magic Christian Music was the first album to bear the Badfinger name, though 6 of the songs on the album are in fact old Iveys recordings that had already been released on the Maybe Tomorrow album. Some of the recordings were done with Paul McCartney, and he obviously helped the band create their characteristic sound. Great tracks like "Midnight Sun", "Crimson Ship" and "Come and Get it" point clearly in the direction of the classic follow-up album "No Dice". "Walk Out in the Rain" is another stand-out track. "Rock of All Ages" is probably the wildest rocker the band ever recorded. "Maybe Tomorrow" which had been a minor hit for the Iveys, was also selected for this album.The material in this album is too varied in style and quality to make a real strong consistent album. The two bonus tracks are Iveys recordings from late 68 - none of them very interesting.

My favourites: Come and Get it, Crimson Ship, Midnight Sun, Beautiful and Blue and Walk Out in The Rain

4.5 stars - an excellent album
Magic Christian Music (1970.) Badfinger's second album, and the first to be released under the name Badfinger (their first album was released under the band's original name, The Iveys.) This album is actually a collection of songs from various sources. To give you a better understanding of this album/compilation, I am going to deviate from my normal reviewing style.

INTRODUCTION:
In the latter half of the sixties, Great Britain was filled with rock bands trying to make it big. Among these was a little group called The Iveys. Pete Ham (guitar), Mike Gibbons (drums), Ron Griffiths (bass), and David Jenkins (rhythm guitar) made up the band. Early on the band got a job backing up singer David Garrick in live shows and in the studio. Around this time, David Jenkins left the band. His replacement on rhythm guitar was Tom Evans. The band released its first and only album under the Iveys name, Maybe Tomorrow, around this period. A new rhythm guitarist also entered the band, Joey Molland. Evans switched to playing bass when Griffiths left the band. Soon, the band got signed to the Apple Records label, and changed its name to Badfinger. The band was asked to contribute some songs to the Ringo Starr film The Magic Christian, and they did. They also recorded several other songs in this era. By combining these recordings with older Iveys songs, they put together Magic Christian Music, which is now recognized widely as the first Badfinger album. Read on for my review of this album.

RECYCLED IVEYS TRACKS:
-Dear Angie
-Beautiful And Blue
-I'm In Love
-Angelique
-Knocking Down Our Home
-Maybe Tomorrow
Comments: These tracks were taken from the band's only album released under the Iveys name, Maybe Tomorrow. Dear Angie is classic melodic pop rock at its very best. Beautiful and blue is another excellent pop rocker that's tough to top. The blues-inspired Angelique is also excellent. It's a shame the album that originally featured these tracks is out of print and harder than hell to find, but I'm greatly relieved to see that some of them are on this album.

TRACKS FROM THE FILM "THE MAGIC CHRISTIAN":
-Come And Get It
-Rock Of All Ages
-Carry On Till Tomorrow
Comments: These are the tracks the band recorded for the film The Magic Christian. Come and get it was written by Paul McCartney, and it really shows. It's about as good as pop music gets. The other two tracks the band recorded for the film are also excellent.

NEW RECORDINGS FOR THE ALBUM:
-Crimson Ship
-Midnight Sun
-Walk Out In The Rain
-Give It A Try
-Fisherman
Comments: To make the album more "complete", the band recorded these songs to go along with the others. Fisherman is not the same recording that appeared on the Maybe Tomorrow LP - It's an all new recording (I haven't gotten a chance to hear the original yet.) This track is bizzare but still good. Give It A Try is a classic example of Beatles-esque rock that must be heard to be appreciated. And don't even think of overlooking Crimson Ship - sixties-style pop music never sounded better!

BONUS TRACKS FOR COMPACT DISC REISSUE:
-Storm In A Teacup
-Arthur
Comments: These are two bonus tracks, only available on this, the compact disc reissue of the album. Arthur is previously unreleased. It's a shame this track didn't get released until now, because it's very good. Storm In A Teacup is noticably different from the band's other material (it has a much more "soulful" sound), but it's still excellent.

FINAL VERDICT:
Overall, this is a great first album. If you're a fan of classic rock, Badfinger is a band you must not overlook. It's a shame these guys go unappreciated in the modern age, because their music is an infinite number of times better than that junk that gets played on the radio today. This has been referred to as the band's most Beatles-sounding album, but I think that's a GOOD thing. If you're fortunate enough to find this album, BUY IT.

If You Want It, Here It Is, Badfinger's Begining.
Actually it's only a Badfinger disc in name only. Most of the tunes on the album were done earlier when the band was called the Iveys and the rest were done after the name change but before second guitarist Joey Molland joined the band. The result is a mis-mash of different styles of songs. The Paul McCartney penned "Come and Get It" starts out the disc in fine form. Simple and irresistibly catchy, with Mike Gibbins drums driving the song home. It's no surpise the song went deep into the top ten. "Crimson Ship" is up next and its a slow-paced song that just hints at the creativity of the Pete Ham-Tom Evans partnership. "Dear Angie" sung by departed Ron Griffths is the kind of older British pop that seems dated compared with some of the other songs on this disc but has some interesting jazz noodling on guitar by Ham. "Fisherman" is another of those dated Ivey songs. Indeed its almost a novelty song. "Midnight Sun" puts the boys back on the right track with a stunning vocal by Ham. The rhythm guitar is mixed real high giving the song extra punch. "Beautiful and Blue" while poppy, showcases developing songwriting talent. "Rock of All Ages" is another impressive track by the band. This has Tom Evans giving it his all in his best rock 'n roll voice. It's one of those songs that doesn't stop moving. "Carry On Till Tomorrow" showcases the bands vocal abilites, which not fully mined on this disc would be explored later on. The strings on this song help immeasurably, however the electric guitar is a little bit off putting to such a gentle song. "I'm in Love" is still another Iveys old song, just remixed to be used on this disc. However, its better than some of their other attempts but still it sounds of its time. "Walk Out in the Rain" is a nice gentle Pete Ham vehicle. "Angelique" a total throw away. "Knocking Down Our Home" is a song about the effects of progess elegantly and effectively performed in the dance-hall style. Its one of the underrated songs on the disc. "Give It a Try" is more old dated Brit-Pop. "Maybe Tomorrow" was the Iveys first single--its simply overdone with Tom Evan's vocal histronics and orchestration and timpanis. The bonus tracks, "Storm in a Teamcup" and "Arthur" add nothing to the original disc. It's obvious here, on several songs at least, that early in 1970 Badfinger was a group to watch.

Solid "first" album from Badfinger
Magic Christian is made up of a mix of originals recorded for this album and a handful of tracks remixed from their debut as The Iveys. The stylistic contrast between Badfinger and The Iveys is quite pronounced on some tracks. Tony Visconti's production on Maybe Tomorrow (the album The Iveys tracks were culled from)wasn't bad just a bit over the top.

Paul McCartney produced at least two tracks here (the self penned Come And Get It and Rock Of All Ages both used in the film), while Mal Evans produced the bulk of the rest of the original material. The more recent Badfinger tracks are the stronger songs included. Maybe Tomorrow, while a fine song, doesn't belong here--it's sound is florid and doesn't fit in well with the bulk of these tracks. Crimson Ship (a song written as a tribute to McCartney who came in and helped the band out)is one of the stand out tracks here.

The inclusion of the rare Arthur and Storm In A Teacup are welcome additions to this disc (as well as the two tracks cut from the original US release). The band would truly hit their prime with No Dice, Straight Up and Wish You Were Here.

MAGNIFICENT "Debut" of one of Britain's best bands!
Though technically their 2nd album, this was the first after they changed their name from The Iveys. What a great disc! 3 songs from the Peter Seller/Ringo Starr film THE MAGIC CHRISTIAN (hence the title) include Paul McCartney's classic "Come And Get It" (see BEATLES ANTHOLOGY 1 to hear HIM singing it first) as well as the wildly frenetic "Rock Of All Ages" and the sentimental "Carry On To Tomorrow". And that's only the start! Other highlights for me are "Crimson Ship", "Beautiful And Blue" and the emotional "Maybe Tomorrow" (the latter 2 originally from their 1st album). This CD contains all 14 tracks from the British LP ("Angelique" and "Give It A Try" had been snipped off the US LP) as well as "Storm In A Teacup" (taken from a rare Ice Cream promo EP) and the previously-unreleased, humorous look at marital infidelity, "Arthur".

If I have any beef, it's that they didn't go far enough! MAGIC CHRISTIAN MUSIC was really a patched-together album, 6 tracks having appeared earlier on MAYBE TOMORROW. If they were going to do a CD with bonus tracks, I'd like to see the other 6 songs, plus the leftover "A" & "B" sides (not to mention the demo for "Come And Get It") --all of which appeared earlier on the RARE TRACKS lp-- in one place. Among the missing was the ominous epic, "I've Been Waiting", which closed their 1st LP. Don't get me wrong, this is a FANTASTIC CD as it is! You'd think after all these years, though, that somebody would take the extra effort to REALLY do things "right". ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Minus One
To me, a great greatest hits CD is one that keeps me out of the basement pulling out my old LP's. This one was close, but where is You Were So Warm?!? How could anyone think a Dwight Twilley CD could be complete without this power pop classic!!! If you like Mathew Sweet, you will love Twilley.

CRUISIN' TO TWILLEY
Back in the 70's when we headed out to cruise the streets ofOklahoma City in the Z-28, the first thing we did was put in my copyof Dwight Twilley's "Sincerely" album in the 8-Track. Whenthat first song "I'm on Fire" came on, we were ready for thestreets. All those other Hot Rods had their ... blaring out of theirspeakers with their mindless rock and ... singing, while welistened to the perfect pop and great voice of the kid from Tulsa, andwe were proud of it. And the women loved it too. And that's all thatreally counted to us back then. Well, I bought the upgraded CD versionof "Sincerely" a couple years ago, and now I've got the restof Twilley's old stuff with this Greatest Hits CD. The first few songson here are from his first 3 albums that I had on vinyl. All great andmemorable tunes. But you get so much more here from a guy whose carrerhas quietly moved along without anybody ever taking notice of thisgreat lost talent. Songs like "Sky Blue", "10,000American Scuba Divers", "Girls", "I'm OnFire", or "Looking For The Magic" would easily make mytop 40 if I was a DJ spinning records. But in the real world thisartist was criminally overlooked. Even the song "That Thing YouDo", which Twilley recorded hoping it would make it in Tom Hanksmovie of the same name, was passed over for an inferior song. I guessthat's just par for the course for Dwight Twilley. I highly recommendnot passing up this fine Greatest Hits CD. I think I'll head out andtry this Greatest Hits CD in the car stereo. Man, cruisin' never getsold when you have the fresh pop of Dwight Twilley ridin' with ya. END

One of America's Best Kept Secrets
This essentially "Best Of" CD from Dwight Twilley is a delight from beginning to end. Though most of songs were written in the 70's (the last 2 were written in 1996) they have held up incredibly well. They fall squarely in the pop vein, hook-filled with Beatlesque chord changes and Byrd-like harmonies and jangly guitars. Some standouts include "I'm on Fire" (with one of the most infectious chorus's I've heard), "Out of My Hands" with it's full orchestral backing, and "10,000 American Scuba Divers Dancing (every bit as infectious as "I'm on Fire". One of the new songs "Grey Buildings" is simply magnificent. It makes you wonder why we're not hearing more from him today. If you like retro music like that from Kula Shaker (Pigs, Peasants and Astronauts is one of the best CD's of the last decade), love harmonies, musical hooks and don't mind humming and whistling songs that stay in your head all day, give this one a try. You won't regret it. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A Great Sampling of BCR Music!
Of course they weren't the Beatles, Bach or Beethoven - but they weren't supposed to be! They were a great group in their own right and made a lot of teenage girls swoon (me included) at the time. The music is still the best (never really did like the Beatles in the first place) as far as I'm concerned. You can't go wrong with this album!

Good bubblegum, but not great fare.
How can anyone give this five stars? What are the Beatles, if not four? Bach and Beethoven, if not five? PLEASE, get some PERSPECTIVE!

I liked this when I bought it in the '70s, but it's not the Beatles, Who, Stones, Zeppelin, etc. Come on!

EXCELLENT!!
I think the Bay City Rollers were one of the most underated groups of their time! They wrote a lot of their own material, played all the instruments, and the vocal harmonies were great! Can't wait for their new album! Keep On Rollin'!

awful
One of the worst groups in pop history.

Fun songs to sing with
Yes, I was a Bay City Roller fan from the beginning to the end (once Leslie left the band). Yes, we were young teenaged girls who fell in love with these guys from Scotland. They didn't do brain surgery but they were cute and lots of fun. Their market was young girls from 8 to 18 no different from what's going on in todays "Teen idols". People who need to disect the lyrics and use words most people need to look up in the dictionary obviously missed the boat. The B.C.R.'s did their job and did it well. It hopefully made them lots of money and great memories. If we bought it and enjoyed their songs what's it to you.

This albulm is their early work. The abulm Dedication with Ian Mitchell was my favourite. This was recorded in Toronto and maybe this has a lot to do with its popularity here.

Saturday Night by the B.C.R.'s was fun in '76 and was sung by male and females alike. It was once the critics (who were adults) that gave their reviews that influence opinions on young minds. Too bad Derek Longmuir is so hard to find, or I'd tell him he did a great job of making my teens years dreaming lots of fun. He was classy and very sexy. The icing on the cake was of course Leslie, Ian, Woody and Eric.

This albulm is just as much fun to the selected few who enjoyed it then and they would now. Keep on Rolling!!!! P.S. I wonder if Tam Patton is still managing rock groups?? ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Perfect Power Pop Album
The Knack, The Romantics and Bazooka Jones all have a way of delivering a perfect three minute power pop gem. The Knack are the very best the genre has to offer and this album represents some of their best work. It takes me back in a good way, but still sounds as fresh as the day I heard it. Great song crafting and top-notch musicianship. Buy this record.

Sunny late 70's power pop
This is truly one of the most excelent compilation of a sunny late '70s california power pop."the knack" who became famous all over in late june 1979 thanks to their all times greatest No'1 "My Sharona" and their less familiar but still a huge hit on it's on right-"Good girls don't",is truly a simple catchy fun.heard them first time on vacation on some FM radio station back in july 1979 while driving along the red sea in sinai.my feet just started hitting the car floor and soon i was dancing in the driver's seat,twisting and shouting "Hoooo you make my motor run ma ma ma my sharona".later on that same day i was lucky enough to hear one of their quiet pieces-"maybe tonight" which became one of my favorites ever since.people,for those of you who remembers and for those of you who likes the happy cheerful melodic of the 1970's rock,just go and "get the knack".

Skinny-tie rock revisited
If you have fond memories of this band--or if "My Sharona" is simply a guilty pleasure--you'll probably enjoy this set. Includes "Sharona" and the group's other Top 40 singles, as well as mostly well-chosen album tracks (although their wonderful tribute to Phil Spector, "The Feeling I Get," was inexplicably left off). "Rocket O' Love," from their '91 album _Serious Fun_, is probably the most pleasant surprise for the new listener; the only dud is their horrid cover of "That Thing You Do." ... Read more

Album Description

Melodic heavy metal from Sweden. 13 killer anthems werenailed down on tape at Studio Fredman with a productionthat's second to none. Featuring the talents of FredrikNordstrom (Hammerfall/In Flames) on guitars and keyboardsand drummer Snowy Shaw (Mercyful Fate/King Diamond). ... Read more

Reviews (18)

What a wonderful surprise!
I was really impressed when I first listened to this album. Dream Evil is the prject of Fredrik Nordstrom, most known as a great producer, and Snowy Shaw, of Mercyful Fate. I knew Fredrik's work as aproducer (which means the album has a superb sound and production; sounds like Sinergy's latest album), but I was totally unfamiliar with his music skills. Lucky me I'm familiar with them now! This album is excellent. Some influences can be recognized, like Iron Maiden. It combines different styles. Melodic metal, power metal, epic metal, etc. The album has great choruses, solos, and clean vocals "a la Europe". You have different tempos; fast songs and ballads. If you want a ballad, you'll find the sweetest melodies and choruses. If you prefer a fast song with blazin' guitars and powerful drums, you have "The Prophecy", to please your senses. But the band never loses their touch of quality. It seems that every element fits perfectly, nothing more, nothnig less. Some song titles may sound clichés, and Dream Evil's music may sound like something that has been already done, but what makes this band different from the rest is their simplicity and originality, and how the guys managed to combine all the ingredients of the recipe. The album shares lots of feelings and emotions, but never deppression. "DragonSlayer" will lift your spirit up!. I liked this album that much that I was compelled to write this review. For any metal fan; give this album a try; I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

A Metal Revival
There are many people out there that are calling DREAM EVIL the next big hit in the Power Metal scene. I don't know about all that... I'm not even sure I would even call them Power Metal at all. Perhaps True Metal or just good ol' Heavy Metal! One thing is for sure though... these guys are pretty damned good. "Chasing the Dragon" is a killer track and probably the most Power Metal song on the album, "In Flames You Burn" is an excellent Metal anthem, "Kingdom of the Damned", "The Prophecy" and "The Chosen Ones" are all good as well. "Heavy Metal in the Night" is one of the best... straight outta the 80s with a JUDAS PRIEST feel. "Hail to the King" is also a highlight. The singer is good and reminds me a lot of Anders Zackrisson from NOCTURNAL RITES' first 2 CDs. I heard that the follow-up "Evilized" is even better for these guys... if that's true then I can't wait to check it out!

We were chasing the Dragon!
This album kicks ASS and they're named after one of my favorite Dio albums so that's always cool.

This album is an explosive mixture of modern power metal and great old school metal. Sure the lyrics are cheesy as hell and the ballad plain SUCKS! (this track is the only reason I didn't outright give this album five stars, it's THAT bad.) but overall this album is fun as hell.

This album also features Gus G. from Firewind, Mystic Prophecy and Nightrage so you know the guitar work is going to be top notch but all of the other musicians also shine here. Nordstrom proves he is as efficient a guitarist as he is a producer.

If you like straight foward kick ass fun metal check out Dream evil.

Something soars through the sky, it's the DRAGONFLY!
Dream Evil is a band comprised of Fredrik Nordstrom (Keyboards/Guitars, formerly of Hammerfall and In Flames), Niklas Isfeldt (Vocals), Gus G. (Guitars), Peter Stalfors (Bass), and Snowy Shaw (Drums, formerly of Mercyful Fate), and yes, you guessed it, it is a power metal band. Power Metal is gigantically huge over in Europe, much like "nu-metal" is in the States (however, I would rather tolerate power metal to the point of sickness as opposed to nu-metal, which isn't even METAL). To tell you the truth, I don't know a whole lot about this band, but I will say that power metal can get cheesy and annoying at times. However, this band attracted me in a couple of ways:

1) I'm a fantasy freak, and the whole album is actually a concept album about a knight who must save his king and kingdom from a fierce dragon. Dragons rule.

2) The band name, you guessed it, came from a Ronnie James Dio album, and Ronnie James Dio rules.

3) The album has some killer cover art.

So with that, I was intrigued, and off I was on a musical adventure in which case I wished I was a knight fighting in the Crusades or something. But enough nostalgia aside. Let's get on with the music.

1. CHASING THE DRAGON (A)
An awesome introduction, and one of the catchiest rockers I have ever heard in a while. Excellent guitar solos as well.

2. IN FLAMES YOU BURN (A-)
The song fools you in the beginning because it's an acoustic opening... but it BURSTS into a speedy number with some excellent vocals. The chorus is infectious. Ironic, given Nordstrom was in a band entitled "In Flames" originally.

3. SAVE US (B-)
Opens with a drum piece, continues on with some crunchy riffage. Has a catchy style like IN FLAMES YOU BURN, but far more positive sounding. Pretty good, although not as great as the previous two. However, it does sport a pretty awesome guitar solo.

4. KINGDOM OF THE DAMNED (B+)
Sounds like Hammerfall's HEARTS ON FIRE, although not quite so powerful. This one's pretty good still, and the chorus will stick in your head.

5. THE PROPHECY (A+)
AWESOME opening with guitar interplays. Some of the speediest guitarwork on the album is presented here. My second favorite on here not only because of that, but Niklas's vocals are at his best here. The chorus makes me have raging fists.

6. THE CHOSEN ONES (A-)
Excellent track that starts off with a melodic guitar piece, followed by some lowkey vocals by Niklas. Some keyboard elements are AWESOME in this particular song, and it builds up into a nice chorus. The rest of the song retains that same power.

7. LOSING YOU (B+)
A ballad that has a nice piano piece accompanying it. A guitar part is later on but doesn't detract away from the song. Very beautifully written, even if it takes three or so listens for it grow on you. For some reason it reminds me of Foreigner's slower music.

8. THE 7TH DAY (C+)
A galloping hard rocker with some infectious lyrics. Very crunchy in its guitarmanship and it's a good headbanger, but the chorus seems a bit heavyhanded, at least to me. All in all not a bad song but not nearly as good as the one's preceding it.

9. HEAVY METAL IS THE NIGHT (A-)
A cool song that reminds one of the old days of heavy metal. The guitarwork here reminded me of Dokken and Ratt, but seemed heavier than anything they've done. Niklas tries singing in a deeper Halford style of singing (minus the screeching) and it comes off surprisingly well. A pretty good anthem rocker.

10. H.M.J. (A-)
The three initials stand for HEAVY METAL JESUS. I kid you not, that's what the song's about: the knight being blessed by the Son of Man to kill the dragon for kingdom come. It's cheesy, corny, but it still rocks. It's not athiest by any means, and the song reminds me of the old days of AC/DC and Lynyrd Skynyrd (imagine if they ever were metal bands). This can turn you off depending on your point of view, but it's actually one of the best songs on the CD.

11. HAIL TO THE KING (A++)
The "technical" closer of the album actually ranks as my personal favorite from the album. Very heavy, gallopy, and nice musicianship all around. The chorus is the most infectious on the CD. All in all, very good and a great way to end the album... well, sort of. Read on.

12. OUTRO
All this is is an orchestra preparing or something... it sounds like it's just at the end of a symphony. I might see what the band is going with here, but it would've worked better had they shifted Track 11 DIRECTLY into here (as if the whole album was a symphony and it just ended), but it's just "there," and it only lasts 15 whole seconds. This doesn't need to be here. I'm not counting it against the album, but...........................F

Overall, you might find this to be a pretty decent album. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it to be a cohesive concept album. Some power metal can be overbearing and cheesy, but this one is not. Check it out if you're a metal fan.

Archaic and obnoxious.
Heavy metal Jesus? These guys can't be serious. They sound like a 21st century version of Accept! This band, along with bands like Hammerfall are trying to drag the Metal scene back to the time of mullets and jean jackets while the rest of the Swedish Metal scene (most notably the Death metal scene) is constantly progressing. Forget this trash and listen to Death's "Individual thought patterns" if very high quality Metal is your infatuation. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

If you like lotsa guitars, then...
...get this CD. It is a barrage of layered guitars from start to finish. I'm not sure why this album got such a bad rap from music critics. Maybe they were expecting too much as a follow-up to "Nowhere". Granted, this isn't ground-breaking music, but it is a very enjoyable album all the way through. Highlights are Leave Them All Behind, Twisterella, Time Of Her Time and Ox4. Ride defines the "shoegazer" classification in UK music of the late 80's/early 90's.

Lost Classic
Ride was one of the most underappreciated bands of the '90s. From their beginnings as a "shoegazing" white noise band to their later '60s-retro-pop stylings, Ride always wowed critics and fans alike. Oddly enough, the band is more popular five years after they disbanded than they were while active. Surely this is a result of word-of-mouth praise that has followed such standout albums as Going Blank Again (1992).

Going Blank Again was a perfect synthesis of the "shoegazing" elements of their sound and the melodic guitar pop they favored later on. This album is truly a lost classic. Do yourself a favor and check out this underappreciated gem. Make sure you listen to "Cool Your Boots", "Chrome Waves", "Leave Them All Behind" and "Twisterella". All of these songs stand out as a high water mark for the genre.

Going great again
As a follow up to the superb Nowhere, Going Blank Again really does come close to meeting the expectations of being better than the first, but not quite. I am on my third copy of Going Blank Again with the re-issue that includes the 14 minute heaven reaching Grasshopper.
For the CD as a whole the guitars are more stated and the vocals do try to be more prevalent in attempting to be more "song" structured than layered as a concept CD. Still, listeing to Going Blank Again Re-Issue is an experience that gives any day or night a welcome sigh of happiness in enjoying what these guys were able to do. Stand-out tracks are Leave Them All Behind, Mouse Trap, OX4, Going Blank Again and Grasshopper. If you love the airy warmth of a good all night shoe-gazing jam then Ride is the band, and to listen to Going Blank Again followed by Nowhere is about as good as it gets for one band. I like their entire output so I am prejudiced in my opinion about them, but the first two CDs in re-issue format are my favorites.

One of the best albums ever!!!
This is my favourite album by Oxford quartet Ride. The name of the album is a reference to masturbation, and I'm pretty sure the song 0X4 has something to do with this too. There are some excellent songs on here related to space or time travel - the very hypnotic 'Leave them all behind' and 'Time Machine'. There are also more prosaic songs about drinking too much - 'Twisterella' - and dumping girls for no reason - 'Time of her time'. There is not one bad song on this album so I recommend that you listen to it.

Best record of the nineties
Sure, it may be a blunt and arrogant statement yet I stand true to it because GBA is simply put: The most AMAZING thing I've heard! I don't know how ride did to top their amazing Nowhere but they did. It opens with a bang (Leave Them All Behind) and closes with what I think is the 2nd best song of all-time (OX4). There are no fillers here, Mark Gardener's dreamy elegiac vocals, Andy Bell's angry guitar, Steve's dubby saturated bass and Loz's ubiquitous fills all coalesce into a record that truly stands the test of time. No fillers here though conservative listeners might want to be more keen on 'Twisterella' (a lovely toe-tappin' single). I know I am and never mind what the press said in '92, this is already one of the more revered albums of the decade. All hail Ride! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Badfinger mainstay Pete Ham should have become one of the 1970's brightest singer-songwriters. Instead, he became one of the decade's tragic musical footnotes. Caught in the spiraling financial turmoil spawned by the dissolution of the Beatles' Apple Records (Badfinger's label), Ham took his life at age 27. Among the music Ham left behind was a treasure trove of demo recordings, from which this compelling follow-up to 7 Park Avenue was compiled. Covering a decade of songwriting from the mid-'60s Iveys (Badfinger's original name) to the fading glory of Badfinger, Ham's melodic gift often overshadowed that of his one-time patron, Paul McCartney. The early version here of Badfinger's "Without You" (later a worldwide hit for Harry Nilsson) features a discarded chorus and provides a good snapshot of Badfinger in its prime. But it's in Golders Green's unfamiliar songs that Ham really shines, be they the jazzy ("Dawn"), country-inflected ("Helping Hand"), harmonically haunting ("Where Will You Be") or incandescent ("I'm So Lonely," "Makes Me Feel Good," Goodbye John Frost"). There's even a hilarious song about his manhood, "Richard" ("I hate it when you let me down"). Though it's been revisited by successive tides of New Wave, alternative rock (visit this collection's revealing drums-'n'-vocal fragment, "When the Feeling") and Brit-Pop, Ham's melodic balladry and power-pop has seldom been equaled. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Almost as good as 7PA
The second offering from Badfinger's leader, whom sadly is no longer with us. These demos really show how great Pete's writing was. Without You's demo is one of two that he made (The other is available with the OOP first issue of Matovina's book). Although the overdubs are clearer than on 7PA cos they were recorded on an ADAT machine, while the 7PA overdubs were taped on an 8 track reel to reel, which is why I gave it a 4 plus I think it shouldve had more completed songs, plus he's singing about his willy ('Why Pete?', i ask)! (Goodbye John Frost and Hurry On Father were edited to make them longer, if you didnt know). But overall, this is almost as good as 7PA, just barely.

Another Strong Collection of Pete Ham Songs
This longawaited second collection of Pete Ham demos comes two and a half years after the release of the first, "7 Park Avenue". I can't wait for a third, because this one certainly lives up to the expectations I had in the light of "7 P.A."

What strikes me after the first listen to "Golders Green" is the great variety of styles that Pete throws himself into and how brilliantly he does it.

There are pop ballads like "Dawn" and "I'll Kiss You Goodnight" - Rockers like "Richard" - Pop/rock melodies with hit potential like "Makes Me Feel Good" and "Helping Hand" - mellow folkish songs; "I've Waited So Long To Be Free", "Hurry On Father" and "A Lonely Day". There are demos of well-known Badfinger tunes like "Midnight Caller" and "Without You" ( actually "If It's Love" - before it was paired with Tom Evans' chorus ). A new aspect which did not show very much on "7PA" is the bluesy side of Pete Ham which here is represented by "Whiskey Man" and "I'm So Lonely". A few tracks are very short fragments or unfinished demos such as "Shine On" and "Pete's Walk". "When The Feeling" and "Gonna Do It" show Pete having fun and experimenting, when recording.

One thing all tracks have in common is the great sense of melody which is characteristic of Pete's songwriting and singing. Many tracks are greatly inspired by The Beatles but they never come off just as poor imitations of the Fab. Four's work. Compared to "7 Park Avenue" the sound quality is slightly better - a few tracks are almost in professional studio quality. The songs on "Golders Greens" equals those of 7PA - there are no signs that the well is drying up. The overdubbing and general production is similar to that of its predecessor - you actually never really know for sure when the drums, bass or keyboards are Pete himself or if they were added later. A few tracks feature great guitar solo playing by Pete e.g. "I'm So Lonely", "Helping Hand" and "Pete's Walk".

All in all I think Dan Matovina has done an excellent job again - we know that many of the tapes that contained these great songs were in poor condition and that it took a look of time, skill and love for Pete's music to restore them to this highly listenable level!

Makes Me Feel Good (track 1), A Lonely Day, I've Waited So Long To Be Free, Helping Hand and I'm So Lonely

Very good, very personal
Golders Green, a northern Jewish suburb, is where Badfinger used to live, a place where Ham could record his little songs on a Revox tape. Some of the songs the guy wrote are amazing. He was defiently one of the best songwriters to come out of Britain. His material on Badfinger's "Straight up" and "Wish you were here" are 100% superb. Perfect pop songs. "Golders Green" is a really good album, it shows Ham's songwrting and performance talents. "Dawn" is a beutiful Psych ballad,"Makes me feel so good" could have been easily 'The first Power Pop anthem' if was released at that time. The rest is quite the same, Very Mccartney in total, similar to Mcca's early solo albums, sometimes even better.

What might have been
There's that mixture of joy and sadness again, last heard in Bryan McLean's madly-inspired home demos (Ifyoubelievein). This batch of almost-theres and not-quites works wonderfully as a melancholic souvenir of Ham's could-have-been-brilliant career, which was tragically cut short by his suicide. This second collection of private tapes is a trip to a better musical place --- for both Badfinger obsessives and pop lovers who never really cared about the group or its wonderful guitarist/writer. A listen to such beautiful works-in-progress as Dawn, Where Will You Be and Makes Me Feel Good (two versions of which bookend the disc) should convert even skeptics.

A little disappointing, compared to 7 Park Avenue
It is true that Pete Ham was a great songwriter, and that is easily obvious on the first CD,"7 Park Avenue". This compilation though, is far less consistent. You can tell they were scraping the bottom of the bucket to put together this one. No doubt about it. Many of the songs sound unfinished or are instances where Pete is just fooling around with an instrument such as the drums, not even playing an actual song, with voices in the background sometimes. There ARE a few good solid songs here such as "A Lonely Day", Dawn, Without You, I'm so Lonely, but the 7 Park Avenue CD is a much better place to start if you're new to Pete Ham's music. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Beautiful music
If you like, even just like, acoustic guitar you will like this record. The perfect record for a candlelight dinner or peaceful quite evenings. I love just about every song on this record. Lovely, intricate guitar playing.

Listening to this record on the couch, with the lights off and my eyes closed, makes me feel like I am lying by a crackling creek, in the grass, under a blue sky, temperature about 80 degrees, when I was ten years old.

Disappointing compared to the first volume
The sound quality is great and the playing is top-notch. However, only a handful of tracks here (including "Caroline, No" Elliot Easton, "Liz & Opie" Victor Wooten, "Wings of the Morning" Doyle Dykes and maybe one or two more) seem inspired. Taken on it's own terms, the collection overall sounds pleasant enough but the weaker tracks come across as being here just for the project theme- to demo the Taylor Guitar sound. If you can only get one of the two volumes, Vol. 1 is absolutely the one to go with. This one is for serious guitar enthusiasts only or music collectors/completists who want these tracks because they may not be available elsewhere.

A big disappointment--not at all what I was looking for
I bought this album primarily for Clint Black's "Something that we do". The excellent customer reviews convinced me to buy this album instead of a regular Clint Black album. I was sorely disappointed to find that all the songs on here are strictly instrumental versions. Why in God's name would anyone play a version of "Something that we do" without the words? Not that the tune isn't wonderful, but all the meaning is in the lyrics! I'm baffled, and angry that I can't return the CD since it's not at all what I wanted.

When I got past my frustration and listened to the rest of the album, I still didn't see what all the fuss was about. Yes, the recording quality is excellent, and the playing is fine. A few of the songs are winners, but many of them sounded very generic to me--not very inventive or original. Maybe some of these are also songs that have lost their meaning by having the lyrics omitted.

WindHam Hill & Taylor Guitars!
I own both the 1st "wood & steel" compilation CD and the 2nd effort. All I can say, is they might be the BEST solo guitar, finger-style compilations produced. This is a fantastic production from renouned new age label WindHam Hill. All players are playing their Taylors'. What a great idea!

As an owner of a Taylor 512, and fan of many of these artists, i found these compilations to be essential to my collection.

You wont be disappointed.

I love this album.
This is music that isn't boring, not like classical.You can appreciate the quality and simplicity of the music without being distracted from what you are doing. I can actually read and be productive while listening to this. No words/lyrics at all make this a wonderful option for people who want instrumental music occasionally but don't particularly like classical or jazz. I am an old pop/rock die hard, but this album, I LOVED. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Always out of place, the Flamin Groovies were almost always great. When San Francisco was drowning in late-'60s hippie excess, the Groovies responded with tight, riff-heavy pop songs such as "Teenage Head" and "High-Flyin' Baby." Predictably enough, not too many people noticed. So what do the Groovies do? They move to England, transform themselves into a hard-rocking, jangly merseybeat outfit, and release the critically acclaimed Shake Some Action. The year was 1976, a period better known for punk than for retro-pop. Oh well and too bad for the Groovies, but not so bad for us, as this collection demonstrates. With should-have-been hits like "You Tore Me Down" and "Slow Death," Groovies' Greatest Grooves is the perfect introduction to San Francisco's most accomplished misfits. --Percy Keegan ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Props & dues
One of the few releases of the Flamin' Groovies where the artists are actually getting paid by the record company. Most of the rest on the market are bootlegs and artist ripoffs. Another exception is Norton's "Slow Death" released in 2002.

A must have!
I can't remember why I ended up buying this album but it is certainly one of my favorites. The entire collection is excellent but stand outs "Slow Death" and "Tallahassee Lassie" get some heavy rotation (and additional volume) at home. Another reviewer suggested the group "Radio Birdman" for people who like the Groovies and in a strange coincidence, I'm listening to their "Essential '74-78" CD as I write this review. Check both of these bands out!

Desde Gijón con una botella de sidra
¡Qué pena da ver a un grupo tan GRANDE y con unas canciones tan cautivadoras sumido en el más profundo de los olvidos! Si realmente te gusta el power-pop, éste es el grupo por el que tendrías que empezar y éste es el álbum indicado para ello. Son seguramente la referencia del pop vigoroso que se hacía en los 70's junto con los ingleses BADFINGER (fantásticos también).

El álbum ofrece un recorrido por sus mejores años con Sire Records y añade también algunos de sus clásicos anteriores a esa etapa; además ofrece un repaso a su biografía, que siempre se agradece. Son 24 canciones del mejor power-pop que puedes escuchar: voces armónicas y con buen gusto, ritmos contagiosos que te invitan a bailar, melodías pegadizas, ... ¿Qué más se puede pedir? Aunque sólo sea por verle "el careto" a Cyril Jordan, ya merece la pena comprarlo (los dibujos están muy conseguidos). ¿Recomendable? Todo el álbum, de principio a fin, sin desperdicio (como la buena sidra). ¡A tu salud!

Gosh, where could I start?
Flamin' groovies are quite possibly the best "classic rock" band you've never heard of... Being a cult band they never hit commercial success. Why? Well, because they played the wrong kind of music (bluesy rock 'n' roll, with a pinch of British Invasion in the mix) in an era which was soon going to be dominated by "hippie culture and raga-rock freakouts" as the All Music Guide states. Let's be honest: most alleged "classic" rock sounds outdated and definitely overrated but the Flamin' are just as good today as they were 30 years ago! This collection contains truly their best songs and is therefore the record to own!

A Compilation Somewhat Flawed But Worthwhile
The Flamin' Groovies were like two separate bands. The first with original vocalist Roy Loney is grossly under showcased here with just the classics "Teenage Head" and "Slow Death" as a token nod to a line-up that actually made the group's best music. This collection mainly highlights the albums by the Loney-less later line up led by guitarist Cyril Jordan and vocalist Chris White whose biggest claim to fame is the proto- power pop classic/anthem "Shake Some Action" included here along with an overview of the rest of that line-up's output which owes a lot to the mid sixties Beatles and maybe more to The Byrds jangly Rickenbacker 12 string sound. As they went on the original ideas became less and less and they did a lot of cover versions (Beatles, Stones, Byrds, Dylan etc.). Still this compilation is a fun rock n'roll party record, but a little more of the earlier stuff would've been nice. ... Read more

Album Description

The biggest debut album this year is again from Detroit. Wendy Case´s THE PAYBACKS are real Detroit R&R with capital letters. With a killer sound full of energy and fantastic songs these guys and gal are destined to become instante favorites. Also feat. Hentchmen members JOHN AND MIKE AND ROCKET 455 power guitarist MARCO. Their cut on the sympathy from the record insdustry Detrot Comp left everyone begging for more and here it is: ROCK’N’ROLL BABY! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Over and over
See them live, buy the cd. It will stay in your cd player and this band will make it big as soon as one song/video gets airplay.
No tracks disappoint. It is hard to compare them to anyone--the wendy o' and jett comparisons are fair but I don't feel they do them Justice. Their sound is FAR more tight and there is no pop crap on this disc.
I wouldn't give many CD's five stars.....

Rock and Freaking Roll!!!!
AFter seeing this band live a few times, I purchased the CD and found that.........it kicks some major ass!!!! There is not one tune on the record that will dissapoint. Buy it! Buy it now!!! But it now and jam it loud!!!

Forget About "The New Seattle" - Let's Dance!
We Detroiters have been spoiled over the years, and some would even say we've affected a snotty elitism when it comes to music. But it's hard to be humble with something this infectious rearing its ugly head above the grime and rust. The Paybacks, fuelled by the hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold vocals of Wendy Case (who sounds as if she could whip Britney, Christina, and Avril in a four-woman, over-the-top-rope battle royal), turns in a brash set which alternates between sloppy and melodic and although we've heard these three chords a million times over, they never get old when delivered with such enthusiasm and swagger. In a perfect world, songs like "If I Fell" and "Don't Lay It On Me" would be leaving skidmarks all over the radio, although I'm sure the afterburn would be too much for programmers to handle. Chrissie Hynde has to be crying over her tofu burger somewhere...

"Knock Loud" knocked me on my
This is a GREAT rock album. Plain and simple.

Real rock, with guitar, bass, drums, snarly vocals, and terrific songs. Lead singer Wendy Case sounds like a combination of Wendy O. Williams and Joan Jett, and that's a fine thing. The tunes take the melodic sensibility of Cheap Trick, add some early Alice Cooper guitars, and turn it into what should be the standard-bearer for rock these days. This CD stayed in my player for a month and never wore out its welcome.

Buy it. Really. Right now. You will love it.

Did I mention that it's a ROCK album? ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Let's see a reissue of the original albums!
Phil Seymour was half of the great 1970's power pop act The Dwight Twilley Band, who were friends with Tom Petty and contributed one of the 70's great singles - "I'm On Fire".This collection touches on some of his solo career, but foolishly ignores his 2nd album entirely (he only made 2 albums!!!)The first album is represented by 3 (perfect) songs, and the rest are rarities.It is still a good collection and great showcase for Seymour's energetic vocals.

Best Tracks:
"Baby It's You" - The song that made me adore Phil Seymour as a pop talent.Peppy, energetic, and hook-laden, this song is about as perfect as power pop gets.
"Let Her Dance" - An updated version of the Bobby Fuller classic.
"Precious To Me" - Phil's only hit single - a self-penned classic with a singalong chorus.
"The First Mistake I Ever Made" - Cover of the Barry Gibb ballad that is totally worth hearing.
"Running" - Uptempo pop number (check out that sax!) done by Phil and the Textones.
"Just A Matter Of Time" - One of the rarities that makes this type of collection essential.Originally a soundtrack tune, this wouldn't have sounded out of place on either of Phil's albums or even the Candy album "Whatever Happened To Fun".Great vocals, arrangement, and melody.

This CD is a must have for any Power Pop Fan
An interesting compilation of the late great Phil Seymour, Classic tracks from the self titled Debut are missing, included are "Baby It's You" "Precious To Me" and "Let Her Dance". Ageneral spectrum is represented, more Rarities than hits.This CD takesyou through from the Dwight Twilley Band's "Looking For TheMagic" through rarities such as Tom Petty's "Save Me" theTextones' "Running" and the last tracks recorded before Phil'suntimely death at age 42. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

This one's a loud rocker that won't let you catch your wind!
This album should have been titled "One After Another", as one loud, thrashy, almost abrasive song after another assaults your ears. Don't try this one if you're feeling mellow. The songs still contain Cheap Trick's trademark melodies, but Robin Zander uses his harsher vocal style on all the songs, including the powerful anthemic ballad "If You Want My Love". A very cohesive album, all the songs contain very loud, driving drum tracks, and loud, almost screaming, backup vocals. Contains the Sophomoric, yet undeniably catchy and clever lyrical hit "She's Tight", plus original and innovative songs like the eerie pulsating "Saturday at Midnight" and the technodriver "I Want Be Man". Cheap Trick has an album for everyone, and headbangers will enjoy this one.

Fire The Producer
Early 80's album from one of my all-time favorite bands, Cheap Trick. Album has many good songs but suffers badly from poor production (ie. bad sound) by Roy Thomas Baker. Long gone is the combination of power and SUBTLETY that made Cheap Trick's early records so great. This record has two volumes...loud & louder. Hey Producer Baker, ever heard of a little thing called 'dynamics'? The obnoxious wall of screaming vocals and screeching guitars (not to mention the terrible machine-like drum sound) is just too much. Bun E. Carlos, one of rock's best drummers, is reduced to sounding like a cheesy drum-machine. All of this is a shame because She's Tight, If You Want My Love, and the title track are very good songs. In fact, I Want Be Man is the only dud in terms of songs. If producer Tom Werman, the man responsible for Cheap Trick's early (and best) records had been behind the board for One On One, the results could have been great. Of all the producers Cheap Trick has worked with, Werman obviously understood them the best. But try to overlook the poor sound of One On One and enjoy the songs.

An Essential Cheap Trick Album
I've read so many BAD reviews about "One on One" that I had to voice out what I really think about this often overlooked CHEAP TRICK album. Fisrt of all, this has to be one of their (if the not, THEIR)heaviest albums. The production, as you might read somewhere else, is NOT crappy. Roy Thomas Baker produced this, so if you think this stinks, well, the same might go for QUEEN (after all it's the SAME producer!). It's got a very loud guitar and drums sound, with some songs sounding even techno oriented ("Saturday At Midnight"). The album opens with a the very powerful "I Want You", a song that wears the "Power Pop" badge with pride and the type of style that Cheap Trick became best known for. The title track follows with the same intensity, with a nice metal ovetone. "If You Want My Love" is the mandatory ballad, with a nice vintage sound. It may remind you of what the BEATLES might have sounded like had they recorded with modern equipment. "She's Tigh" is another Pop-Metal masterpiece (Glam rockers POISON stole this riff and used it in "Talk Dirty To Me"!). We hear the band expanding on their sound in songs like the Techno-dance oriented, "Saturday At Midnight", achieving a memorable and catchy melody, and on the punkish "Love's gotta hold on me". "I Want Be Man" is another hard driving rocker with some futuristic sounds thrown in for good measure and the album's closer, "Four Letter Word" is an all-out-heavy metal affair that sounds like a mix of AC/DC and MOTORHEAD. "One on One" has to be one of CHEAP TRICK's most versatile albums. It retains that special flavor that made them classics, but dares to venture into new territory in a convincing way. This is a much better album compared to latter releases,which saw the band writing with a laid back and conventional approach. If you want to hear a revitalized Cheap Trick, then THIS is the album to own!

Some Great Songs, Poor Production
Despite coming up with some killer songs for the follow-up to the poorly received "All Shook Up," Cheap Trick took another misstep when Roy Thomas Baker robbed them of all subtlety. Fortunately, Rick Nielsen still had plenty of tricks up his songwriting sleeve. It makes the first half of "One On One" pure Cheap Trick, but just after the terrific "She's Tight" ends, Baker's misguided production sabotages what's left. For whatever reason, he tried to make the band come off like The Cars on "Saturday At Midnight" and "I Want Be Man." Bun E. was never a drummer with a robotic sound, and here he sounds like a machine. Thank heaven that such lines like "turned the door and opened the key" or songs like "If You Want My Love" or "Four Letter Word" are here to remind us exactly why Cheap Trick was (and remains!) an American Rock Treasure. But kinda like the album to follow, (Todd Rundgren's massively underproduced "Next Position Please"), "One on One" is a batch of great songs that needed a great producer. Roy Thomas Baker wasn't the man.

and gone was the subtlety...
Well, what to say... the eighties weren't all that good for a huge trickfan like me. I am very curious what another producer would have made from this album, and what the precise influence of Tom Peterson (the bassplayer) on other albums is (he is absent here, basses were played by Rick 'guitarstar' Nielsen). I think Tom is a bigger influence then most people think he is. And the PRODUCTION REALLY, REALLY [is not good]. But Cheap Trick were slipping into a long period of bad sounding, typical american eighties rock of which the contours began to see the light in this album, i.e. the machinelike, really cold drumsound, and an overall lack of warmth in production. YUCK!! I'd rather be playing ALL the albums 'till this one instead, and their selftitled 1997 album, or the new one (yet to be released) Special One. Or all of their live-albums, which are all really great too. Dunnot buy this one, only the quality of most of the songs is good, but they were killed in this ugly production. I warned ya! ... Read more

Album Description

The band's 1974 album & their first for Warner Brothers. 12 tracks, including 'I Miss You', 'Shine On' and 'Love Is Easy'. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Badfinger - A Strong Album with a few Misses!
Badfinger had signed to Warner Brothers around 72/73 before the release of their final Apple-album "Ass". The recordings for the first album for their new company began in June 73, with Chris Thomas as the producer. The title for the new album changed twice during its creation. Originally it was to be called "Wish You Were Here"; that title was later changed to "For Love Or Money" and finally the album ended up just as "Badfinger". The album has often been critizised for being rushed and inconsistant; and is often considered one of the band's weakest , which doesn't neccessarily mean that is a weak album - in fact none of their albums are.

Most of the music on this album comes as a logical continuation of "Ass". This doesn't mean that no new grounds are explored - on the contrary. On Pete's "Matted Spam" the band experiments with funky/jazzy rhythms and Tom's "Why Don't We Talk" doesn't sound like anything they'd done before; the song is quite Lennon like and features a short but great guitar solo from Pete. This is one thing characterising the album: some very inspired leadguitar parts by Pete Ham ( he played almost all lead on it). Pete is also the main contributor of songs, and among them is the majestic "Lonely You" would have been a logical choice for a single. Unfortunately Warner chose Molland's "Love is Easy", which although it had a good guitar-riff, suffered from strained vocals and a production that sounded unfinished; the song also lacks variation in rhytm and melody. The second single "I Miss You" was an almost equally poor choice. The song doesn't have a hit-potential at all, but it's certainly a fine album-track. Its B-side "Shine On"; similar to "I'll Be The One" in style and sound; would have been a much better choice. Mike Gibbins wrote "My Heart Goes Out" for the album and for the first time Mike really shows his songwriting abilities, the song was easily his strongest contribution to Badfinger so far. All in all the album Badfinger is really a very good album; much better than its reputation. It contains several very strong tracks, some good tracks and - admitted a few weak/unfinished tracks (Andy Norris / Love is Easy ).

My favourites: Lonely You, Shine On, Song For A Lost Friend, Where Do We Go From Here and My Heart Goes Out

Hitless, but a good "album" album.
Though it doesn't have the continuity of its predecessor, the underrated Ass, Badfinger's debut on the Warner Bros. label has the one thing that Ass was greatly missing: Pete Ham compositions (he sang lead on only two tracks on Ass)! The sound may be a bit muddy, I believe due to the fact that the master tapes do not exist anymore, but all the instruments can still be clearly heard.
As always, Pete's contributions are the best (and most commercial) and Joey's are the heaviest & roughest. The piano- & organ-laden "I Miss You" seems like a strange choice for an opening track, but it works for this album, as most of the best tracks are the laid-back ones. "Shine On" is an energetic slight rocker with light instrumentation and guitars which seem to leap out of the speakers. "Matted Spam" breaks the mood of the album (without killing it) with its horns and bouncy melody. While a few of the middle tracks may be a bit generic by the band's standards, the album truely takes off about 70% of the way through. Mike breaks out of the drummer's mold and contributes one of the best tracks, "My Heart Goes Out," a song which I find to be indescribably beautiful. Pete's "Lonely You" is possibly the best song on the album, and I think could have been a great hit for someone with a more commercial voice. Joey's "Give It Up" juxtaposes hushed verses with a heavy chorus whose opening guitar chord seems to jump in out of nowhere.
While Badfinger may be an uneven effort, it's certainly a worthy addition to the band's discography. Don't overlook it just because the CD is only available via import--it's worth every cent.

Uneven self titled 5th studio album deserves 3 1/2 stars
Nothing like being under the gun to 1) Stress you out 2)Cause writer's block 3)Create enough friction to start a fire and 4)Cause members to leave. That's what happened to Badfinger during their brief tenure with Warner Brothers Records. They recorded three albums (only two of which were initially released. Head First finally appeared about two years ago)none of which received any push from Warner at the time. Why? They were talented, had a couple of hits and bestselling albums. What's more, they managed to help invent power pop and produce two incredible albums all within two years. It all comes down to the size of the pond; they were big fish in a small pond at Apple Records. At Warner, they were out of their element and lost.

Badfinger finds the band casting for direction. Ass, their last album for Apple had been recorded nearly a year before but came out within a couple of months of their latest album. This contributed to the confusion. What's worse, is the writing crisis effecting their most talented songwriter; Pete Ham suddenly thought he could do no right.

A cliched observation about this album is really true; Badfinger is the band's White Album. The production by Chris Thomas is fine for the most part although a number of production gimmicks do distract a bit from the quality of the songs. Still, some of the sonic experiments were interesting. The truth is that the band was exhausted. Their new contract required them to turn out an enormous amount of product within a short span of time (2 albums a year plus 2 singles--not too dissimilar from the early Beatles situation. However, of The Beatles first five albums only one consisted of all original material).

The music has a number of stunning moments chief among them the Ham & Evans collaboration Shine On, Ham's Lonely You and Song For A Lost Friend all are strong songs. The weakest of the bunch Lonely You has a stunning vocal arrangement that makes up for the more mundane melody. Joey Molland shines on the amazing Give It Up and the unfinished Love Is Easy. Unfortunately, there's a bit too much filler on the album. The ambitious, uncertain direction of the album makes it one of Badfinger's more challenging listens but, like many flawed albums, the highlights more than make up for the weakest moments.

The next album Wish You Were Here would be the band's finest hour. Sadly, virtually no one heard it when it was first released and it's only available as an import.

Badfinger didn't know its own strength
After STRAIGHT UP, the Badfinger album for which I reach most often is the band's self-titled 1974 release, BADFINGER. I don't know why BADFINGER isn't considered among the group's strongest records. Excellent songs "Where Do We Go from Here?," "Matted Spam," "Shine On," "Give It Up," and "Lonely You" anchor the album. Then there's "My Heart Goes Out," "Andy Norris," and "Love Is Easy," three others that, while not great, sound good. That's eight worthwhile songs. If only every album had that much good music.

As I understand, even Badfinger members Pete Ham, Mike Gibbins, Tom Evans and Joey Molland were unhappy with the results of BADFINGER. I guess there's nothing wrong with being your own toughest critic. But I think BADFINGER proves a great showcase of the band's songwriting and musicianship. Miss BADFINGER at your own risk.

An Overlooked Gem
Badfinger's debut for the Warner Brother's label is often overlooked when discussing the band's best albums. Though it was released in early 1974 only three months after their final Apple album (1973's ASS), it is a fine collection of songs. Unsuprisingly, the best tracks are Pete Ham's contributions: the melancholy "I Miss You" and equally pensive "Lonely You," the moving "Song for a Lost Friend," and the uptempo "Shine On" (co-written with Tom Evans). Ham also wrote the horn-driven R&B number "Matted Spam," but it is by far the weakest and least Badfinger-sounding track on the disc.

Tom Evans turns in a couple lovely ballads, "Why Don't We Talk" and "Where Do We Go From Here?" The only real rocker on the album is Joey Molland's "Andy Norris," but his best song is the mournful "Give it Up." But perhaps my favorite song of the album is Mike Gibbins'gorgeous "My Heart Goes Out." It is certainly as strong a track as any of Ham's on the album.

I've owned this album since it first came out on vinyl and only recently purchased it on CD. Like their other WB album, Wish You Were Here, it is not available domestically. And while Rhino's Best of Vol. 2 culled many of these two albums' best tracks (including four tracks from Head First), any true fan will want the entire albums. The price of this import is certainly worth it. RECOMMENDED ... Read more