Reviews (6)

Uranium¿235 fuel for the nuclear soul
The Vapors have demonstrated by the artistic ability to hold fast to the claim, "one of the Fathers of New Way". The Vapors and A Flock of Seagulls arguably could be deemed as the reason for the 80's onslaught of great music. In the beginning, God created the Vapors and A Flock of Seagulls who begat all others!

Bottom line, buy this CD, crank it up, air-guitar yourself into a frenzy and hold your head high!

I'm Dumbfounded
Why isn't this band here today? I'm trying not to be nostalgic, but the pure pop melodies, the seering guitars and mature, thoughtful lyrics add up to so much more, and deserve to be so much more than a forgotten album from 1980. There is so much good music on this album besides Turning Japanese that it is difficult to understand how this band, and David Fenton particularly, could have just faded away. This is a great album; a seminal new wave record.

A real Vapors fan must have put this CD together.
The company releasing this CD and the Magnets CD I must give my utmost acknowledgement as they put everything by the Vapors on these two CD's. Before these were released I had three other Vapors CD's that filled in gaps but this CD and Magnets are now the only Vapors CD's you will need.

The New Clear Day cd features the British release that included two songs, Cold War and America not found on the US edition, but also this cd includes Prisoner that was on the US edition but not the British! Bonus tracks include the single remixes and B-sides such as the fantastic songs Here Comes the Judge (live) and Billy, and the single remix of Waiting for The Weekend is also fantastic and included here. Also included is Talk Talk and Wasted, and Sunstroke. I couldn't have done it better, simply a must have.

The Magnets CD is the same story. This also features the singles except it doesn't inlude the Spiders single, which to be honest is very similar to the original, only hardcore Vapor fans can hear slight differences. So my advice is to get these two Vapors CD's and your mission accomplished. Though if you are really a completist, David Fenton, the lead member who composed most of the songs, did release a single after the band brokeup in 1983, tracks are Fresh Air and Buried in Snow, but to be honest, not up to his normal par.

No One-Hit Wonders Here!
I've loved this album from the day I bought it in the summer of 1980! David Fenton had a knack for writing clever and quirky Pop/New Wave songs, and this album is loaded with them. Apart from their big hit "Turning Japanese" (a song I can STILL listen to over and over and not get tired of even 22 years later!), some of the standout tracks here are "Letter From Hiro" (my personal favorite), "Sixty Second Interval", and the great "Waiting For The Weekend", certainly a song myself and countless other people can relate to!

"New Clear Days" really set The Vapors apart from other New Wave bands of the late 70's and early 80's, but unfortunately, they never achieved more than a cult following, despite the success of "Turning Japanese". They released only one other album "Magnets" in 1981 before disbanding; who knows, maybe greater success would've found them had they stayed together. But even though their career was brief, they put together a classic album, and this is it!

Nuclear Days
It's about time. Woking has produced two great bands: The Jam and the Vapors. The Vapors were tagged with the BIG hit and never recovered from the novelty. The Vapors were more than the mega-hit "Turning Japanese," and this album ceratinly porves the point. NCD is paved with circular guitar hooks sent from heaven. Must have been in the water down in Surrey.

I am glad to see that we Americans finally get the CD reissued and we can hear the extra tracks! I cannot wait. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

One of the best Canadian exports
I got this CD back in '89 (when hair metal bands and NKOTB had a lock on the charts) and was thoroughly blown away. Smart songwriting, great hooks and some awesome harmonies dominate this release. It's hard to single out any one song as a high or low point as this is a very consistantly good CD. The thing that is baffling is that this album should have stormed the charts over here but it didn't even make a dent. It did go platinum in Canada but I think it just barely made gold status here (Gold hasn't really meant anything since the early eighties) if that. What makes that weirder is that everyone I played this to loved it right away (and alot of them were into the hair bands) and promptly asked "How come I've never heard of them?" As far as I know this album had little to no promotion here in the states which is too bad (subsequent albums got even less attention) as I think this would be regarded as a classic power pop album by now... It is to me. Sadly, with the lack of sales, this means that all their releases are out of print (although I think that this one is still available in Canada) which in turn means that finding their stuff may be a chore as I have never seen anything in the used bins (Probably easier in the big cities). But the reward from this album is worth the search. Their second, "One Sided Story", is only a half step behind "Love Junk". "The Downward Road" (Their third) while good, lacks the spark of the first two and can be a bit depressing in comparison but is still worth looking for. Never heard the last two so I can't comment on them. Now, start digging.

Great debut from TPOH!
A great state-side debut from this fine band. Moe Berg really shows his songwriting skills, even if the songs don't deviate much from sex and relationships. Most of these songs will have you humming in no time flat. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

I love you so far ...
Matthew Sweet is the best thing that's ever happened to music and this collection is the formidable proof. The real gem is "So Far," one of the two new songs, which sonically is a deft blend of "Superbaby" from 100% Fun and "What Matters" from In Reverse. "So Far" is a beautiful carpe diem masterpiece. If the past is filled with pain and the future is filled with uncertainty, know that "I love you so far, I love you today, and that's all that matters. Time is running away." I think I've found a new favorite Matthew Sweet song, and between "So Far" and the excellent quality of this collection I can't wait for his next studio album. (Buy this for "So Far," because it's worth, and then buy all of his other albums, too.) Enjoy.

Huge Sweet Fan...What a Great Album!
It's so nice having most of Matthew's best stuff on ONE CD. That's not to dismiss the rest of the songs that didn't make it. Still, I absolutely LOVE "Ready" & hadn't heard it before this album. (I know, some Sweet fan, huh?) "Where You Get Love" is amazing as I've also heard a live version of this one & it only gets better.

Don't wait another minute before picking up this album. You won't be disappointed! (unless you were wanting mushy gooshy bubblegum pop or death metal)

Sweet as a nut
Matthew Sweet is a brilliant musician always nearly there but not quite. Unlike most fans who prefer his earlier music I am a fan of his later stuff which I find slightly more Poppy and more accessible. He really hits his straps on his slower tunes like "If Time Permits" which sounds like the Thorns to me. Funny that since he`s in the Thorns. Some of his Power Pop riffs are good too but unkind in terms of categorising an artist who shouldn`t be categorised. If you are a fan of `90`s Power Pop or slightly alternative rock or alt. country check out this example of Matthew Sweet. All his good tunes like "Girlfriend, Devil with the Green Eyes" are here from his earlier period. This is the best way to get into his thing.

rock
Dc101 used to play "sick of myself" all the time when i was about 9 years old and they (like most radio stations do) played it so much i stopped even noticing it. Now that i hear the song about six years later it seems so much better than i remember it.

In a word.......Sweet!
This was a very pleasant suprise. I often had the idea that the pop/rock of "Matthew Sweet" was something I would like, but it wasn't until I got this cd that I realized how good he is. Of course I knew "Girlfriend" and "Sick of Myself", but after my first listen, I found out that I also knew "I've been Waiting", "Time Capsule", and the awesome "Where you get Love". Plus the songs I hadn't heard, I now enjoy just as much. I'm really glad I got "Time Capsule". It's perfect for the casual fan, and will make your cd collection just that much more "Sweet". ... Read more

Album Description

UK reissue of the power pop act's third album, originally issued in 1974, packaged in a digipak with original artwork. RPM. 2005. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

One of the great lost rock 'n roll albums
Perhaps sensing that their days as a band were numbered, the Raspberries dropped the white-suited goody-two-shoes bubblegum act and produced their best (and final) album, 1974's "Starting Over". This last hurrah is a vague concept album about the hopes and realities of being in a rock 'n roll band, from Eric Carmen's proud determination to create an immortal hit record (the hit, "Overnight Sensation"), to Wally Bryson's jaded-but-knowing "The Party's Over". The Raspberries hold very little back: "All Through the Night" has Carmen coldly mocking and tossing aside a groupie, and the drunken Beatles' campfire of "Hands On You" is no less sexist (but entertaining). The finale title track bursts with melody, but Eric Carmen deliberately torpedoes any chance of commercial air-play with the opening line "I used to be so f***ing optimistic". This was not the same "scratch-and-sniff" album-cover Raspberries from before.

Amongst the unusual candor, the Raspberries come up with three remarkable tributes to their 60's pop idols: "I Don't Know What IWant" is a neat, very Who-like teen-angst rocker; "Rose Colored Glasses" is a beautiful, unusual psychedelic ballad, recalling the Beatles but sounding not at all derivative; and "Crusin' Music" is an absolutely sensational Beach Boys' pastiche that easily surpasses the earlier and much better-known "Drivin' Around". It's one of the best Beach-Boys takeoffs I've ever heard, right up there with the Beatles' "Back In the USSR" and the Cowsill's "Indian Lake".

"Starting Over" is certainly up there with the "great lost rock albums" of the 1970's.

The fantastic finale!
I hated to see this album end.Starting Over was a great way to kick off the new Raspberries, but the fun ended almost as soon as it started.Despite being ranked as one of the great albums of 1974, it didn't sell terribly well, and the band fell apart at the seams.After this, Eric would follow the unfortunate path toward adult easy listening with a few exceptions over the years such as the Tonight You're Mine album.Solid stuff, but kind of like being served a McDonalds cheeseburger when you were expecting a New York Strip.Starting Over is a great album from start to finish with only Wally's unfortunately prophetic "Party's Over" sounding anything like filler."Overnight Sensation" is one of the great achievements of the AM era and I've always suspected that only it's length kept it from being the smash that it deserved to be.Scott McCarl's two contributions "Play On" and "Rose Coloured Glasses" definitely make one wonder what might have lay ahead for the fifth album.More than one of my friends mistook "I Don't Know What I Want" for a lost Who track and Michael McBride's furious mugging of his drum kit left little doubt that he could ably fill Jim Bonfanti's shoes.I don't know that this song ever got any kind of airplay, but I don't know how it didn't.(Can you tell it's my favorite from the album?)"Cruisin' Music" is further proof that Eric Carmen wrote better Beach Boys tunes than Brian Wilson in 1974, and the album closer "Starting Over" is another of the group's classic tracks.To this day, listening to Starting Over makes me think that four albums were far too few for the band to get the message across, and I've always wished for more.Thirty years later, that just might happen.(And I think Scott McCarl should get an invite if it does.) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Very trippy and hard rocking!
One of many oustanding albums released by a very underrated band. This album is kind of an ode to the Beatles in some of the more trippy and "out there" tunes. However, the band turns around on songs like "Last Cigarette" and just rocks the house. Hard not to like the album or this band, plenty of hooks and creative lyrics. If you get a chance to pick this one up, do it, it will fast become a mainstay in your CD player. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

An underrated performer!
Rick Springfield is one of the most prolific artists from the 1980's. What people don't understand is that Jessie's Girl is amongst the worst of his songs. It's pure bubblegum. Rock of Life is one of Rick's best 3 albums, along with Tao and Hard To Hold. This album should be reprinted and put back into circulation again. I hear the refrains of Rock of Life and I can feel the power and sorrow Rick was feeling at the thought that his father would not see his grandchildren. If you can find this CD for a good price, get it!

Rock of Life - Rocking Rick Springfield
Great energetic cd - love Tear it All Down & Rock of Life, beautiful Tiger by the Tail and Honeymoon in Beirut and Woman. This cd epitomizes the changes people go thru in life and how they struggle & succeed in dealing with them - very positive cd. Listen to song samples & then buy it!

Under Rated CD
It seems that when you say the name Rick Springfield, everyone thinks of the song Jessie's Girl. Well, there was a Rick Springfield way before that single and way after it. It's too bad that they only felt that the title track was worthy of being a single. This disc is true RS rock. And to make a correction to the other review of this CD. The disc is out of stock, not out of print. There is a big difference. But if you do want this CD, you'll have to check around in your local CD stores or, dare I say it, the cut out bins. And as a personal request. It sure would be nice to one day see the albums 'Beginnings 1972, Comic Book Heroes 1973, and 'Wait For Night 1976 released on CD. Maybe as a three disc set? Hey Rhino records you guys listening?

OUT OF PRINT?? WHY?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?
Ok, please over look all the POP that Rick has put out! This IS his best album. I just do not understand why, this cd is out of print? It's wonderful!
If you dont have this cd , if you can find it for a good price get it! ... Read more

Album Description

1996 release on R.P.M. featuring the first two albums by Eric Carmen's early '70s power pop group together on one CD,the 1972 Capitol LPs 'Raspberries' and 'Fresh Raspberries'. 19 tracks total, including the top five smash 'Go All The Way', the top 20 'I Wanna Be With You' and the hits 'Let's Pretend' & 'Don't Want To Say Goodbye'. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Time to pick the Raspberries
This poor band was so overlooked. Maybe it was their name or maybe it was the scratch and sniff albums that caused people's allergies to go haywire or whatever...but they could write and play. Unlike the Beatles, their timing was bad and although they got a big push from Capitol-they even advertised one of their albums on TV-they just didn't catch on in a big way and that utimately caused the band to start fighting with each other and then break up. I mean, bless their hearts, what do you do when you've done what they did and no one likes it? But that is turning around now. Buy this album by the Raspberries if you like great music played by great musicians. The second volume is almost as good.

Don't know why there aren't more releases like this
I managed to track down the individual Japanese releases of the Raspberries on cd, but still picked up this and volume 2 when I saw them. While the Raspberries are probably not everyone's idea of a big '70's band, their four album catalog is filled with more great songs than any piddly greatest hits collection could ever hope to contain, and it's great to see them get the respect that they deserve. While the debut and "Fresh" were marginally weaker than "Side 3" and "Starting Over" on the companion volume to this set, they've still got some great moments that shouldn't be missed. Eric Carmen's vocal prowess is usually given a lot of the credit for the Raspberries sound, but Wally Bryson's Rickenbacker and Jim Bonfanti's maniac drumming were equally responsible, and at times carried the show. (Anyone who thinks that Dave Smalley was just along for the ride should pick up a copy of the Choir retrospective, "Choir Practice" on the Sundazed label. Dave was a talent in his own right.) Great stuff, but the best part of this collection may be the incredibly detailed liner notes, which are a great read while the cd spins.
Someone should do this with the first four Eric Carmen cd's.

This is More Like It
This CD compiles the first two Raspberries LPs IN THEIR ENTIRETY. This is a much better option than any "Best Of" compilation, because many of the bands real gems were not singles and are never anthologized....If you are casually familiar with this band, you will be pleasantly blown away after hearing these first two albums. Nearly every song is fantastic. Eric Carmen & Wally Bryson (check out his previous band, THE CHOIR) were Beatles and Brian Wilson worshippers at a time when this was not fashionable. Their prescient knowledge of and admiration for (at the time) commercial failures like "pet sounds" and the entire Left Banke catalog is obvious, and impressive. This band had a self-conscious, Romanticized, self-mythologizing concept of Pop music as a holy grail, similar to Brian Wilson's idea of "Teenage Symphonies to God". In my opinion the high point of this compilation is Carmen's epic "I Can Remember". (Beach Boys fans, note his not-so-subtle but delightful theft of part of the melody from the little-known Beach Boys song "She Knows Me Too Well".) If you like Emmitt Rhodes, Badfinger, The Left Banke, etc, this is a great CD, get this rather than a "Best Of" compilation.

Why Vol.1 & 2?
This CD makes NO SENSE! This CD is filled with FILLER! These songs may be good for hardcore Raspberrie fans but not for those who are unaware! Why have a Vol 1 AND 2? they could have put all the great songs on one CD and called it a "best of"! WAIT! They did...lol..Do yourself a REAL favor and get THE BEST OF RASPBERRIES! That way you can listen all the way thru w/o having to skip the "weaker"(not bad) songs on these CDs!!

Raspberries and Fresh Raspberries
You can't get in the USA. Hello England, God bless you. It was 1972/1973 and the British Invasion was kicking it in North America. As a child I would say with every request that the Beatles were the Artist of the song. But my homeboys fired the savoy back and stemmed the tide. I actually own the vinyls with the first having the scratch and sniff raspberries smell. This CD gives you their first two efforts as well as history on the liner notes. No scratch and sniff, you missed it by 20 plus years, but the energy and the excitement of the time are captured and -- well many can't play vinyl so buy it and relive the edge as if we are all children agian. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jason Falkner established his pop credentials as guitarist with the briefly fashionable San Francisco-based Jellyfish. He brings a similar musical sensibility to Author Unknown, balancing 1980s American new wave and 1960s British pop while dispensing with the spangled flares and silly hats his former group favored. Such modesty is his solo debut's greatest strength and weakness. Falkner is a capable singer and a proficient songsmith, and the better moments here, such as "I Go Astray" and "She Goes to Bed," evoke fond recollections of the first Smithereens album. Unfortunately, too much of the rest of the record errs on the side of earnestness. A little of the gaudy exuberance of Jellyfish's "The King Is Half Undressed," for example, would have been welcome. --Andrew Mueller ... Read more

Reviews (30)

"Nobody Knows" how good this is.
Like many people, I heard of "Jason Falkner" after many years of listening to "Jellyfish". Though this album isn't the caliber of those from his former band, it is similar, and still very good. It's smart alt-pop, well constructed and easy to like. I tend to enjoy the first half of this disc more than the other, but it's all good at the very least. There's also a 12th track on the album called "Untitled", which is actually one of my favorites, and a great ending to a great record. As with most albums, this too gets better with each playing.

A True Five Star Tour de Force
After listening to this album nonstop for the better part of a week, I came away angry that in an era where bands such as Hootie and Vertical Horizon can sell millions, Jason Falkner is treated like a leper. As much as I love Jellyfish, how Andy Sturmer and Roger Manning wouldn't allow any Falkner compositions on "Bellybutton" can only be described as mind-boggling.

While labeled a power-popster, Jason Falkner's appeal goes way beyond that. As he first demonstrated on Ro Sham Bo, the guy is a phenomenal songwriter. And his singing is every bit as good as his composing. "She Goes To Bed" is a nearly perfect pop song that never grows old, and "I Go Astray" has got just about the most irresistible, sing-a-long chorus this side of Lennon/McCartney. While influences such as The Beatles, XTC, etc., are pervasive, Jason Falkner's quirky song structures definitely have a signature sound. If you don't believe me, just check out Brendan Benson's "One Mississippi" and see if you can't spot the tracks that Falkner co-wrote.

But the biggest tribute I can give to this album is that it gets better and better after every listen, the test of a true classic. Maybe that's why JF hasn't reached strasopheric superstardom, because his likeability doesn't depend on some forumulaic, three chord progression that beats you over the head with all the subtleness of a woodpecker and goes bad quicker than an open jar of mayonnaise on a summer afternoon.

For those of you who don't own everything this guy has done, you don't know what you're missing.

Insipid music at its worst
A truly vomitous collection of insipidness. Don't believe the other reviews, which were probably written by Jason Falkner and his close relatives. He found his niche with Bedtime with the Beatles, whose reviews are very positive, at least according to his mother.

Very Enjoyable
Well, I looked into Jason Falkner because I am a huge fan of Jellyfish, and was excited to find out that one of their members had gone on to do some solo work, even if he didn't help write Jellyfish's material. The other reviewers seemed to think Falkner had plenty of merit on his own, and his music wasn't that much different from Jellyfish's, so I had to check it out. All in all, I've been pleased with this album, but I don't like it as much as either of Jellyfish's albums. However, I'll say again that I am a huge fan of Jellyfish and it's not a put down at all to say he isn't as good. I've listened to this album at least a dozen times in the past couple months that I've owned it, which is a lot for me, and enjoyed it very much. I like the first half of this album more than the second, and I love all of the first six songs, with my favorite probably being the last song of the first half, Nobody Knows. Before My Heart Attacks is my least favorite, but I don't think it's supposed to be anybody's favorite. It has kind of a French Pop sound to it. My only other complaint is the last song. It's really good for the first couple minutes, and then the "You may not have been able to change the world..." part kicks in and it becomes very, very repetitive, which I just can't tolerate in a song. One side note here: I really don't judge an album by its lyrical content, only by the musical quality (including the vocals, just not the lyrics). However, if I felt differently I might hate this album, because it really has some of the worst lyrics I've ever heard. Really sometimes they're so bad they're funny. I think Falkner is the first person ever to say "My beautiful darling sweetheart honey-poo" in a song, although maybe that's a bad example because I think that lyric was supposed to be funny. Just a warning to those people who are nuts about lyrics; the music is great on this album, no complaints there.

A Solid Story Line
Well,
This is certainly my favorite Jason record without even a close second place; "Can you still feel" is not in the same category as this collection of songs. These songs are effortless and elegant with less of a self indulgent approach than his latest CD. He has nice use of key changes and tempo changes with simple melody lines, examples of true artistry. He goes astray on "Can you still fee" pushes the songs too hard they sound forced, and the changes and hooks are just cool for cools sake they don't work on me, in fact they wear on me and there's a difference. "Author Unknown" is worthy of any good pop collection, hold of on his other CD's (for now) ... Read more

Reviews (10)

"Comeback Album"
Lap of Luxury would probably have to considered Cheap Trick's comeback album, in that it produced a #1 hit in "The Flame", after a period that had found them at their lowest level commercially. This album is slickly produced, and lacks the raw, rocking sound of a lot of their other albums. The songwriting and lyrics are subpar, but the playing is great. "Let Go" starts the album off well, it's a strong, energetic song with a good chorus. "Never Had A Lot To Lose", Space, and their remake of "Don't Be Cruel" are all solid efforts. However, most of the other songs are lacking for one reason or another, and I find "Ghost Town" to be a dismal, boring ballad, though the members of Cheap Trick are said to enjoy the song. "The Flame" is a rare item, a ballad that has staying power, and even sounds better live when Rick puts more edge into the guitar work. Not a rocker, but an album that should please a very wide range of buyers.

Multi-Platinum Success Costs Cheap Trick Their Class
The time prior to Cheap Trick's 1988 release "Lap of Luxury" must have been a confusing era in the band's history. Since 1980, they had begun a commercial and critical slump, slowly slipping further and further down the charts (and down the approval of critics). But leave it to the fresh and unique Cheap Trick to keep their originality, when most bands in this situation would have conformed to the dreaded 80's pop sound as soon as they could. Though it was clear the band had kept its cool, any band would want at least one hit to pull them out of a slump. Unfortunately, the band bowed to the pressure (it's amazing they survived as long as they did) and with "Lap of Luxury" Cheap Trick employed outside writers to compose a good deal of the album's songs.
Full of synthed-up pop tunes, "Lap of Luxury" is an example of Cheap Trick keeping in step with the times, but in many places, it costs them their class. Nonetheless, Top 40 tracks such as 'The Flame' and an oddball version of Elvis Presely's classic 'Don't Be Cruel' are consummate Cheap Trick performances. Aside from the aforementioned tracks, 'Space' and 'Ghost Town' are two of the album's highlights, while the conformity to the one-dimensional 80's sound is way too evident on 'Never Had a Lot to Lose' and 'Wrong Side of Love' (though 'All We Need is a Dream' is the better of these kinds of songs).
When a band relies too heavily on session musicians to do the composing, it's usually a sign that all is not well. But fortunately for Cheap Trick, they already had a decade's worth of original and unique material under their belt, so the result is not as devastating as it would be with many other bands. And though the outside contributions are too often frustrating, the trick must have worked, for "Lap of Luxury" acheived multi-platinum status, confirming their dramatic re-entrance in US rock and roll.

Thanks, but no thanks.
Most people considered this the Cheap Trick "comeback" album. Sixteen years after the fact I'm forced to admit that it ranks as more of a "go-back" album instead. While Cheap Trick didn't set the music world on fire with most of their 80's releases, it wasn't until the rot set in on the unbelievably sub-par release "The Doctor" that I actively had to search for something good to say about one of their albums. On "The Doctor" I searched but came up empty. "Lap Of Luxury" isn't quite that bad, but it set a bad tone for the releases to follow. I've made dozens of Cheap Trick compilations over the years and "Let Go" was the only song that I included off of LOL. The thing that consistently irritated me with each subsequent release in the 80's and early 90's was the press release that was issued saying how this was the album that took the Trick back to their rockin' roots. Well let me tell ya, this is far from it. I know. I remember.

not their best album but still really good
this album was overall pretty good although there were some weak spots ("wrong side of love" for example). it opens with let go which is a very poppy catchy number (my personal favorite on the album). "no mercy" is ok kind of sounds too much like "she's a beauty" by the tubes. most of this record is written by outside writers and I could spot the ones that were cowritten by the band. i love "never had a lot to lose" and "dont be cruel". "The flame" was a song I used to hate but it grew on me after a few listens. and "all we need is a dream" sounds pretty old school. overall great record not quite up to the dream police standard they set a decade earlier.

A Few Good Songs, But Mediocre At Best
Probably the two most notable tracks on "Lap of Luxury"--or at least the two I hear most often on '80s-oriented radio stations--are #3: "The Flame" (a tireless ballad and popular hit, even after 15 years) and #6: "Don't Be Cruel" (a great Elvis Presley cover--very upbeat). These two songs are also my only favorites on here; the others are mostly misses for me--nothing exceptional. But if you're into '80s pop/melodic rock, then you might like this CD. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Gets lots of play time
I got this album from the clearance bin, never having heard any of the songs on it and not knowing what to expect. I knew they were an indie group from around Seattle so I thought maybe it would be something like Nirvana, but not as good. I was pleasently surprised with the album. The songs are catchy pop songs that you can sing along too, but it still has a raw sort of an edge to it. The lyrics are witty and at times insightful. Since I haven't heard the albums I can't comment on whether these are the best tracks to put on the "best of." However, I can say that most of the tracks here are good, my favorites being "My Big Mouth," "Any Other Way," "Suddenly Mary," "King Midas In Reverse," "Going, Going, Gone," and "Ontario."

Seattle's Finest R.I.P.
The 90s produced some great bands and some great records, much of it bursting forth from the "grunge" scene of Seattle, Washington. But while mosh pits and flannel shirts were the rule of the day, I personally pined for the magnificent power pop of the previous three decades. Like the cavalry came Seattle's Posies, keepers of the flame and heirs apparent to Big Star's pop kingdom. Just as Big Star begat such early 80s wunderkinds as Let's Active, R.E.M. and the Replacements, so did their legacy live on in the spirit of The Posies, not only the freshest and most infectious of Seattle's 90s alumni, but a godsend for those of us who were hoping that Alex Chilton would stop noodling around with his endless string of infuriating covers albums and save the day. This collection is terrific. I own The Posies' entire recorded output (at least all that has been released to the public), and once made myself a "best of" tape compiled of those songs. Every single song that I personally picked for that tape is on this CD. How many times has a "Greatest Hits" album done that for you?

I Gave a Flower to the Garbage Man . . .
. . . He Put My Baby in the Garbage Can.

The Posies were one of the 90s' great overlooked bands. Though they had bags of potential hits and plenty of exposure via tribute comps and soundtracks, they only had one radio song, 93's "I Can Dream All Day," which gives this collection its title. The band was heavily influenced by Big Star, but more by that band's overlooked sonic architect, Chris Bell, than Bell's quirkier, more celebrated collaborator, Alex Chilton, and the Posies' hommage to Bell, a cover of his great lost masterpiece, "I Am the Cosmos," is included here. The Posies didn't merely imitate, though, putting a contemporary spin on the Big Star formula of great hooks and harmonies by rocking harder and playing up the poor, poor pitiful me white boy shtick that was even more suited for contemporary audiences than back when Big Star first did it, but maybe because the Posies' angst came across as more genuine than prefab hucksters like Bush, who affected disaffection so that people might mistake them as credible (sadly, many did), listeners stayed away by the stadium-full, just like with Big Star, though this was probably one characteristic of their heroes that the Posies did not wish to emulate. The production already sounds dated on most 90s albums and this collection is really no exception, but the Posies packed a genuine emotional wallop, rendering this clutch of classics near-timeless. This is a shockingly well-assembled retrospective with no weak spots, making it more valuable than the individual albums; virtually all of their key tracks are here -- "Suddenly Mary," "Solar Sister," "Flavor of the Month," "Please Return It" (though I could've done with the inclusion of "Daily Mutilation," personally, but I won't quibble) -- along with some great unexpected album tracks like "Coming Right Along" and the epic "Flood of Sunshine."

Not really the best of the Posies
As much as I love the Posies, I still can't give this album five stars. The best of collection, contains of only the "best" of only 3 of the 5 releases. I would rather advice fans to buy all the albums befors buying this, and to people just starting to listen to the Posies, to buy their last album, Success.

Amazing Pop
I have been following the Posies for years, I can honestly say that pound for pound Jon Auer, and Ken Stringfellow write some of the best edgy/pop for the money. Their lyrics and music combined are as addicting as anything I can think of. If you love the harmonies of the Beatles mixed with the sound of the Hollies, than you will love the Posies and this CD for that matter! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Why don't you have a copy yet?
This album is essential for any Something Happens fan, and highly recommended for any fan of Irish rock music.While some songs are better than others, there isn't a single bad track on the whole album. If you're looking for a change of pace from the mainstream of music these days, look no further than "Alan, Elvis & God" for strong guitar, fine vocals, driving percussion, and all of the classic elements of rock and roll.Or, if you'd rather have some slower songs, that's covered, too.You won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Love Ballads Capturing The Innocense of an Era in Music
The Playmates could have easily been described as a "Barber Shop Quartet", their harmony was always perfect and beautiful to listen to. Although their biggest commercial success was "Beep Beep", I am much more impressed with their ballads "Wait For Me" and "Jo Ann". My absolute favorite is their snappy tune "What Is Love?". -- The Playmates are an important part of early Rock & Roll, actually more on the "Pop side" of 50s music. Although there are only 12 tracks, all of the essential titles are included. If you are a fan of 50s oldies, you are sure to be pleased with this collection of the Playmates' Greatest Hits!

The Lighter Side Of The 50s and Early 60s
That one reviewer probably wasn't around when Beep Beep climbed up the charts in 1958 is evidenced by the reference to the "mash Rambler." Actually, the car doing the annoying beep beeps was, as everyone who WAS around at that time well knows, a Nash Rambler, the 1950s version of a Suzuki Swift. As with almost all novelty tunes, the "novelty" wore off pretty quick, but even so it remains one of the better such songs from that era, right up there with Witch Doctor and The Purple People Eater.

Clearly, this trio had comedy on their minds first and foremost, having started out in 1953, after all, as The Nitwits. After changing their name to The Playmates in 1956, it took two years and a contract with the new Roulette label before they had their first hit, a cover of The Twin-Tones RCA Victor E.P. release Jo-Ann which made it to # 19 in March 1958.

The follow-up Let's Be Lovers didn't do nearly as well, only reaching # 87 that May, although their third hit that year, Don't Go Home, made it back into the Top 40, settling in at # 22 in July. That was followed by another severe dip when The Day I Died petered out at # 81 b/w While The Record Goes Around. The up-and-down trend then continued in December with Beep Beep reaching # 4 b/w Your Love.

In April 1959 the flip-flopping trend continued with Star Love topping out at # 75. All their hits to date had the backing of Hugo Peretti and his orchestra (of Hugo & Luigi fame).

The upswing then saw What Is Love? rise to # 15 in August with the backing of Hoe Reisman's orchestra. Followed by several failed singles, and it wasn't until late 1960 that they returned to the charts with Wait For Me, a # 37 in November, again with Reisman and his orchestra, who also backed them on Little Miss Stuck Up which peaked at # 70 in March 1961.

Their only charted hit not included in this CD (which contains the original liner notes from their vinyl LP At Play With The Playmates) is their last, Keep Your Hands In Your Pockets, which fizzled out at # 88 in July 1962.

They had a nice, pleasant harmonizing sound which, on some cuts, puts one in mind of another trio that had been around since the early 1950s and who also leaned towards comedy - The Gaylords. In dishing out nine of their ten hits plus two B-sides this is one of the better offerings from Collectables, complete with their usual excellent sound quality.

Wow - Who'd a thunk it?
I found this album's link on a Worst Album Covers site, and upon reading the reviews was shocked to discovered that I know a Playmates song. "Beep Beep" was a standard on Dr. Demento's playlist back in the 70's. That sort of says it all.

Ummmm....what?
Good lord... you gotta be kidding me. After listening to a few of the sample cuts on this site, it is no wonder I have never heard of the Playmates. Go buy Freak Out from the Mothers of Invention and save the Playmates for the squares.

Great stuff
Dude, this is some of the better yet least known 50s music you'll ever find. "What is Love" and "Joanne" are hugely underrated among that genre. Let's not even get into "Beep, Beep" which also is way cool. ... Read more

Album Description

UK reissue of the power pop act's third album, originally issued in 1973, packaged in a digipak with original artwork. RPM. 2005. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Raspberries run ragged
All was not well in the Raspberries camp for the third album Side 3, and it shows somewhat in the songs.While album opener "Tonight" and fellow classic "Ecstacy" may have sounded like the Razz of old, the rest of the album felt kind of splintered in an "every man for himself" kind of way.Pity.The well definitely hadn't run dry either from a creative or potential standpoint.I've often wondered how the next album, Starting Over, may have sounded if the original band hadn't dissolved in a flurry of animosity after Side 3.Whatever the case, even the in between tracks sound pretty good here, especially Smalley's "Making It Easy", Eric's "On The Beach" (the best Beach Boys tune the Beach Boys never did,) "Hard To Get Over A Heartbreak" and "I'm a Rocker".Solid power pop and it's a shame it's taken so long for this stuff to see the light of day again.
... Read more

Reviews (4)

In the absence of the full-length...
Candy was an amazing 1980s power pop band whose one and only album "Whatever Happened To Fun" was a lost classic. In the absence of that being available, however, you'll have to make due with this.

"Teenage Neon Jungle" contains some great Candy songs, some demos, and some random weird stuff like audio clips from Rick Dees' radio show. While this album is worth it for those "great Candy songs", keep hoping for that reissue.

THIS is what happened to fun!
Candy was the bastard child of the Bay City Rollers and Poison, all big hair, guitars and sugar-coated vocals. Chock full of New Wave/Power Pop nuggets, Teenage Neon Jungle is a must-have for fans of the early 80's L.A. sound. The liner notes alone are nearly worth the price of the disk. Now, where's that reissue of "Whatever Happened to Fun"?

Worthy of more than five stars...
WOW!!What else is there to say than that, this is a great, unexpected collection of Bay City Rollers-styled glam pop by a band that just never made it.Their only album "Whatever Happened To Fun" is far and away the best album of 1985, and only "American Kix" doesn't exist here in one form or another, which is a shame since that was one of the best tunes on the original album.Singer Kyle Vincent went on to tour with Barry Manilow and release some amazing solo albums, guitarist Gilby Clarke played with Guns N Roses, and bassist Jonathan Daniel and drummer John Schubert formed Electric Angels (good) and the Loveless (Great!).This album is totally worth snapping up for both the tunes and the great (if tough to read) liner notes.

Best Tracks:
"Whatever Happened To Fun" - Not as good as the original but with heavier guitar and a longer outro - hilarious fadeout to a radio spot.
"The Girl I Love" - A never before heard demo that reminds of me of one of Tommy Dunbar (Kyle Vincent's buddy from the Rubinoos) songs.Should have made the 1st album!
"Champagne" - Would like to hear this redone with better production...Great chorus and pretty good lyrics too.
"Lonely Hearts" - Better than the original album version due to its high energy vocals and slightly faster tempo.
"Electric Nights" - Another one of my faves from the 1st album, this may have the worst chorus lyrics I've heard in awhile, but somehow its a sweet, catchy, moving, rousing anthem - A+.
"Sound Of A Broken Heart" - Another unreleased gem that should have made the album, this one has hooks galore.
"Daddy Is A Jet" - Candy's first demo with hilarious lyrics and better than expected production.Kyle's voice is already pretty good at a young age, and the chorus is a keeper.
"The Last Radio Show '03/'85 Live" - This may be my #1 track from the original album, and the new version is pretty good too.Bittersweet lyrics, stylistic changes that keep it fresh throughout its 6 1/2 minute length, and above all a soaring, simple chorus make this one of the absolute gems for pop fans.

***The original album should be purchased in vinyl or cassette form if you can find it anywhere.It is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

What a Great Candy Treat this is.
I was under the impression that Kyle and the boys were going to re-release the "Whatever Happened to Fun" CD with a couple of extra rare tracks, so when I heard this CD I was really surprised to hear all differen't versions of the tracks that were on that album, some are live and some are demo's but they all sound great! Candy were an amazing little pop band that left you wanting more since they only ever recorded one album back in the mid eighties. Wonderful to finally have some of their music on CD, now if they would only re-release the complete "Whatever Happened to Fun" album I could die a happy man! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Redd Kross continues to mine kitschy '70s rock and pop, but nothing here matches the exuberance of the carefully crafted hooks on 1990's Third Eye. The McDonalds sound jaded and creepy as they sing about cruising for teenage girls on "Only A Girl" and "Afterschool Special," and only "Huge Wonder" and "Visionary" have the AM-radio singalong choruses that are a staple of the group's best tunes. --Jim DeRogatis ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Buy this CD right away.
This cd is one of the greatest ever made. I can't believe it's out of print! I can't help but to think that if more people had gotten wind of this cd, it'd still be selling tons of copies.

You will love this cd forever. Don't loan it out.
I bought this cd when it was first released, and it was always one of my all time favorites. Redd Kross is the band that not enough people were lucky enough to hear about before they stopped making albums. The sound is very "I snuck into this club before I was old enough to get in, and encountered the greatest band EVER!". I made the mistake of loaning it out, and needless to say, I never got it back--when I went to my local record store to re-purchase it, they had never even heard of it, and as it turns out, that's 'cause it's out of print. Not even "special order"able. Wha? How could it be? Do yourself a favor, buy this cd, then write Redd Kross a Thank You letter for making it.

do yourself a huge favor...
i bought this album 7 years ago six months after it came out...the reason that i am writing this now is because this is the best album ever made. it is sad that this isn't even in print anymore, and even sadder that soooooo few people have ever even heard it. even those familiar with redd kross barely know this album. very unfortunate...if you ever liked the beatles you need this album. if you ever liked nirvana you need this album. if you've ever even heard of the term 'rock'n'roll' you need this album. everyone needs this like they need air. i am not kidding. i've listened to this album literally thousands of times and i still get shivers listening to many of the songs. i have yet to hear a more perfect hook than 'ms. lady evans'. defintely a breath of fresh air in today's musical climate... to say the very least.

Why aren't these guys playing stadiums?!
With this collection Redd Kross proves once again that they are the most overlooked/under-rated band on the scene today and it's a DAMN SHAME!

"Phase Shifter" contains infectious hooks combined with the kind of sensible power pop that ordinarily would sell millions. Unfortunately for all the talent contained within these grooves, Redd Kross goes virtually unnoticed by mass pop marketeers.

In short if you love "Power Pop" with an edge, you owe it to yourself to give this CD more than one spin. It is nothing less than a masterpiece of heart felt pop craftmenship.

Best amalgam of KISS and Partridge Family ever-then some!
I could go on and on about this album, but I'll be brief. It's not as endearing as its predecessor, "Third Eye," but it's better. It has so much crunch it crunches you, so much dirt it dirties you. But at the same time, it's sugary sweet. If you had to epitomize Redd Kross in sound, this is it. Hard enough to rock, sweet enough to swoon. This is one of the Top 50 of the 90s. I recommend it. But be forewarned: you might not dig it right away, at least to listen all the way through. It's so heavy and noisy, it may turn off some listeners, even those who love post-punk. But stay with it. It will grow, and you'll appreciate it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Like The Rembrandts with louder guitars and better record collections, this Maryland quartet delivers an album that's as fresh as their debut, Rapple Dapple. Piling on the "yeah, yeah, yeahs," the Huseman brothers keep well-crafted tunes like "Round and Round," "Love Songs," "Go Without You," and "Super Geek" short, sweet, and simple. Power-pop nostalgics will approve, though it's probably too wimpy and retro for the kids.--Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Big Money Item
This may be the best music deal on the internet.
I got this CD a few months ago and could not believe that I missed this one back in '95. Awesome power pop CD. You would be hard pressed to find a better collection of songs this good:
Love Songs, Go Without You, Oh Janine, Baby You Can't Get It Back, Punch Drunk, Invisible Threads, Yeah (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah), etc. If you're a sucker for this type of catchy pop music you won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Proof that pop lives in the new millennium
After two servings of cold, tastless oatmeal in the form of "Fun Trick Noisemaker" and "Tone Soul Evolution," The Apples in stereo started serving cereal that, for the most part, stays crispy in milk. Nowhere is the Apples' new random-precision formula more evident than on 1999's "Her Wallpaper Reverie," an extended EP with a collection of excellent tracks strung together by a recurring link track. That album left the listener wondering what sort of full-length album the ever-improving Apples could achieve if they put their minds to it. "The Discovery of a World Inside the Moone" answers with an electric guitar riff and the word "Go!" shouted at the beginning of the first track. "Go" isn't just a great, rockin' album opener; it serves notice that as long as Robert Schneider and Hilarie Sidney are around, catchy, in-your-face pop music is in safe hands. Another jammin' gem, "The Rainbow," follows, preceding the album's first average track, "Stream Running Over." However, Hilarie meets what seems to be a one-song-per-album quota with a knockout punch in "20 Cases Suggestive of ...," a high-energy track featuring her great vocals and occasionally double-tracking them with Robert's. The single "Look Away," a satisfying, mid-tempo rocker with a psychedelic wink, is next. Track 6, "What Happened Then" is a letdown, and tracks 7 and 9, "I Can't Believe" and "All Right/Not Quite," sound a bit too similar. They sandwich a great slow number, though, in "Submarine Dream," a song reminiscent of "The Shiney Sea" from "Her Wallpaper Reverie." And the album's Single Most Likely to Succeed, "The Bird That You Can't See," follows. This song's body-rockin' groove sounds like it came straight off a Beatles B-side compilation, and the strong hook overcomes the mistifying lyrics (if ever there were a song about nothing, this is it). The album closes with "Stay Gold" and "Thursday Afternoon," two tracks that the album could live without. Neither does much to distinguish itself, instead serving as a reminder of what the Apples lived off of during their first two albums.

Label this album punkish pop, retro or whatever else you will, but don't make the mistake of thinking that Robert's fascination with The Beach Boys has a huge impact on his music. "Surf's Up," "Carl and the Passions," "M.I.U. Album," "L.A. Light Album," "Keepin the Summer Alive," "15 Big Ones," "The Beach Boys" and "Summer in Paradise" - especially the latter five - lack the punch and consistency of the Apples' current output, but the Apples still haven't shown the ability to take their music a step further and craft songs as strong as "Till I Die," "Cuddle Up" or "Feel Flows." If they keep evolving, though, the results could be frighteningly good.

An OK record
This April 2000 release of the Elephant 6's most prominent band is quite accessible, especially poppy, and downright enjoyable. The funkiness (especially of the bass line) of the tenth track, "The Bird That You Can't See" is a little unexpected and very infectious. The overall mood of the album continues the band's practice of tipping the hat to the Beatles. The harmonies still are suggestive of Beach Boys. Perhaps the dissappointment of the album lies in its unexperimental and totally straight-ahead foci. Of course, the Apples in stereo aren't quite as exotic-seeming as the Olivia Tremor Control, for instance, but some different sounds a la Her Wallpaper Reverie would be interesting. Overall, the record is good as a fairly coherent pop statement. I think it is recommended in the least for listening if not for purchasing.

NOT For Me
Wow. If my idea of good Beach Boys music was Mike Love without Brian Wilson with 90's alt. rock production (as in bare bones), then I'd LOVE this. This is like Olivia Tremor Control without the ambition. Its all so simplistically upbeat that it makes The Shins sound deep! I wish I didn't feel this way, but at least OTC, while hardly original, appeals to the psychedelic Beatles fan in me because the songs are good. This is strangely one dimensional to these ears. I don't yet have Ambulance Ltd's new release, but what I've heard from them sounds more like it.

Quick quiz to see if you'll like this...
1) Is asking for "meaning" or "depth" in pop music missing the whole point of it?

2) Do retro 60's and 70's hooks get better the more over-the-top they are?

3) Would it be fun to make your roommate/spouse/parents say "you jerk, I can't get that awful song out of my head?"

If you've answered "yes" to these questions, this just might be the disc for you. Heck, get Of Montreal, Beulah and other Elephant 6 artists while you're at it.

You'll especially like "Go." Imagine Weird Al, whiney voice and all, parodying "Tears of a Clown" by crossing it with the playground song about diarrhea. Watch people around you either writhe in pain or bust out their best ironic disco hipster moves. "Go baby! Go baby!"

As for me, I downloaded "Please" and it seemed like my kind of indie power pop -- a bit simple, sure, but catchy, direct, energizing. I figured maybe I'd luck out and other Apples songs would add some heart to it, as well as wit, like the Deathray Davies... but both wit and heart are sorely lacking on this album, I'm afraid.

Go Baby Go !
Grooooovy! E6 release.This could be my fave Apples in Stereo
recording yet!
The Surfs up all over this CD!
Reminds me of the era I think I missed from the 60's in the
California sunshine.
This one stays close to my player. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Among the recent glut of good-cause charity albums, NoAlternative stands out as the best, both for its performances and its cause(proceeds benefit the Red Hot organization in the fight against AIDS). The highpoints are Soul Asylum's unlikely cover of Marvin Gaye's "SexualHealing;" outtakes from recent albums by Chicago's Urge Overkill andSmashing Pumpkins; "Unseen Power of the Picket Fence," the major-labeldebut by Pavement; a surprise hard-rocking Nirvana track, and "MemorialSong," an a capella tribute from punk godmother Patti Smith to the lateRobert Mapplethorpe. --Jim DeRogatis ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Good Album for a Good Cause
When you get a vast assortment of talented, up-and-coming young artists on a benefit compilation album, there's bound to be some uppers and downers, as well as an array of different styles. In this case, we have some really good songs, some really average songs, and some songs that are largely forgettable. 19 different artists equals practically 19 different opinions per song. So here goes my assessment:

The Good: Matthew Sweet, Buffalo Tom, Urge Overkill, Smashing Pumpkins, SOUNDGARDEN, and NIRVANA.

The Bad: Beastie Boys, Breeders.

The Average: Pavement, Bob Mould, Sara Mclachlan, and Uncle Tupelo.

The Unheard of and Forgettable: American Music Club, Straightjacket Fits, Barbara Manning, and The Verlaines.

The Somewhat Lame Covers: Soul Asylum, Goo Goo Dolls.

Which all leads to the sweet "memorial tribute" for AIDS victims by Patti Smith at the very end. After a few kind words, Smith spontaneously bursts into a short songbird-like vocal performance, with no added instruments or frills. The crowd erupts after she finishes and the album ends, or so one would think. Quickly after, an unlisted Nirvana tracks explodes in, sounding positively rambunctious compared to the previous low-key tribute by Smith. However, Nirvana's song is quite a surprising and stirring ending, even fitting, given that Kurt Cobain was a humble and compassionate leader in speaking out for human rights. Let it be known, both Nirvana and Soundgarden lent vintage, completely rocking songs, both of which could have been A-side tunes.

As for the entirety of "No Alternative," it hearkens back to a very dear era in rock and roll music, a time when aspiring young artists seemed to be everywhere and the music was always good wherever you turned your head. This is no "Singles" soundtrack by a longshot, but it was a nice gesture by these groups to lend a hand in supporting the fight against AIDS, and it's easy to see just how much they care about the dreaded cause, merely by listening to some of the lyrics in the songs. On the other hand, though the bands on this album showed promise at one time, many were passed up. Even the ones that broke through and hit the big-time are now mostly defunct. Truthfully, Soundgarden, Nirvana, and to a lesser extent, The Smashing Pumpkins, all carry this album. Everything else is mere teen spirit.

Only for the Nirvana completest
The only place that you can find an official release of the excellent Nirvana track 'Verse Chorus Verse'. From memory the song had been hanging around since the 'Bleach' days (1980s) yet, because Kurt was never satisfied with the way the song turned out during recording sessions, it never made it on any of the albums. The version included here is taken from the 'In Utero' sessions and easily better than many of the songs that wound up on that album, Cobain's opinion notwithstanding.

Another note of trivia for those interested; often it has been said that the Nirvana track was 'hidden' because the band provided the song after all the booklets etc had been printed. But if you actually read the booklet, it refers to 19 tracks rather than 18, suggesting the the person who wrote the inlay was aware of 19 tracks before printing, and perhaps that the Nirvana track was hidden intentionally. WHo knows?

In closing, the Nirvana completest will be satisfied, but apart from the Mathew Sweet opener and the live Beastie Boys track, most of the other songs are just throwaways you'll never listen to again.

only necessary for the Nirvana completest
The only place that you can find an official release of the excellent Nirvana track 'Verse Chorus Verse'. From memory the song had been hanging around since the 'Bleach' days (1980s) yet, because Kurt was never satisfied with the way the song turned out during recording sessions, it never made it on any of the albums. The version included here is taken from the 'In Utero' sessions and easily better than many of the songs that wound up on that album, Cobain's opinion notwithstanding.

Another note of trivia for those interested; often it has been said that the Nirvana track was 'hidden' because the band provided the song after all the booklets etc had been printed. But if you actually read the booklet, it refers to 19 tracks rather than 18, suggesting the the person who wrote the inlay was aware of 19 tracks before printing, and perhaps that the Nirvana track was hidden intentionally. WHo knows?

In closing, the Nirvana completest will be satisfied, but apart from the Mathew Sweet opener and the live Beastie Boys track, most of the other songs are just throwaways you'll never listen to again.

Such memories
This CD has been one my favorites for over ten years...so many great songs!

The best cuts:
Pavement's "Unseen power of the Picket Fence", a tribute to my favorite band R.E.M.
Two of the best break up songs ever, "All Your Jeans Were Too Tight", and "Can't Fight It" (Bob Mould's best ballad IMHO)
An incredible mix of Sarah McLachlan's "Hold On"
Urge Overkill's "Take a Walk"

Lastly, no Nirvana fan should be without this album, because of the amazing "Verse Chorus Verse".

my favorite compilation
I must own 50 compilations discs, but this is it, my absolute favorite (DGC rarities makes for a close 2nd). The Pavement track is one of my all time favorites: "ji-ji-ji-Georgia!", must be heard and it was never released anywhere else... ... Read more

Reviews (8)

In a word: TALENT!
One of my favorite songs of all time, "Just The Way It Is, Baby" is in itself, reason enough to buy this album. "Show Me Your Love" is also worthy. These guys write and record all their own songs - and they can actually SING unlike many artists these days!! I heard a rumor that a BEST of album is coming out.. I hope that's true, because I'll be first in line to buy it!!

INCOMPLETE
I ORDERD AN ALBUM AND ONLY GOT 2 SONGS. OR SHOULD I SAY 1 SONG AND 1 MEDLEY OF THE REST. BITS AND PIECES OF SONGS. I WAS VERY UPSET. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU BUY AND WHERE IT COMES FROM.

One of the best deubts ever
The Rembrandts self titled debut remains one of the best ever. recorded in guitarist Danny Wildes garage the album remainded as recorded by record execs. What this album is, is a pop gem 13 songs of giutar driven pop. Each of the songs has a distinct flavour, and sets the ideas and themes that were to be evident in all of the Rembrandts works, that of love lost and found. this album is soo good frankly its better to buy it than listen to me talk about how good it is so treat yourself to this you wont be let down.

Feel-good harmonies and lilting melodies
This CD is a great sing-along from start to finish. The melodies are memorable and the harmonies are lovely. I bought "LP" and was disappointed - I keep coming back to this one, and I've never found a bad track.

More than decent pop
This is definitely pop with a capital P. I'm not a fan of pop - but The Rembrandts have something. It's melodic without being pompuous. Simple without being ridiculous. Nice'n'beautiful without being anonymous.

The hit single and opener »Just The Way It Is, Baby« (yes, the one where the duet walks on a beach playing the guitar in the music video) remains the best song of the album. But none of the tracks are bad. Other highlights on this much-over-average light entertainment pop album include »Save Me«, »Someone«, »New King«, »If Not For Misery«, »Confidential Information« and especially »Burning Timber«. As you can see, they're all pretty alright!

If you need to buy ONE pop album, »The Rembrandts« is the one! ... Read more