Reviews (3)

Best CD by a Brillant Band
I consider them to be pop-metal at it's finest!!! This album is great, it doesn't contain a bad song!!! ... DO NOT PASS IT UP!!! 'Blue Island' is my favorite tune, but the whole album is great!!!

Needs to be re-released
This album came out in 1991 and can still hold its own in the year 2000. Unfortunately, I did not buy the CD when it came out- I just had a copy on a tape from a friend. It is now no longer being printed :( I hope that it is soon re-released so that I can get a copy of it. I still have a copy on a cassette tape, but would love to own it on CD.

Z'Nuff hits full stride
I friend of mine, Chris Lewis (from Toronto), turned me onto this band. With Z'Nuff's first album they had the pop metal sound complete with a couple of hits (New Thing" & "Fly High Michelle"). STRENGTH hit in 1991 to relative obscurity. The album opens with "Heaven or Hell", a fast paced heart pounding song. They continue with the bluesy "Missing You". The songs that follow are rock & pop at their finest. Donnie Vie's throaty vocals are fine and their harmonies together are in even better. Other well crafted tunes are: "Blue Island", "Strength", "The Way Home / Coming Home" and "Mother's Eyes". Not a clinker on the disc. You can definitely tell there is a Beatles and maybe even a little Cheap Trick influence in some of Z'Nuff's songs. A great band and I still don't know why these guys are not more popular. Start your collection of Z'Nuff with this one. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

4.5 stars - an excellent classic rock album
Nazz (1968.) Nazz's first album.

In the mid-late sixties, the classic rock quartet Nazz was formed. Among the members of this group was Todd Rundgren (on lead guitar here), who would go onto become a pretty popular rock star in the next decade. The band took their name from that of a Yardbirds single. The band built up a pretty good following when they opened for the Doors in 1967. The following year, the band, who was heavily influenced by England's rock scene of the day, released their debut, which was self-titled. Read on for my review of it.

Two of the biggest bands that Nazz took after were the Beatles and the Who. The Beatles influence shows on the album cover, which rather obviously spoofs the With The Beatles album cover. The first single released off of the album was Hello It's Me. This is a trippy sixties love-based rock song, and the band pulls it off very well. This version is considerably less soulful than the version Mr. Rundgren would do as a solo artist in 1972, but both versions are equally good. The B-Side to that single was Open My Eyes. The band's Who influence really shows on this song, since it's basically their I Can't Explain reworked (by listening to the intro to the song, it can be difficult to tell this is a different song!) My personal favorite track on the album is the classic sixties rocker, Back Of Your Mind. Classic rock from this decade never sounded better. Although it's not obvious at first, the Zombies are another British rock band that probably influenced Nazz heavily. The influence shows heavily in the album's third track, See What You Can Be. This is another excellent rocker as only these guys could do. One of the most memorable songs featured on the latter half of the album is When I Get My Plane, due to its inventive lyrics. Many of these songs sound similar, but they all manage to maintain a sense of individuality.

My final verdict here is a simple one - if you like classic sixties rock, don't overlook Nazz. These guys are seriously one of the most underrated rock bands of all time, and it's a shame the years have forgotten them. Most Todd Rundgren hits compilation don't even cover this era of his career (probably due to the fact that he didn't do lead vocals in this band.) If you're fortunate enough to come across this album, purchase it. You'll be in for a real treat.

the Nazz of Philadelphia
Living in Philadelphia, I first heard the Nazz as a senior in highschool in 1969. I love their music as much now as I did then. I can remember recording their albums onto 8 track tapes and playing them in the car. Their limited live appearances and short life span(less than two years) made the group hard to see. And because they were not commercially sucessful, they were ended before they could really take off.Much has been said about Todd's imitation of Cream, Hendrix, The Who,etc. but listening to Todd Rundgren's guiter virtuosity, backed up by Thom on drums, Carson on bass, and Stewkey's vocals , there can be little doubt about the effect of their punchy psych-pop on the listener. Todd went on to bigger and better things, but their can only be one first album.

How Philly Rocked The Sixties
This album is the kind of thing that makes me proud to be a Philadelphian. The Nazz--four Anglophiles who were known individually as Robert "Stewkey" Antoni (lead vocals, keyboards), Carson Van Osten (bass), Thom Mooney (drums), and, um....oh, right, Todd Rundgren (guitar). You want to talk about chops? These guys had chops. Rundgren's searing guitar, Van Osten's pulsating bass, Mooney's powerful drumming, and Stewkey's fluid keyboards rank among some of the best instrumental sounds of the late sixties. Vocally, these guys harmonized beautifully, even if Stewkey wasn't always the strongest lead singer. Their unique chemistry made them one of the most fun bands of the era.

This is their debut album. You can hear their influences very clearly: the openings of the power-pop anthems "Open My Eyes" and "When I Get My Plane" are obvious nods to The Who (compare to "I Can't Explain" and "I Can See For Miles"). Cream and Hendrix inspired the excellent rockers "Back Of Your Mind," "Lemming Song," and "She's Goin' Down." "Hello It's Me," Nazz's original dirgelike version of Rundgren's signature song, and "If That's The Way You Feel" are gentle ballads with Beach Boy harmonies and touches of Philly Soul in their melodies and arrangements. "Crowded" is a Laura Nyro-meets-Burt Bacharach pop tune, while "See What You Can Be" sounds like The Association at their swingin'est. Todd wrote most of this material, and you can hear him developing his style as a songwriter. (Ironically, Stewkey wrote "Crowded" with Thom--ironic because it was Stewkey who later complained when Todd wrote more Laura Nyro-influenced songs!)

The Rhino CD reissue boasts excellent sound quality. It is obvious that the makers of this CD went to great lengths to clean these masters up, and even where surface noise remains ("Hello It's Me"), it is kept in check. I urge any sixites pop or rock fan to pick up the CD of this classic album.

Nazz opened my ears to all-time classic LP.
As a 9th grader in '68, I literally could not wait to run home from school everyday to crank up this album. With the heavy energy of Cream, the gorgeous harmonies of the Beach Boys, topped off with the emerging songwriting talents of another youngster - Todd Rundgren - Nazz sonically journeyed where few other rock bands dared to go back then. Searing rockers (Open My Eyes, The Lemming Song, Wildwood Blues, She's Going Down) perfectly coexisted with beautiful, harmony-drenched ballads (Hello It's Me, If That's The Way You Feel, Crowded) making Nazz quite an enigma among all the political, drugged-out, blues-based rock music of that year. This remastered CD sounds better than the vinyl ever did. And you gotta love the new spoken-word intro to Open My Eyes. Nazz still sparkles - more than 30 years later - much as it did during my after-school listening sessions. Highly recommended.

A Captivating Venture from an Anglo Mod Band
Back in the days of vinyl, I could buy LP's at a local discount appliance store for three dollars. The selection was slim, but the price was right. My purchasing criteria (besides price) was simple: cool album covers. Since Meet the Beatles (1963) featured the band member's faces floating on a black background, I bought Nazz. The album was a stunning surprise, and has remained so for over three decades. Nazz is a crafty and infectious combination of high energy rockers, and ballads with beautifully blended vocal harmonies. The influence of British mod bands (see the Who-sounding 'When I Get My Plane' ), the Beach Boys (Back Of Your Mind, Hello It's Me) and Jimi Hendrix (She's Goin' Down) are clearly evident.

Despite its superb pop sensibility, Nazz (competing with acid rock from the West Coast) didn't sell. Too bad: Nazz was like a "How To" instruction manual for power pop later followed by groups such as the Raspberries. The audio quality of the Rhino release is exemplary. Remastered by Bill Inglot and Ken Perry, it is difficult to believe that this recording is over thirty-years old. Rhino does a remarkable job of combing recording libraries for first-rate master tapes, then engineering these recordings to CD. The sonics are immaculate. Unlike the vinyl release, the CD enhances the thundering bass guitar work of Carson Van Osten: his technique is inventive and complex (Open My Eyes, See What You Can See, When I Get My Plane). Nazz is neither "classic" nor "revolutionary," but it is a captivating venture from an Anglo mod band who faded into the rock ocean with hardly a splash. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Despite his status as the godfather of new wave, by the early 1990s Dwight Twilley's career was stymied by a series of label failures and other business setbacks. Teaming with veteran producer-engineer Richie Podolor to record tracks during spare studio time, they cobbled together an album so strong it might pass for a lesser power-popper's greatest-hits collection. The Luck, something of a lost treasure among pop aficionados, has finally surfaced. Legend has it that when one label A&R exec played a work-in-progress cassette in his office, the label chief bolted in and excitedly began singing the music's praises--until he found out it was by a veteran who'd already scored top 20 hits in the previous two decades. But the biz's loss is a pop fan's dream: here is a hook- and harmony-rich collection so effervescent it belies the paradoxical sense of bitter optimism and trends-be-damned ambition that drives its best songs. Twilley still seems at the top of his game here (if as stubbornly out-of-step with fashion as Sincerely was in the mid-'70s) andThe Luck takes its rightful place among his strongest albums--and as arguably the greatest power-pop album of the '90s. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Twilley Does It Again
This recording, like all of Dwight Twilley's past recordings, is full of power pop gems. There are artists and bands (i.e. the Del Lords, the Michael Stanley Band, Michael Stanley solo, and Dwight Twilley) who for some reason are not given the commercial recognition that artists of lesser talent are given. Dwight Twilley has from his first recording with the Dwight Twilley Band to this recording produced some of the very best music of the past fifty years. All of the songs here have the familiar hooks that Dwight Twilley is know for. The ones that grabbed my attention immediately were "Music", "Forget About It", "The Luck", "Suzyanne", and the great "Gave It All Up For Rock n' Roll". Please do yourself a favor and buy, beg, borrow, or steal this power pop masterpiece.

TWILLEY STILL RULES THE POWER POP WORLD
Dwight Twilley's music from the 1970's combined the melody and power of mid-period Beatles with the attitude and slap-back echo
of Sun era Elvis. It was, to say the least, quite a combination. Twilley seemed to fade away after his '80's hit 'Girls'.
However, after a late night search on the internet, I found out he's still pumping out new music on his own terms. The Luck is a jolt of power pop that confirms that Dwight has not lost his golden touch with a song. The cd sounds great, the band is very good, and Twilley sings better than ever. He is truly one of the most underrated rockers in the last 25 years.
If you have not heard anything from D.Twilley since the "old days" rest assured you will find songs like "THE LUCK", "I WORRY ABOUT YOU" and "FORGET ABOUT IT" among others, to be a blast of fresh air. This is power pop at it's best.

a little more "magic"
If you are a fan of Dwight Twilley, rejoice!! Twilley Don't Mind has alway been on my desert island music list, and now I can add this CD to the list. Harmonies, passion, and superb song writing all add up to a great release. Favorites include the attitude of "Music", the lust of "I Wanna Have You", the driving guitars in "You". If you haven't experienced Twilley this would be a great place to start.

Good 'Luck'
Luck is not something one would normally associate with Twilley, because his has been a career fraught with anything but. For the most part his recordings, as brilliant as most of them are, have been, as he once put it, "tangled in legal spaghetti." Such was the case with this album, originally recorded in 1994. Produced by legendary popmeister Richie Polodor and polished up for release now, "The Luck" is yet another sparkling jewel in Twilley's gem case. It's certainly a passionate-sounding record, brimming with dreamy melodies and Dwight's even dreamier voice, as on songs like "Holdin' On," "Leave Me Alone," "Oh Carrie" and "Suzyanne." These midtempo ballads are easily among his best tunes, striking the right chords, literally, between the earthly and the ethereal. That's not to say that our boy has forgotten how to shake and shimmy, because "The Luck" is packed with upbeat bouncers, such as "Remedies" and, especially, "Gave It All Up for Rock 'n' Roll," a track whose title says it all. After all these years, Twilley's still on fire. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Cheap Trick and Rundgren merge styles for this mixed effort.
Cheap Trick decided to make a change on this album by bringing in producer Todd Rundgren. Together they created a mixed effort of great songs and pop filler. The front side of this album (tracks 1-7 on CD) are mostly forgetable tunes. Only the second track, Borderline, stands out as exceptional.

The back side is almost as notable as the front side is lacking. In the days of turntables, this side would have been worn out by the needle. "I Can't Take It" sounds simple, but has complex guitar work. "Heaven's Falling" could have been pulled from one of Rundgren's Utopia albums. It uses backround vocals well and is pure pop! "Won't Take No For An Answer", "Younger Girls", and "Next Position Please" are middle of the road rockers. "3-D" is pure filler and one selection that one will most likely program out on CD.

The album "Next Position Please" is worth a look for its great second side. Rundgren and Cheap Trick did a fine job, but they could have created a classic if they were ready to put down more A-side tracks when they had gone into the studio. This album also misses the raw edge that Cheap Trick had in their earlier efforts.

This selection rates 3 stars.

The pleasant early 80's surprise
In the liner notes to the box set, Rick mentioned that I Can't Take It was a number one hit down under and advised the American public to wake up. It's a sentiment that I wholly agree with on one hand, but also one that worries me on the other hand. After hitting the top 40 with the Dream Police and Voices from the Dream Police album, the band suddenly found themselves in a top 40 slump that lasted until the Lap Of Luxury vomit-fest. Despite four singles that seemed like sure fire hits in the 1980-83 time period (Everything Works If You Let It, Stop This Game, If You Want My Love, and I Can't Take It,) the band couldn't break a song into the top 40. While this doesn't say much for the musical tastes of the top 40 audience, it isn't really a bad thing considering that the next Cheap Trick song to have a chart impact was The Flame. Given the choice between the bowl-swirling nausea of Lap Of Luxury and Busted, I'll take the early 80's near misses in a heartbeat. Next Position Please and Heaven's Falling are two other songs from this album that have made every compilation I've ever made.

Great Album For Anyone Who Hated "Lap of Luxury"
On VH1's countdown of the 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock (Cheap Trick landed at #25), respected sound engineer and recent CT producer Rob Albini described the group's music as having "moments of rage and ugliness and power...but there are also things about it that are genuinely very pretty and elegant." This album is their "elegant" side (or as elegant as a blistering power-pop band can get anyway).
Like all of their string of commercially-failed 80s albums, "Next Position Please" is a real gem, and a worthwhile reward for anyone who gives panned albums a chance. Renowned pop producing expert Todd Rundgren was brought on board to man the switches, a move that many say is to be given credit for the album's accessibility. On Cheap Trick's previous "failed" album, "One On One," there were subtle hints that their commercial slide was interfering with the confidence in their music, but that's certainly not the case with "Next Position Please." Cheap Trick sounds determined and focused, despite what shows up in many CT bios. The title track sounds like it was written during the band's glory days of the late 70s, and Rundgren's glossy production actually works on 'Y.O.Y.O.Y.', 'I Can't Take It' (Trick at their most sincere), and the album's best track, 'I Don't Love Here Anymore' (which is complete with Beatles-like backing vocals). It's also obvious that the group were trying to regain a younger, modern audience with songs like 'You Talk To Much' and 'Heaven's Falling.' A wildly left-center version of 'Dancing the Night Away' meanwhile, can be seen as only Cheap Trick being their erratic, oddball selves.
Many complain that "Next Position Please" is much too pop-oriented to sound like vintage Cheap Trick; but whoever thinks that can compare this record to their 1988 'comeback' "Lap of Luxury," an album the band members themselves criticize, in which the group was forced to bring in outside songwriters. So in that light, "Next Position Please" is the more Cheap Trick-sounding substitute for "Lap of Luxury." As for this album's commercial stance, the next position for Cheap Trick would be a disappointing peak at number 61.

Could Have Been a Lot Better
After doing "One On One" (a powerful album both in sound and nature), I expected an even greater CHEAP TRICK album. While not a monumental failure, "Next Position Please" tones down everything "One On One" had achieved. The guitar sound is inexplicably mellow and even hard oriented rockers like "Invaders From The Heart" sound tame. Although CHEAP TRICK was never an all-out Heavy Metal band, they always had that "edge" that made them relevent among the hard rock crowd. Producer Todd Rundgren might be the one to blame here, as he tried to make a sixties sounding album in the eighties. The overall feel of "Next Position Please" is subdued, but that's not to say it lacks memorable moments. "I Can't Take It" opens the album with the memorable and catchy hooks the band is best known for as well as the title track. "Won't Get No For An Answer" has that typical "Beatle-esque" melody that makes the song a winner but these good spots are few and far in between. Apparently CHEAP TRICK realized this and came back the chunky sounding "Standing On The Edge".

Next Position....... Please?
Well, you would think that this was a match made in musical heaven. On hindsight, given the excellent production that Rundgren afforded such pop/metal exports as The Purssuit of Happiness the question mark grows even larger. Being a big fan of Rockford's best export, upon release I was hoping for the best. However, there was much trepidation since the band had released the woefully compromised affairs since their departure with producer Tom Werman; George Martin (The Beatles)and Roy Thomas Baker (Queen). Who knows who's to blame here, but Next Position Please sounds like a warm up to the real affair. "I Can't Take It" jumps off the record with warmth, but lacks the punch that Cheap Trick is known for. From there the band grinds through some fine tunes, none of which really ever seem to get going. Fortunately, the band does leap off the album for one very fine, penned by Todd song, "Heaven's Falling". Even though the chord structures are atypical of Nielsen, the Cheap Trick sound makes the song among one of the best they ever committed to tape (What happened on the box set...that is another story). Go buy it if you have everything Cheap Trick recorded up to Dream Police, and may have stumbled on their last two studio relases, Cheap Trick and Special One. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fab Cover Versions by Retro Masters
This album has great personal sentimental value, as I bought the vinyl version in the summer of '78.I played it non-stop, along with Eno's "Before and After Science," also released that year.So, perhaps my view is a bit clouded.But it has great cover versions, particularly the Byrds' "Feel A While Lot Better" and Beatles' "There's a Place."There's just a lack of guile and total sincerity about the way the Groovies approach the music of their heroes, even if they aren't the world's greatest singers and musicians.This isn't as good as the Roy Loney years, but it's still good.

Listening Between the Lines...
...this is an OK album, but rather dulls in comparison to the rest of their catalogue. Dave Edmund's production sounds just a bit too polished on some tracks (although it sounds right at home on "Between the Lines") that may have ben due to the fact that they were on the Sire label at the time. I miss the raw production of the earlier works which I believe would have carried home the great performances.

Despite all this, the remastering is good and it does justice to hear it in "Between the Lines". ... Read more

Reviews (30)

"...I Feel Just Great Again."
Often overlooked and underrated, ASU is Cheap Trick in top form with a little help from their friends George Martin and Geoff Emerick. It's my personal favorite along with their first lp. A big leap forward from "Dream Police" which alienated much of their Top Forty audience. That's not such a bad thing, is it? This album shows why Robin Zander is one of rocks greatest vocalists ("Stop This Game,") features awesome production and arrangement ("World's Greatest Lover,") showcases Rick Nielsen's gift for melody and songwriting ("Go For The Throat,") excellent bass playing courtesey Tom Petersson ("I Love You Honey, But I Hate Your Friends,") a tribal drum orchestration conducted by Bun E Carlos ("Who D' King,") stripped down rock and roll at its finest ("Just Got Back,") and the obligatory head-scratcher ("High Priest Of Rhythmic Noise") What more do you want? The only thing missing is "Everything Works If You Let it," which would have been a huge hit in a perfect world. I can't wait for the remastered version with the bonus tracks!

A Disappointment
Since 1977 Cheap Trick has been my second favorite band of all time, behind only The Beatles. From their debut LP in 1977 up through the release of 'Dream Police' two and a half years later, Cheap Trick was at their creative peak and produced a body of work that stands among the best rock n roll ever. The 'Dream Police' LP that preceded 'All Shook Up' was somewhat of a disappointment also and although it sold well critics and fans were somewhat let down. But on 'All Shook Up' the fans' and critics' worst fears were confirmed. After several years of relentless touring and cranking out one great song after another, Cheap Trick's creative fires had all but burned out. Except for the songs 'Can't Stop The Music' and 'High Priest Of Rhythmic Noise' this album isn't worth the 30 minutes it takes to sit through it. Besides the weak songs, this album is also poorly produced and just doesn't sound good. With all due respect to the legendary George Martin, his work here isn't very good. The guitars sound terrible and Martin's attempt to incorporate orchestral elements into the band's raw sound just doesn't work.
If you want to hear the 'real' Cheap Trick, skip this dud and get any of their first four releases ('Cheap Trick' and 'In Color'from 1977, 'Heaven Tonight' from 1978, or 'Live At Budokan'from 1979).

The last great Trick album
I was hooked the first time I heard Stop This Game on local radio one of the handful of times that they actually played it locally, and as such I'm always amazed at the negativity that this album spawns as far as reviews go. After the relative disappointment of Dream Police I always considered this album to be Cheap Trick's return to being a rock n roll band after the unfortunate sideways journey to trying the waters as a top 40 band. Less power pop than actual rock, All Shook Up has shown up in it's entirety on most of the dozens of CT compilations that I've recorded on tape or cd over the years. On the odd occasion that I find myself short of space, only Go For The Throat has occasionally found itself left off, which is a huge testament to it's top to bottom listenability. To me, the true killer has always been that the song that I would argue might be their best ever, Everything Works If You Let It, was somehow left off this album despite being recorded near the same time. For years I eagerly awaited the remastered version of All Shook Up, thinking that EWIYLI would be one of the bonus tracks included along with the other potential great surprises. I think it's going on seven years now, and still no remasters past the first three albums. They were great. What's the holdup?

Mediocre at best
I spent more time than I'd like to remember in my teenage years wishing Cheap Trick had never made this record. Why? Because for a brief few years at the end of the 70's Cheap Trick meant everything to me. Their music was like magic to a generation of teenagers who were bored with the all too orderly music of the big time arena rock bands, but who also couldn't handle the cacaphoneous mess the punk rockers called music. For a few years, I practically listed to nothing but Cheap Trick, but after All Shook Up was released, I stopped, and pretty much never went back to their music again over the last 20+ years until just lately.

So what was, and is so dissapointing about this album? I can't speak for the 14 year old I was in 1980 hearing this album for the first time, but now looking back on it as an adult, it's easy to see the biggest problem with this album is that it's mediocre. There's nothing bad about it, but there's nothing great either. Like a pulp fiction novel, you forget everything that was in it the minute you are through with it. It is no more outstanding than a dozen other overproduced albums by big name arena rockers that came out around the same time or shortly after. And that would be just fine if it were a Journey, Foreigner, Styx, or REO album, but it wasn't. Cheap Trick had been better, more clever, more talented than any of those guys up until this point, but suddenly they morphed into just another Dinosaur Rock band on this album. As I remember, at the time, I thought they had sold out. Now it seems to me they were just trying too hard to hold on the fame they had garnered from Budokan, by letting George Martin turn them into something they weren't in the vain pursuit of having another hit album.

But to make a long story short, the worst thing about this album is that everything that had made them so attractive on their first 3 albums, and Budokan was gone on this album. The wild, frenetic intensity they'd had in the past is nowhere to be found on this album. In short this album is not fun! If you don't know what I'm talking about, go back and listen to Cheap Trick, In Color, Heaven Tonight, and even Dream Police and it'll hit you right away. That wild, crazy, makes you want to get up and dance till you drop, spirit of the first albums is just not here.

And with all due to respect to everyone who stayed with Cheap Trick through the Eighties and Nineties, yes I know they have made worse records than All Shook Up. I've heard a few of them, which I won't go into here. But when you put this record in the context of their history, I'd vote for it as the most dissapointing album they ever made. Cheap Trick was on top of the world in 1980, and it always seemed to me they could have had it all for a long time to come if they'd been able to find the strength of will to stay true to themselves and the unique sound they'd created at this point in their history. If they had, they might still be selling out Arena's all over the country even today, instead of playing county fairs and opening for other old Dinosaur rockers.

Under Rated Kick Butt American Rockin' Roll
I love this album! Esential C.T. IMHO...I saw them on this tour in 1980 at Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium...This one brings back great memories. Catchy hook laden songs, and top notch production. You can't go wrong on this one. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A good entry in the series
This collection totally ignores rock's early years, not featuring anythin prior to mid-60's Bob Dylan. Again it is limited to recordings in the Columbia/Epic library, which is fine, but it does make for a distorted view of the 'music for the century'.

As a series of snapshots of rock music from the 60's to the 90's it is well worth your attention. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dramarama has always been a hard band to peg. Since starting out in Wayne, New Jersey, in the mid-'80s, the band has synthesized early '70s glam rock influences with enough skill to avoid the retro tag at the same time that it's managed to avoid sounding current. The group's big-hair metal look and choreographed stage show were too slick to be alternative but the band members were too geeky and obsessive to be mainstream FM rockers. Auteurs Chris Carter and John Easdale must be tired of not belonging, because on Hi-Fi-Sci-Fi, they all too eagerly embrace the played-out grunge movement. The result is jacked-up, tuneless noise, but things are even worse when the group abandons the fuzzy formula to indulge in cocktail-lounge jazz. Only "Late Night Phone Call" recalls the catchy magic of early Dramarama releases such as Cinema Vérité and Box Office Bomb. --Jim DeRogatis ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Is this the same Gaben Komar from Coos Bay, Oregon???
If so, email me sharpsjoe@hotmail.com

The best band that didn't make it
I think Dramarama is one of the best rock and roll bands ever and it always amazes me that they never became hugely successful. This album is one of their best. John Easedale is a fantastic singer/songwriter and songs such as "Work for Food", "Don't feel Like Doing Drugs" and "Prayer" deserve much wider recognition.

$.99 cents but great!
This is one of the best CD's I own! Dramarama is the most underated band out there. If you appreciate good rock music, I highly recommend picking this one up! I got it from my dad for $.99 from the local dollar store but it is the greatest!

If You Love Good Rock N' Roll...
One of the most underrated albums of any decade. Every song is dripping with good rock n' roll. This is the fantastic, sloppy rock that the Replacements shaped out of punk and the Rolling Stones back in the '80s. Heart-aching ballads, full speed rockers, and the most genuine, wonderful voice in rock, John Easdale. This is their last album, and a high point in their career. Virtually everything they did was good, but rarely were their albums as solid as this one is. I rarely rave about albums like this, so I'm not some drooling fan.

dirty rock from garage-band supremos
a bit rockier then normal for these guys, mostly it works but on some tracks they lack that special something that made their other records great not bad but no vinyl. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

rundgren at his early best
lets see, what is there to say? The opening track.."forget all about it" really sets the stage. The guitar work smokes and the real surprise of it all is the deep meaning of the words. Rundgren rips my heart out of my chest; heals it , and puts it back in. He is the only artist who has EVER brought me to tears. Anybody can write a snappy hook to a song; but, only Todd Rundgren can make you get in touch with what matters. The song "letters dont count" really hits home. I have only heard him do one "Nazz" song in 25 years..."open my eyes" from the 1st Nazz album. I really wish he would do more of it. I need to close, so...do yourself and your head a favor and BUY THIS RECORDING

A Psychedelic Band From Philadelphia - Are You Kidding?
1969 and popular music from the UK is hot, music from Southern California is lukewarm, music from New York is buried underground, and anything from anywhere else (including Philadelphia) is inconsequential. Pop genius Todd Rundgren fronts Nazz, only he doesn't know that he's a genius, at least not yet. He's witty, crafty and precarious - but still a kid having a good time in a rock & roll band. The relevant question today is "Where did this Pop master, studio wizard and music video pioneer come from?" An excellent answer is Nazz Nazz.

The album is strictly a freshmen effort, but all the signs of musical creativity that would later come to fruition are here - loud and clear. Todd is writing exotic melodies (Gonna Cry Today), psychedelic rock with a hefty one-two punch (Under The Ice), twisting those knobs during post-production (check the vocals on 'Meridian Leeward'), and doing edgy vocal harmonies (you may say "out of tune," I say "edgy" - see 'Forget About Me'). The praiseworthy effort here are tracks 10 and 11. 'Letters Don't Count' and 'A Beautiful Song' combine to form an imaginative and marvelous "suite." 'Letters' opens with a delectable vocal melody, then fades quietly with a "ringing bells" bridge into the roaring guitar work of 'A Beautiful Song.' 'A Beautiful Songs' sways gently back and forth from guitar rocker to symphonic crescendo, then fades into an alluring piano and vocal ballad. The "suite" is a bit rudimentary and confounding, but Todd's craftsmanship is beginning to blossom. And blossom he does.

Technical Note: Rhino's mastering is revealing. The sonics are excellent, but expect (during quieter passages) to hear tape hiss (track 2), machine motors (track 4), and pops and clicks (track 10). Where do the pops and clicks originate? Could this CD have been mastered from vinyl?

Nazz Nazz
I actually like this record better then their first. Stand out tracks "Forget about It" "Rain Rider" "Under the Ice." Band members are Todd Rundgren lead guitar Carson van Osten bass guitar Tom Mooney drums Stewkey vocals piano organ.

This album changed my life.
I went into music as a career and became a writer with Meridian Leward wafting thru my head. When I was 18 I was to be married but my excessive lifstyle and drug use stopped it cold. On the day I was supposed to meet my bride at the altar I went alone and cried. I sent her "Gonna Cry Today" as a token of how I felt. Todd Rundgren is a genius and even as a yng musician had a feel for the emotion behind the beat, the words. "i'll spend the night if you think I should" Said it many times. Todd went on to bigger better things and I developed an introspective look at my experience and worked alone in my studio for 18 years and on the road for 2. I have an album and will be releasing it this year. Thanks Todd and crew for stimulating my desire to be heard. The crystal glass rubbing intro to one of the songs is inspired. Well enough. Look for "Deuling Stereo Roosters" this year at a site near you. "Kiddy boy" rocks again! Todd and I are about the same age and I'd love to meet and thank him personally for his inspiration in my life. The man has a "knack".

Todd takes Nazz on one last chariot ride.
After the shamefully ignored first album (Nazz), Todd Rundgren and crew reached (some would say over-reached) dazzling new heights on the aptly titled Nazz Nazz back in the summer of '69. Wearing his influences on his sleeve (Brian Wilson/Beatles/Burt Bacharach/Laura Nyro) Todd and the band crank out scorching rockers (Forget All About It, Under The Ice), heart-wrenching ballads (Gonna Cry Today, Letters Don't Count) and one over-indulgent epic (A Beautiful Song). Another collective yawn from record buyers meant the end of Nazz after only two albums. Todd went on to fame and fortune as a solo act, while remaining Nazz members cobbled together outtakes from this album and released them as Nazz III - a rather tepid ending to a great band with a brief but memorable career. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Primo 80's Band
The Romantics were called New Wave/Power Pop/Punk during the 80's but still are a band that plays just good 'ol Rock-N-Roll.
In Heat is a definite requirement if you seek a good piece of 80's music culture. You won't be disappointed!

Another Party Essential
1983 hit album "In Heat" is one of my all time favorite CDs. It includes "Talking In Your Sleep" oft-played 80's hits. But you can dig it out more from this CD. Rock You Up is Hewy Lewis styled uptempo fun pop rock. One In A Million is another hit from this album. My personal pick is "Digging On You", a bit similarly styled as The Hooters' "And We Danced". I'm HIP is really fun hip/rock that will please the appreciators of J.Geils Band or The Knacks. Dig much from this CD. Recommended for The Hooters, J.Geils Band and wide range of 80's pop rock fans. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

miscellany
Juliana Theory is a hugely talented band; it seems their biggest problem is just being misunderstood. the vocals on breathing by wires are wimpy purposely, because they're followed by the angry bit about how machines suck (kind of like the "sha la la" song on emotion immediately followed a song called "to the tune of 5,000 screaming children"). i can understand how the repitition could get annoying, but i don't think it's a problem - it's making room for some instrumental interlude stuff i find quite cool.
basically, this album is really good, although i think emotion was a bit better, and these don't fit together as much, being assembled of leftovers as this album is. still, in true tjt style, real passionate songs. that's what makes them so good. end of your life feels a bit overworked; the next two tracks are cool, but repititious (the beginning is the best part); liability is especially haunting; breathing by wires has that great part at the end of the chorus; and piano song starts oddly, but the piano-playing holds it together so beautifully.

Better and better!!!
Ok, these guys rock!!!...this has to be TJT's best so far...i know its just an EP but i have been jonesing for more Juliana Therory music for a while now, and these six songs are just awesome. Music from Another Room takes off where Emotion is Dead left off, but its like they reached another level of talent and skill..The diverse style of music joined by the heartfelt lyrics make for a great EP. cant wait for the live album they just recorded and their new one on Epic Records. Thanx Brett, Chad, Neil, Josh and Josh for giving me a fix until your next LP.

Ok, You Can Stop That...Please...NOW
Am I the only person that thinks this band is incredibely over-rated. As a matter of fact, I do not think that I dislike a band more than I do the Juliana Theory. The fact that I would rather listen to Good Charlotte or, gasp, a Simple Plan than this garbage is absolutely shocking. I keep trying to figure out who the hell this lead singer Brett Detar guy thinks he is. Obviously, he thinks that he is some big time rockstar and proves this by putting his name next to every song and putting himself way up front in pictures and such. As for the music, it just seems to be layer after layer of poorly played guitars and eight grade poetry style lyrics. I think I heard someone attempt to play a guitar solo on this and it hurt, well, the whole album hurt, but this part especially. To put my review of this album lightly, after it was over I threw the disc out my front door and into the street. Following the throw, I chased after it and twisted it onto the ground with my foot so that nobody would ever have to experience that again. I think this "EP" was thirty minutes long and it has, without a doubt, been one of the worst half hours of my life.

Good, but not the same Juliana Theory
Somebody mentioned ealier, how there sound has changed, since "Understand this is a Dream", which is defintly there best album. This is a great CD, but not awesome and worthy of 5 stars. I think Liability is the best track on the album. But this is a must own album.

Smarter than your average bear
This EP is the first music that I've heard by The Juliana Theory (not counting a couple of downloads) and I must say I am very impressed. I've read a couple of reviews ragging on this record for its mediocrity, and I say that if this is mediocrity, then I can't wait to hear the rest of their music.

Although the songs are really B sides thrown together, they seem to fit in my mind. They all have an eerie Pink Floyd quality. This association is something I didn't see in other reviews and wonder how anyone could have missed it. The beginning of "This Is The End ofYour Life" sounds so much like Floyd's "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" that one has to wonder if it was sampled. Also, Track 2, which I can't remember the name of could be passed off as a Floyd track to the untrained ear. They even go so far as to invoke the phrase "Bleeding hearts and artists," which is something that turns up repeatedly in Pink Floyd's "The Wall." I want to hear some other talk on this subject.

Overall, this is a very good and very complete record, despite its shortness. It is much smarter, and more highly evolved than anything you'll hear on the radio these days. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Since hoisting the "insurgent country" banner in 1995, Chicago's Bloodshot Records has provided refuge for former punk rockers who embrace Hank Williams Sr. as patron saint and Lefty Frizzell as kindred spirit. Informed by equal measures of attitude, alcohol, and twang, this raucously vibrant birthday collection of previously unreleased material resists the corral of categorical conformity. Instead, highlights range from the Waco Brothers' banjo-driven breakdown of the Who's "Baba O'Riley" to the shimmering, haunted ballad, "Favorite," by Neko Case and Jon Rauhouse. Featured within the 40 tracks on this two-disc extravaganza are label stalwarts such as Alejandro Escovedo (renewing Mick Jagger's "Evening Gown"), Robbie Fulks, and Kelly Hogan, along with guest artists ranging from Graham Parker to Giant Sand. Plainly a labor of love, the set provides a definitive survey of the diversity of music carrying the alternative-country brand. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Nashville? No, Chicago.
For reasons I don't pretend to understand, Chicago is one of the capitals for "alternative" country. This 2-disc compilation is a great introduction to the broad array of talent on Bloodshot records, a Chicago label. This is almost as good as open mike night at the Empty Bottle. Personal favorites include "Favorite" by Neko Case and Jon Rauhouse and "Turn the Lights Down Low" by Moonshine Willy.

Bloodshot Saves Music
I buy everything Bloodshot offers because they have everything I love. They call it Country Punk but it's more than that--it's every brilliant guitar player, genius lyric writer and cutting edge vocalist I never heard of making my life worth living again. This sampler just touches the genius of this label. Want specifics? Listen to this sampler, than burn rubber ordering anything by Robbie Fulks--the greatest musical genius of this century (Think Armed Forces Meets Gene Watson with a little Tom Waits and Gram Parsons....no, that doesn't even do it justice) and anything by Alejandro Escovedo, Kelly Hogan, Old 97---they're all just great.

Exciting New Country Vision
Every American who fancies themself a musician should have a crack at the Johnny Cash songbook! Most of the great man's songs were cowboy tunes that go back even farther than Johnny himself. The Nashville music-ocracy has had possession of "Country Music" for far too long, and have been turning out dreck by the truckload for decades now. Anyway, the performances here are almost without exception outstanding. Buy this, you won't regret it.

I'll trade that "o" for an "i", please...
Wanna torture me? Make me listen to one more cowboy shirted ex-punk rocker mangling their way through the Hank Williams or Johnny Cash songbook. Get a buncha Art Institute of Chicago students together, buy some cowboy shirts, overalls, etc. and call yourselves Moonshine Trailer or something, sing in a WIDE affected voice and flail on banjos, mandolins that you can't play and sing about whiskey stills, prison and stuff you don't know nothing about. Welcome to the world of Bloodsh-t Records. A buddy of mine said that ten years ago the owners of this label would spin records at a punk club and they had something like three country records: Dwight Yoakam, some Gram Parsons record and something else...the title escapes me. BS Records must die!

Country Music I'm Proud to Like!!
Let's get this out in the open first....I am not a big fan of country music. While I respect the artistry that goes into classic Nashville music and have a real soft spot for Patsy Cline, most country leaves me pretty cold, and today's country really does. I much prefer the earthiness of traditional folk and roots music. With these prejudices in mind, I have avoided anything with "country" in the name for many years. So when a friend of mine who I respect started extolling the virtues of alternative country I resisted. Then I heard this recording and my mind changed. This stuff is fresh, creative and truly authentic music.

Alternative country began to gain steam in the mid 90s. Some groups are based in traditional "country" areas like Nashville, but much of the movement is centered in less traditional areas...like Chicago. Bloodshot Records is one of the leading independent labels presenting this music and they are based here in the Windy City. Most alternative country musicians got their starts as indie rockers or neo-punks in the early 90s. They became disenchanted with the commercialization of indie rock and were searching for something deeper. They found it in the music of Hank Williams Sr. and Johnny and June Carter Cash. These groups traded in their spiked hair for cowboy hats and leather jackets for western shirts, but they kept many of the things that made there punk sensibilities, dark humor, commitment to noise and edgy instrumental work, and a left wing radicalism that is usually not associated with country, but was a deep part of the folk movement of the 30s. The result is a hard country roots music for the new millennium.

This recording is a steal. Two disc with 20 tracks each by some of Bloodshot's best recording acts or by friends and supporters of the label. The material ranges from punkified rockabilly (Johnny Dowd of the Mekons) to covers of great rock songs (The Waco Brothers wonderful cover of the Who's Baba O'Rilley) to haunting folk ballads (The Texas Rubies Blue Diamond Mines is maybe the most haunting cut on the recording.) Some groups resemble the Cramps and other rockabilly punks of the 80s, while others are close to mainstream country in sound if not sensibility. Standouts on the disc include Alejandro Escovedo's beautiful cover of the Stone's Evening Gown complete with high lonesome backing vocals, Neko Case's unusual Favorite, Anna Fermin's beautiful Patsy Cline influenced vocal on Oh Lonesome Me, The Blacks punky Why Drunky, The Sadies haunting Milk and Scissors with almost surreal lyrics, Trailer Brides scary Ghost on the Highway, and Ryan Addams almost power pop Monday Night. There are two cuts on the album that especially haunt me, The Handsome Family does a beautiful new song in the tradition of old Appalachian mourning ballads, singing about the death of a child in a family. And Chris Mills and Deanna Varagona team up for a haunting duet in high lonesome fashion accompanied by just guitar and mandolin.

If you are new to alternative country, this is a wonderful album to introduce you to its many styles. There will be things here you consider gems and some that you feel aren't as worthy.... inevitable with any compilation. But the good cuts outnumber the bad ones, and there are maybe ten great cuts. This music is infectious. I warn you, you too may trade in your Doc Martens for a good pair of boots after hearing this stuff. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

I finally discovered this gem-- 15 years later
I have been a fan of Springfield's since 1981, but somewhere after Hard To Hold, I lost track. Well, now with Springfield's comeback and release of Karma, I did some catching up. TAO is a very experimental album, very different from Living In Oz (another work of experiment). I have a great love and passion for this album partially because of its underlying spiritual tones, but also because Rick's musical expansion and maturity are clearly evident. The lyrics are great, and the subject matter surpasses the "get-the-girl" theme of previous songs like: "How Do You Talk To Girls" and "Love is Alright Tonite." Subjects ranging from the destruction of the world (in Walking on the Edge), to the innocence of childhood (in Celebrate Youth), combined with electronically synthesized dance beats, forces you to think while clapping your hands and tapping your feet. TAO, as my second favorite Rick Springfield CD, gets 4.5 stars; Karma is number one. Best Track: My Father's Chair--very touching, it mellows out this very energetic, busy album. Rick was totally in control of this piece, and it feels great.

Rick changes sound keeps the punch
Through the early 80s, Rick Springfield made guitar laden albums that dripped of sexual satire. His 1985 release of Tao unveiled an album that was different in both respects. The production of the album stripped away the power chords and replaced them with synth guitar resulting in a very polished sounding album. Heavy keyboards and electronic drums complemented the change in style from earlier albums. The lyrical message of most of the songs was very morrose in nature with very little optimism and a whole lot of pessimism. Even though the sound and song evolution took a step off of the beaten path, the punch and drive that was prevelant on earlier Rick albums is still there. Songs like "Walk Like A Man" and "Written in Rock" take the listener back to previous albums with there energy and style. Rick's next album, ROCK OF LIFE, showcases a lighter side of Rick with very little mix of the rock sound. Both of these albums are good listens, but good luck finding ROCK OF LIFE anywhere.

tao was good
in 85 was the best concert i have ever seen,the tao,from song state of the hart,and my fathers chair,got me thinking of home and my dad,it was nice of him to share with others of his fathers lose,and celebrate youth,about having childern and walk like a man and a hole lot of more good song i like and my wife.

Bounce Right Back.
Rick Springfield was a god of power-pop from 1981 to 1985. He was unstoppable with hit after hit. "Tao" was the end cap on that period of time. All the songs this album fit together extremely well. It sits alongside "Working Class Dog", "Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet" and "Living In Oz" as one of Rick's best albums. "Tao" came off the extremely lackluster "Hard To Hold" debacle the year before (though he had hits from that album/film with "Bop 'Til You Drop" and "Love Somebody" anyway!) If you're looking for great 80's music buy all four albums I've mentioned from Springfield and then stop because "Rock Of Life" and "Karma" were not as well crafted. As a long time fan, I am looking forward to his newest release "Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance" and hope that Rick returns to form. Rick Springfield has to be one of the most overlooked talents in popular music and one listen to "Tao", or any of the other three albums I've listed, will prove it.

How did I miss this one? Buy it TODAY!
OMG! This one rocks! Not a hint of bubblegum on this CD. It's spiritual and sensual at the same time. I love the Tao Of Heaven (great for meditation), and the song My Father's Chair will bring you to tears...and help you in your own healing process when dealing with loss. Dance the world away is a lot of fun..it's definitely has an 80's feel (great for aerobics!) and the entire CD made me celebrate my youth when I thought Rick Springield was the living end...in fact, I'm still celebrating now that I've re-discovered this amazing artist! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Forever in debt to yr priceless advice, Mr. Pasadena - NOT!
Yes, this is their first album. It has great songs and still holds up a strong benchmark for the Smithereens BUT PLEASE! People like Mr. Pasadena who think they should be giving Pat Dinizio and his long-time bandmates advice on how to run their band, these guys have been actually doing it -- touring/recording for 20 years...well, do you really think they need some blowhards opinion on how to have a career in music? There is no Especially For you II: The Sequel. Well, maybe there is, if you like this one, you will find other songs to like in varying amounts in all of their other albums - its not like they had slipped up and made a full length disco/techno/house album or something. Its just that this might be Pat's finest of the crop of early songs and for a lot of bands that reach this high on their debut, it's always a tough if not impossible act to follow. But they have carried on writing and recording good solid POWER POP (heavy emphasis on both words) in a distinct way that no other combo ever quite matches. Instead of a doing Especially For You II: The Sequel (which frankly, if you have Green Thoughts, 11, or the others, you already have that album. I wish the Smithereens would do an full-length album remake of say the one of the Beatles albums from 65-66. It would sound a heck of lot better on the radio today than the original Fab Four tracks and prove that these guys have a live wall of sound that is just as much their trademark sound and as mammoth as anything constructed by ole Phil Spector in the studio.

BOTTOM LINE: If you've never heard the Smithereens, start here. If you have started here, move on to the others.

"These Guitars Don't Jangle...They bite!"
So said the promo sticker adhered to the vinyl version when this album first came out (1986). And it's true. This is some of the most ferocious guitar power-pop you'll ever hear as "Behind the Wall of Sleep" and "Blood and Roses" amply demonstrate. It's also one of the best albums of the 80s. This one's a gem from the perfect opening track, "Strangers When We Meet", to the inclusion of two bonus tracks at the end. Also true: the Smithereens were never quite able to come up with a worthy sequel to this, their masterpiece. Though you might be eyeing that "Best of..." CD to get all their hits, this is really the album of theirs to get - this is their best.

Tueday's Groovy (Wednesday's not too shabby either)
If bubble gum isn't your preferred flavor of pop music, The Smithereens offer popcorn. Yeah, that's a good way of putting it; take the band's crunchy guitars, add Pat Dinizio's appropriately salty lyrics, and you're in for an album's worth of good munching. Songs like "Strangers When We Meet", "Groovy Tuesday", "Behind The Wall Of Sleep" and (need I mention?) "Blood And Roses" exemplify the classic Smithereens recipe. They even slather on the butter when the situation calls for it ("Cigarette", "In A Lonely Place" and "Alone At Midnight").

Especially For You is the perfect album for fans of the three-minute pop song. Sixties aficionados will have fun playing "spot the influence" while listening to this record (The ending of "I Don't Want To Lose You" has a guitar line almost identical to the one that closes The Byrds' "Feel A Whole Lot Better"), but it never comes across as overly derivative. It's simply a band playing music their fans of themselves.

Granted, this isn't exactly "health food", but you deserve to treat yourself, right? Especially For You stands out among the great albums of the eighties, and is definitely worth searching out. I need only mention "White Castle Blue", a live favorite that appears on the CD version (cheesy corn anyone?)

A Power Pop Milestone
I dont think Power Pop was ever the same after "Especally For You" hit the shelves in 1986 - it changed the rules about how Power Poppin' LOUD guitars could be recorded with killer melodies and great songwriting. The Who, Early Kinks and Raspberries created the form - but these Jersey Guys had the heart, talent and guts to really CRANK the guitars into hard rock/metal/punk territory and while doing this - they totally updated and refreshened the genre which was abandoned in the early 80's.

Without this album I dont think The Posies or Matthew Sweet (and glup - Nirvana) would have had any ideas for thier 90's landmark albums. This album's influence is stong into the 2000's with bands like The Shazam and The Lolas. The CD is great all the way through and still sounds "fresh" in 2002 - with no throwaway songs, (including Jim's funny "White Castle Blues:) many are longtime Smithereens favorites. Go Get it!

My Plea To The Smithereens
If you are a member of the Smithereens, or you're close enough to somebody who is, please read and follow these simple steps (or pass them on to your bandmember friend):

1. Revisit your first (and only) masterpiece, ESPECIALLY FOR YOU, and listen to it CONSTANTLY. Listen to it while you're driving around in your mini-van, while you're struggling with your own political aspirataions, while you're heading off to your part-time gig at a local radio station, while you're thinking about writing a song for an eight year old, while awaiting your next hair-plug treatment in the plastic surgeon's waiting room...whenever. Listen to it CONSTANTLY and listen to it CLOSELY and CAREFULLY.

2. Ask yourself what it is about ESPECIALLY FOR YOU that made it so incredible and why your most recent efforts almost make it hard to fathom that you're the same band who recorded it. "In A Lonely Place", "Behind the Wall of Sleep" and "Strangers When We Meet" being just a few shining examples of what a great band you WERE. Was it the endless barrage of hooks, the unique and fresh sound you created, the lyrics which actually meant something and appear to have taken longer than ten minutes to write? What was it exactly and where can you go to find whatever winning ingrediants it was that so gloriously decorated this album?

3. Prove those of us who have completely given up on you wrong (and there are plenty of us out there). Stop worrying about creating another failed 'business venture' and sit down to write another song like "Time and Time Again" or "Listen To Me Girl". And don't forget about these three very important elements of a pop tune: melody, hook, and a strong lyric. For inspiration, you may want to listen to the abomination you released in 1999, GOD SAVE THE SMITHEREENS, which shamelessly ignores all three of these elements. After re-visiting GOD SAVE, you're sure to walk away knowing that the next album you release could ONLY be better.

4. If you've successfully made it to this step and have finally released another strong album (we're not expecting another ESPECIALLY FOR YOU...but you should set your sights at least that high) sit back in your easy chair and accept our apologies for ever doubting the Smithereens. You can finally stop telling the press how great you are (were) and how many bands you influenced, and you can again let the music do the talking for you. And, again, we'll have some new great music to listen to from a band that used to make great music.

Good luck Smithereens. I look forward to you being more than "Only A Memory". ... Read more

Album Description

1996 release on R.P.M. featuring the third & fourth album byEric Carmen's early '70s power pop group together on one CD,1973's 'Side 3' and 1974's 'Starting Over'. Each was originally released on Capitol. 20 tracks total, including the top 20 hit 'Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)', plus 'Tonight' and 'I'm A Rocker'. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Long live the two-fer!
The second in a two disc set, this killer collection houses the last two albums in the Raspberries all too brief career, Side 3 and Starting Over. I can't say that there aren't moments on this disc that don't come up to the level of the rest, Should I Wait and Money Down being the two that come to mind, but the inclusion of Tonight, Ecstacy, Overnight Sensation, I Don't Know What I Want, and Starting Over on one disc washes over any weak moments that the band might encounter. This is a great way to own the Raspberries albums on cd if you don't happen to live in Japan where they apparently have a greater appreciation for fine music. (It's the only explanation I can think of.)

Side 3 / Starting Over
A compilation of the third and fourth Raspberries releases. Unfortunately the fourth release "Starting Over" was considered the 1974 record of the year at the same time the band disbanded. As with the prior release you are entertained with 19 tracks of RASPBERRIES greatness. The production greatness of Overnight Sensation(Hit Record) even in 1974 is unsurparrased to date! The Smile, Jimmy Ienner produced all their efforts as well as the early Stevie Nicks. He was THE GAME. Thank for stemming the British Invasion and keeping Gator Growl 1973 in check.

"Make you sweat 'til your feet are wet?" C'MON, Eric!
Let me venture a guess and assume that you agree that the Raspberries were never really...uh...'cutting edge.' Yeah...'Go All The Way?' C'mon, break out the insulin or something. At least though, Eric, Wally & the boyz never tried to hide the fact that they were in it for the bucks and the babes (ain't we ALL). And, like most everything in the early '70s (the decade that good taste forgot), they were imminently forgettable. Imagine my surprise then, when, in '74 or '75. my guitar player's 13 year old sister wanted me to listen to her copy of the Raspberries' "Overnight Sensation." The opening track on side two, 'All Through The Night' sounded EXACTLY like what Rod Stewart would mutate into several years later in his "Do You Think I'm Disco" dayz. Dig THIS: "...All thru the night/if you play yo' hand just right/I'm gonna make you sweat till yo' feet are wet/now don't say I didn't warn ya" WHOAH Dude! Been spending quality time with 'Exile On Main St,' huh? Wally Bryson's 'Party's Over' is hilarious, and it sounds exactly like nasty ol' Kiss at their naughtiest: "Now I'm older and wiser and a bad criticizer/and I'm crazy but I don't give a..." You get the idea. You have to listen for yourself to hear Bryson's and new bassist Scott McCarl's 'Hands On You' - they must have been SERIOUSLY into some Black Jack. Regretfully, "Overnight Sensation" ain't available on CD, so this will have to do. Buy it, and I guarantee it'll make you feel like you're a senior in high school and you're surreptitously enjoying your little sister's records...

Definitive Raspberries, Part 2
Picking up where "Power Pop, Volume One" stopped off, "Volume Two" collects the Raspberries last two albums, "Volume 3" and "Starting Over." This disc, 20 tracks and 70 minutes long, has the Raspberries at their sonic height, although no huge hit singles are here. The closest is "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" which climbed to #35 on the charts before plunging. The band are much rockier and have much more of an edge on this collection than on the first, especially on "Starting Over" and despite having gone through personnel changes resulting in only half of the original band remaining, the music consistently improved over time. Furthermore, the music has aged well, and is just as fresh and crisp today as it was 25 years ago. what a shame that the record buying public wrote Eric and Co. off as "one hit wonders" and "bubble gummers." Tunes such as "Ecstacy" certainly show that these guys were far from being Tommy James and the Shondells or the 1910 Fruitgum Company. Once again, RPM's packaging is immaculate, with an informative fold-out inlay card chock full of biographical and discographical information, and track by track annotations by band members themselves. Do yourself a favor, pick up both volumes of "Power Pop" and give the Raspberries a listen. You'll be hard pressed to find a band which could put 3 or 4 minutes of tape to better use. If you're like me you'll be transported back 25 years and feel the car radio wailing away with some fine Midwestern "power pop."

ACE!
THE two classic Raspberries albums on one c.d! Altogh three of my favourites songs("LETS PRETEND","DONT WANT TO SAY GOODBYE" and "Go all the way" are on the first two albums, i find the last two as more consistent. "ECSTACY" is one of the best songs ever, Carmen vocals are on the highest pitch, Bryson plays like Twonsend, and Bonfaty kills his drums. "LAST DANCE" & "TONIGHT" ARE SUPERB,and Dave Smally on "HARD TO GET OVER A HARD BREAK" is excellent. IT IS very easy to fall in love with some of the songs on "Starting over"(their final l.p.), The theme's song+ "I could hardly belive your mine",are just beautiful 'Small Faces'ish. Scott mCcarl, is a hungry young man that blows everything with "play on" and the haunting 'Rose coloured glasses". Altogh,there are some O.k. songs here and there(Bryson's weak 'Party's over') The overall are some perfect pop songs, from a perfect band ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Donnie does it again!
Another great album from Donnie Iris. His hit Ah! Leah! is a classic. Shock Treatment and I Can't Hear You are super. Listen to this CD and you'll get hooked!

Undiscovered Gem- what a great album- front to back.
"Ah! Leah!" is the song that got my attention. At a time when REO speedwagon seemed to dominate the airwaves, this HUGE rockin' power ballad stood out as something unique.
"I Can't Hear You," "Joking," and "Shock Treatment" are lyrically brilliant- (although at times very eighties).
"Back on the Streets," is a Springsteen-esque ballad that is as good as or better than any Springsteen epic.
"Agnes," is a great "story" that builds as it goes- unforgettable.
"You're Only Dreaming," "She's So Wild (amazing rocker)," and "Daddy Don't Live Here Anymore" revisits some ot the quirkiness and silliness of trackes 2,3, and 4.
"Too Young to Love," just hurts when you listen to it.
Iris has tapped into the very ache of love and desire on a lot of this album and it leaves you with an unforgettable experience. Kick back and listen to all of this at once. You won't regret it.

Amazing album
This album is outdone only by the next album 'King Cool' and that takes quite some doing to out do this album but 'King Cool' is in my top 5 of all time. 'Back on the Streets is easily in the top 15.

It was 'Love is like a rock' that converted me into a die hard Donnie Iris fan, of course that song is on the next album, but Ah leah played a major part to.

Id say the 3 weakest songs on this album(I can't hear you, Back on the streets, and Daddy don't live here) are still better then average meaning the other 7 are great. the 2 that stand out for me are 'She's so wild' and 'You're only dreaming' but only slightly over Agness, Ah Leah, Shock Treatment, and Too Young to love. Joking is another very good song but not quite up there with previousely mentioned. No fillers at all.

Great Debutfrom Ex-Jaggerz Vocalist!
Originally with the 70's pop group The Jaggerz who scored big with "The Rapper" in the early 70's, Donnie Iris releases his debut l.p. with a definate new wave sound to it. The hit "Ah Leah" was played on radio stations all over the U.S. in 1980 and it still sounds great today. Iris has a knack at writing catchy tunes such as the above mentioned tunes. Songs such as "Back On The Street" and "Can't You Hear Me" are pop/new wave sounding songs that were released at just the right time when New Wave was getting popular. This is a great cd for those who enjoy the likes of The Producers, The Records, The Jags or The Romantics.

Memories
This albumn brings back those memories of college in the early 80's. This CD is great from start to finish. A must buy for any Donnie Iris fan. The problem is that there are no longer albumns, only CD's. There are still some Donnie Iris albums that need to be made into CD's. ... Read more

Album Description

With the departure of drummer Sara Romweber, this album became kind of a studio project for Mitch Easter, but hey, if anybody was ever up to the task of a self-produced solo record, it would be Mitch! The music’s a little less new wave-y here, and a little more personal…one of the better albums released in 1986. Includes 'In Little Ways; Talking to Myself; Writing the Book of Last Pages; Last Chance Town; Won’t Go Wrong; Badger; Fell; Still Dark Out; Whispered News; Reflecting Pool', and 'Route 67'. Mitch has also come up with two bonus tracks, 'Invisible Hills' and 'Horizon', a later version of which ended up on his subsequent album, 'Every Dog Has His Day,' which we’re also reissuing. A 'Collectors’ Choice Music' exclusive! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Makes 1986 feels like 2004
As my tastes in music have come full circle, Let's Active has always been in the loop. Every 2 months, I listen to Big Plans... for the last 16 years! I never get tired of it. The Shins, Built to Spill, Elliott Smith, owe something to Let's Active. It takes a few listens, but the reward is definitely forthcoming in the end. Until these reissues, CDs of Let's Active were running $50+ on eBay if that means anything. Get 'em while you still can.

Many a band owe their sound to Let's Active
When I was 17, the only way to discover new music was 1)Judging an album by its cover 2)120 Minutes on MTV or 3)Word of Mouth from friends who did the same first 2 steps. Someone recommended Big Plans and I didn't like it at first, but because I had a job paying minimum wage ($3.35 at the time), I only could buy 1 record per week. This meant I was forced to listen it to it more than twice. To this day, 16 years later, every two months, I'll listen to this record, especially on road trips. It hasn't aged one bit. It brings back memories of being really happy driving country roads for hours just listening to the Big Plans over and over. The Shins, Elliott Smith, Neutral Milk Hotel, and etal all have a little bit of Let's Active in their sound. People have just began rediscovering LA. If you don't believe me, see how much Afoot on Cd was selling on Evay recently before Amazon started listing it. ($50+) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

So you want to know who influenced John Reznick?
Here it is! The Goo Goo Dolls idolized this band! Give a listen and you'll see why!

RE: Review from Denver.........
Yes.....It is an awesome album, but I think my cousin Dave and Clem Burke would wonder how much you really know about them if you think Dave is the drummer. Hint: 4 strings and slightly larger than a guitar.

Kool Trash; very cool; no trash
For Plimsouls fans (the few and the intelligent) this recording is like rewinding the clock to 1981. Three of the four original members bring you the tell-tale sandpaper tonsils of Peter Case, No Foolin'guitar licks from Eddie Munoz and garage banging drumming of Dave Pahoa. The band has, to it's credit, gone back to the basics that you know and love from the first album. I don't have to tell you anything else except PLAY IT LOUD! ... Read more