Rock on [Import]

Product Description:
Japanese limited edition run of 5000 remastered discs in paper sleeves. Island. 2004.

Rock on,Bunch,Universal,Folk,Rock

Average customer rating: Sorry, but this album bored me I'm blown away... Run, Don't Walk, to Grab This One More of the Excellence You've Come To Expect superb album!

Time on Earth Crowded House Manufacturer: Ato Records / Red ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Farewell to the World Easy Tiger Our Love to Admire Sweet Warrior Zeitgeist ASIN: B000Q9OD7G Release Date: 2007-07-10

Tracks:

1. Nobody Wants To
2. Don't Stop Now
3. She Called Up
4. Say That Again
5. Pour Le Monde
6. Even A Child
7. Heaven That I'm Making
8. A Sigh
9. Silent House
10. English Trees
11. Walked Her Way Down
12. Transit Lounge
13. You Are The One To Make Me Cry
14. People Are Like Suns

Amazon.com

Fourteen years, a live CD/DVD, some solo albums, and one tragic suicide after Crowded House's last release comes this highly anticipated reunion. Singer/songwriter Neil Finn and bassist Nick Seymour reunited after the 2005 death of drummer Paul Hester, brought in a new member and two producers (Ethan Johns and Steve Lillywhite) to replace longtime cohort Mitchell Froom, and the impressive result is a logical and overdue addition to the band's previous four albums. Finn's knack for a melodic ballad remains firmly in place as Time on Earth coasts on his dreamy voice and introspective, hook-laden pop choruses. However, this is a more reflective collection that requires a few spins to fully reveal its charms. Finn co-writes "Even a Child" with Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, and that and the frisky "She Called Up" are the most buoyant tracks on this predominantly pensive disc. Finn has generally shaded towards a darker edge and this hour-long set might have benefited from more of the lighter touch he applies to "Transit Lounge," a song enhanced by Beth Rowley's lovely and startling wordless vocals along with jazzy electric piano and even airport sound effects. Strings, sitar, and intricate production add subtle elements that bolster the timeless musical qualities Finn has always reveled in. The ominous, even brooding "Silent House," a co-write with all three Dixie Chicks, is another highlight that sounds like nothing either has done before as it floats along on fuzz guitar and hurdy-gurdy, both courtesy of Johns. Trimming some weaker cuts would have made this a more focused listen, but Time on Earth is a worthy successor to Crowded House's existing catalog--a high compliment indeed. --Hal Horowitz

Customer Reviews:

Sorry, but this album bored me.......2007-07-18

I almost feel unpatriotic saying this, but "Time on Earth" bored me. I have listened to this album many times in my work place - alone in an office and through the company's general sound system. I have genuinely tried to like this album - I haven't minded some of Crowded House's other recordings in the past, although I rather liked Split Enz a trifle more.

The instrumentation didn't seem to be very interesting to me and the vocal delivery seemed to be somewhat on the perfunctory side. I listened to the words and didn't find myself engaged with the sentiments of any of the songs. However, it is a very competent and professional recording and people are likely to notice that. But the whole thing sounds very staid, conservative, dour and even a little too earnest for me - I make this judgement on the overall effect/affect of the music I hear here. I guess that this sounds like a strange complaint from a bloke who professes a love of the music of Haydn, Palestrina, Schumann and David Sylvian! However, Crowded House ostensively make Pop Music and I try to get into a different mind-set when I listen to Pop Music. I don't quite know what I am supposed to do with this new Crowded House album - play it at dinner parties? dance to it? listen to it in my favourite armchair? listen to it in the car? play it at barbecues? put it on if I ever threw a wild party?
I can't really imagine that I would turn to this album in any of the situations outlined above. The "Time on Earth" exhibited by Crowded House sounds very unadventurous to me.

Is Crowded House trying to communicate some interesting and important messages to us via this new album or simply entertain us or are the members simply trying to return to their chosen profession via this album and make some dough?

I can't honestly say.

I'm blown away..........2007-07-17

At the outset, I'll admit that I have never considered myself a huge Crowded House fan. Oh sure, I enjoyed Don't Dream It's Over and Something So Strong like the rest of the world in the '80's, but I never bought an CH album before this one.

On a whim, I picked this up last week. To be succinct, I'm completely blown away. I'm usually a prog-rock fan (ie Rush, Yes, etc.). Coming from this perspective, this new CH album reminds me of "prog-pop," in that the songwriting is smart, well-crafted, and pushing the boundaries of the genre. Additionally, Finn and the gang seem to have been around long enough to know, for example, how to utilize just one or two notes on the piano in order to subtly "make" the entire song.

This being said, this album has something that most prog doesn't contain: absolutely beautiful, personal, and touching lyrics. Although often melancholy, the songs never degenerate into a mere joyless apprehension of life. Rather, the lyrics are deeply bittersweet; consequently, they come across as refreshingly unaffected and ultimately, quite heartfelt. They, along with Finn's delivery, make this a very special album.

In short, I am deeply impressed by this record and I am now looking forward to discovering CH's back catalog.

Run, Don't Walk, to Grab This One.......2007-07-15

It's hard to articulate how good this disc is. If you're a fan of melodic and smart pop/rock, you will love this album. Neil Finn is at the very top of his game, and the songs are more stick-to-your-ribs hooky than the last few of his efforts. I bought this three days ago and have sat and listened to it front-to-end six times since. That's extremely rare these days!

More of the Excellence You've Come To Expect.......2007-07-13

When I heard in 2006 that Neil Finn's planned next solo album was going to be a Crowed House album, I was a little disappointed. Owning CH albums, Split Enz albums, and the two Finn Brothers albums, I ultimately find Neil Finn's solo material (_Try Whistling This_ & _One Nil_) to be his best work. However, since this is Neil Finn we're talking about--easily one of pop music's best songwriters--regardless of what name was going to be on the album, it would likely be up to par with his previous work. However, stacked up against such phenomenal post-CH work, _Time on Earth_ does ultimately dissapoint a little bit.

Lyrically, the suicide of original drummer Paul Hester looms over nearly the entire album. From the beautiful opener "Nobody Wants To" to the Split Enz-like "She Called Up" to the plaintive "Silent House," Neil Finn is clearly mourning within this material. The first half of the album is just as good as anything Crowded House has done, with "Pour Le Monde" being another stunning, melancholy work of songwriting genius that fans have come to expect from Finn ("he imagines the world/as the angel ascending/like the ghost of a man/who is tied up to the chair/and he tries to believe/that his life has a meaning/with his hand on his heart"). About midway through the album, the momentum slows down a bit. "Heaven That I'm Making," co-written with Johnny Marr sounds like something that might've made it onto _One Nil_, but fails to make much of an impression, and is followed by the pretty, but again, slightly lackluster "A Sigh." Along with "Silent House," "A Sigh" sounds like something more from the "Rain" movie score that Finn was involved with a few years ago than a CH or Finn album--very subtle, low-key, lo-fi offerings. "English Trees" continues the pretty, plaintive, reflective mood that dominates the middle of the album before jumping back into the upbeat, mysterious "She Walked Her Way Down" ("and i know what the answer is/but i'm happy to be here tonight/and when you're in the moment/everything you want is right"). "Transit Lounge" sounds like the experimental side of Neil Finn' solo work and is one of the best, freshest sounding songs on the album. Closing out the album are two more low-key and subtle songs--"You Are The One To Make Me Cry" and "People Are Like Suns." Closers on albums that Finn is involved with--"Together Alone," "Addicted," "Into The Sunset," "Gentle Hum"--are usually breathtakingly beautiful. "People Are Like Suns" does not match the heights achieved by those songs, but it comes close, ending the album with the "appreciate every moment" theme that is displayed on this CH album in the wake of Paul Hester's death: "better take all the love that you got in a single hand...." People are like suns..."they come and they go...."

_Time On Earth_ is another great album to add to your Crowded House collection. It's a far more subtle offering than _Woodface_ or _Together Alone_, but it rewards the listener more and more with repeated listenings. Fans of Finn's prior work will not be disappointed.

superb album!.......2007-07-12

I am in complete agreement with Vinzo: this is a masterpiece. Finn is only getting better, each song is perfectly constructed and a joy to listen to. i've listened through it 3 times in 24 hours and can't wait to hear it again. been a long time since any recording felt like "somethin so right" to me, so to speak. i like a lot of new records, and love some, but getting through them in their entirety more than once the first day - i can't remember the last time that happened.

the band sound great and the production is cleaner, less thick, than the very fine finn brothers album. sure sounds like a crowded house album to me!

where I disagree with other reviewers is in how accessable this is. i found it immediately so - I was on it from the 1st measure and found every song very straight ahead and perfectly neil finn/crowded house-ish. a few choice surprise sonic nuggets here and there, but hard to get used to? no way.

I agree Vinzo, it really is THAT good. a perfect ten!!!

Average customer rating: Let me visit your arms Great solo album! Audioslave and Soundgarden fans will be pleased with this CD Excellent a good continuation of euphoria mornig

Carry On Chris Cornell Manufacturer: Interscope Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post Grunge | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Libertad Era Vulgaris Icky Thump Zeitgeist Year Zero ASIN: B000PDZJ08 Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

1. No Such Thing
2. Poison Eye
3. Arms Around Your Love
4. Safe And Sound
5. She'll Never Be Your Man
6. Ghosts
7. Killing Birds
8. Billie Jean
9. Scar On The Sky
10. Your Soul Today
11. Finally Forever
12. Silence The Voices
13. Disappearing Act
14. You Know My Name

Amazon.com

Change has been a constant in Chris Cornell's life since Soundgarden split in 1997. Sober and over 40 now, he lives in France with his wife and daughter. His first solo album (1999's Euphoria Morning) was lauded in the press, but disregarded by the public. And his supergroup Audioslave eventually fizzled after a trio of albums. But on Cornell's long-awaited sophomore solo effort, it's obvious something hasn't been altered: the voice, a distinguished instrument still pure and resonant--and authoritative enough to take on Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and turn it from throbbing dancefloor anthem to portentous ballad. The unforeseen cover is sequenced midway through 14 tracks that have Cornell softening the edges of his music without losing the power of the messenger. No less than a half-dozen songs have hit potential, including "Arms Around Your Love," with its soaring chorus, the R&B-flecked "She'll Never Be Your Man," and "No Such Thing," where restrained verses give way to crunchy-riffed choruses. He uses the bluesy "Safe and Sound" to call for peace, asking "Why can't we pull it together?" Ten years after the breakup of his pioneering band, Chris Cornell has done just that, and it's evident that the change has done him good. --Scott Holter

Album Description

Carry On is the 13th album by two-time Grammy winner, singer-songwriter and voice of a generation, Chris Cornell. Steered by Grammy Award-winning British super- producer Steve Lillywhite (U2, Rolling Stones, Morrissey, Dave Matthews Band), Carry On is a mature and content departure from the acrimonious artist who brought us Soundgarden, Audioslave and Temple of the Dog.

The new album's fourteen tracks offer the bluesy and soulful "Safe and Sound," psychedelic "Scar On The Sky," country-flavored "Finally Forever"... paeans to persistence in "Disappearing Act" and a slow-grind cover of Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean" that gives the familiar song a completely new feeling. More personal selections include "Ghost," "Arms Around Your Love" and "She'll Never Be Your Man" and alt-rock experimentations ("Killing Birds" the anthemic "Silence the Voices"). Fans of Soundgarden and Audioslave will appreciate the harder edge of "No Such Thing" and "Poison Eye" and the redemptive "Your Soul Today."

Carry On also includes the Top 10 European smash hit "You Know My Name," the main title song for the current James Bond theatrical release, Casino Royale, appearing for the first time on a full-length release. Cornell wrote and recorded the track with long-time James Bond composer David Arnold for the film.

With this collection of songs, it is evident that Cornell was inspired by songwriters from Elvis Costello to Tom Waits. Cornell says that his own lyrical approach leans on stream-of-consciousness, "getting out of my own way" to allow themes to naturally arise, whether topical or biographical. "The most exciting thing is to let yourself expose your true, vulnerable feelings, which is what resonates with people most," he explains. As far as his vocal style, he points to such R&B singers as Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin for showing masterfully how emotion can best be conveyed, even in subtle phrasing, also praising Bob Marley's expressive range and Tom Waits' use of his voice as an instrument.

Customer Reviews:

Let me visit your arms.......2007-07-17

What a great singer and songwriter. I'm so glad he's still making albums after Soundgarden. My favs are Poison Eye, Your Soul Today, Finally Forever, and Disappearing Act.

Great solo album!.......2007-07-17

I love the new cd! It gets better and better the more I listen to it and is on its way to being one of my favorites. It's different than anything he's done, which is refreshing. It's still Chris Cornell though...creative lyrics, great music, amazing voice! It shows his growth and maturity pesonally and as an artist. It's an album album that would fit in with anyone's collection, regardless of your main music taste, and offers a little something for everyone. I would definitely recommed it!

Audioslave and Soundgarden fans will be pleased with this CD.......2007-07-16

A Wonderful collection of tunes including the theme from James Bond's Casino royal, this collection includes the hard-hitting "She'll Never Be Your Man" and the Soundgarden-esque "My Blind Eye". Cornell has really matured greatly from his last solo offering, and combines his Temple of the Dog, Soundgarden and Audioslave stylings into a cohesive whole.

Excellent.......2007-07-16

I have no idea why some of these reviews written by "Cornell fans" are so strongly aginst this album.
I left this album in my car cd player for about a month straight and could not get enough of it...the majority of the tracks are excellent.
I hope that it does not end up as underrated as his first solo album.
His voice may be getting strained after all these years of abusing it with his aggressive singing, but he still manages to make it work on this album.

a good continuation of euphoria mornig.......2007-07-16

Not exactly what you would expect from a guy who used to front Soundgarden and Audioslave but a good effort. "No Such Thing" rocks but you can see the soul influence on other songs. Cornell is singing well on this album, not the flatout sound from some Audioslave tracks but still great range. The Bond song is exactly what the Bond song is supposed to be.

Average customer rating: Hang on Little Tomato Quirky but Nice The World is Flat... and Pink Now here's a reason to watch PBS Better than ever

Hang on Little Tomato Pink Martini Manufacturer: Heinz Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Sympathique Hey Eugene! Latenight Betty Dreamland Careless Love ASIN: B0002S94WK Release Date: 2004-10-19

Tracks:

1. Let's Never Stop Falling In Love
2. Anna (El Negro Zumbon)
3. Hang On Little Tomato
4. The Gardens Of Sampson & Beasley
5. Veronique
6. Dansez-vous
7. Lilly
8. Autrefois
9. U Plavu Zoru
10. Clementine
11. Una Notte A Napoli
12. Kikuchiyo To Mohshimasu
13. Aspettami
14. Song Of The Black Swan

Amazon.com

Pink Martini should be known as the little orchestra that walks a fine line in its music. The Portland, Oregon, outfit is deeply influenced by Latin music, jazz, cabaret, cinema scores, and a smattering of other styles. But rather than simply aping legendary artists in their prime--and fooling only a few dim bulbs in the process--band shakes things up by writing its own material, or at least creating tasteful new arrangements that fit within the band's unique post-lounge framework. The band keeps the playful musical vibe on Hang On Little Tomato, but jettisons what kitsch factor it had, choosing to focus wholly on original material or stuff that isn't recognizable to the average music fan. It's been a seven-year wait for fans since the band's fun debut, Sympathique, and while the blush is now off the rose, the band's creative ambitions and talent are never better displayed than here on their second effort. - Tad Hendrickson

Album Description

Somewhere between a 1930s Cuban dance orchestra, a classical chamber music ensemble, a Brazilian marching street band and Japanese film noir is the 12-piece Pink Martini.

Part language lesson, part Hollywood musical, the Portland, Oregon-based "little orchestra" was originally created in 1994 by Harvard-graduate Thomas M. Lauderdale to play at political fundraisers for progressive causes such as public broadcasting, clean water, libraries, civil rights and affordable housing. In the years following, Pink Martini has gone on to perform its multilingual repertoire on concert stages, in smoky clubs and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Greece, Turkey, Taiwan, Lebanon and the U.S.

Hang On Little Tomato, Pink Martini's much-anticipated second album, features a collection of original songs written by the band and its extended family as well as a few undiscovered gems reinterpreted in high style. Drawing on themes articulated on Sympathique, Hang On Little Tomato is the result of the group's diverse collaborations and inspirations. From an advertisement for Hunt's Ketchup in a 1964 issue of Life magazine to a dance sequence in the 1950 Italian film Anna, Hang On Little Tomato includes songs in French, Italian, Japanese, Croatian, Spanish and English. "Una Notte a Napoli," for example, was written with Alba Clemente - an Italian stage and television star in the 1970s - and DJ Johnny Dynell of the legendary New York-based nightclub Jackie 60. In a reworking of the Japanese song "Kikuchiyo To Mohshimasu," Pink Martini collaborated with Hiroshi Wada, the slide guitarist whose group originally recorded and released the song in 40 years ago.

Originally released in 1997, Sympathique met with rave reviews worldwide, finding a place within the hearts of many and selling well over a half million copies. Building its legacy through unstoppable word of mouth, select high profile symphony dates, prominent placement in film and television and fashionable private appearances, Pink Martini has returned with their highly-anticipated follow up. Hang On Little Tomato is every bit the new album Pink Martini fans have been longing for. Lush string arrangements, soaring vocals and cosmopolitan rhythms unfurl from the brilliant international hemisphere that is Pink Martini.

Customer Reviews:

Hang on Little Tomato.......2007-07-02

I love this group and this CD does not disappoint. A unique mix of selections enhanced, as always, by the outstanding musical talent of the group.

Quirky but Nice.......2007-06-27

So...I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Hang on Little Tomato, as I had heard an excerpt from another album on Public Radio, the one where China sings Que Sera with carnival music in the background. That piqued my interest. I did listen to the samples before I ordered it, but couldn't really tell much. I was pleasantly surprised to say the least. I am a classical music fan and have spent many years singing choral music in a number of languages so the songs sung in French and Italian to a Latin rhythm were intriguing. I also liked their "big band" styling. There was only one song on the album that I didn't like, and considering that they wrote most of the music, that's a pretty significant average for me.

The World is Flat... and Pink.......2007-04-29

Seamlessly crossing genres and generations and geographies, Pink Martini's second album is stellar, erudite, and delightful. It is perhaps a wee bit less dazzling than their first (Sympathique), but far above and beyond most of today's music. I've waited a few years to write my review on this one, but since the third album is being released in May 2007, I thought I'd better get moving.

Pink Martini is a group of 15 musicians, occasionally augmented by additional strings. There is one musician from the first album missing: Pepe Raphael, who was a vocalist as well as songwriter. His departure may explain why "Hang On Little Tomato" is a bit less "edgy" than the first album. (You can hear Pepe on the album "Latenight Betty" by Pepe and the Bottle Blondes, which is quite good but at times a bit too camp/kitschy.)

Every song on "Hang On Little Tomato" is a work of art. In the opening of the first cut, a sea of strings sweeps you into a Cuban nightclub, and China Forbes, Pink Martini's leading lady, draws you in with her sultry vocal delivery. She caresses the lyrics "I know a falling star can't fall forever, but let's never stop falling in love." As the song builds, each talented musician in the group adds to the charm; the keyboard, the trumpets, the percussion: perfection. In addition to providing luscious vocals, China Forbes shares songwriting credit for this along with Thomas M. Lauderdale, the group's pianist.

The second cut, "Anna (el negro zumbon)," continues the Latin flavor, featuring a duet with China and Timothy Nishimo (the group's replacement for Pepe, I suppose, as Timothy was not on the first album). This is one of those songs that forces you to move to the beat; quite fun. Superb percussion, including Heinz the barking dog!

The title cut, "Hang On Little Tomato," features a marvelously mellow clarinet prelude, and a boop-boop-be-doop vocal by China Forbes. Sheer delight. Next comes "The Gardens of Sampson and Beasley," another original work that uses strings and harp to mold a mellow charm, and features a bit of "My Darling Clementine" woven in. The garden referenced is Bella Madrona in Sherwood, Oregon, owned by Jim Sampson and Geoff Beasley.

Continuing the mellow mood, Pink Martini next returns to film noir land, offering a sparse, nostalgic "Veronique," with chilling vocals and trumpet performed by Robert Taylor. French is next, with "Dansez-Vous." I originally thought this was the weakest cut on the album, but after seeing them perform this number live, I have a different opinion. In concert, an extended version of this song is a showcase for the multitude of musical talent that resides in the people of Pink Martini.

With "Lilly," the Latin groove returns, and two trumpets dance with staccato piano and piquant percussion. We quickly jump back to French, with a spare, haunting, wistful, "Autrefois." I love this song! It starts out with a funky drumbeat, which quickly is joined by nostalgic piano chords and a soul-searing violin. What a delightful juxtaposition--the modern percussion and the classic violin, piano, and mandolin. And the longing lyrics tell a tale of fond memories "a good long time ago." The soul capture continues on the next cut, U Plavu Zoru. Patsy Chang's opening cello is unbelievable (see this number in concert for a true soul-shaking experience!). The lyrics of this original song are in Croatian. Why? Why not? Music is the communication form that still delights even if one can't understand the words. "U Plavu Zoru" highlights the outstanding musicianship of each individual member, and the talent of the team, as they take us on a symphonic, operatic journey featuring strings, brass, keyboard, and China's gorgeous voice.

The next cut, "Clementine," brings back memories of the sixties. This song channels Burt Bacharach, or perhaps Herb Alpert, and trombone aficionados will be very pleased. The mid-twentieth century tribute continues with "Una Notte a Napoli." This song could have been used instead of "Tu Vuo' Fa L'Americano" in that Italian nightclub scene in "The Talented Mr. Ripley."

In a very Pink Martini move, the next song jumps to Japan, and a Japanese pop song from the sixties. For its cover of this song, Pink Martini enlisted Hiroshi Wada to recreate his slide guitar from the original. This music embodies all the mystery and distinction of Japanese culture, and through simplicity creates great beauty. To continue the "beauty through simplicity" theme, the next number, "Aspettami (Wait for Me)," features only the voice of China Forbes and the guitar of Dan Faehnle, blending to create soothing charm.

And finally, a bit of bit of Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos: Song of the Black Swan. This lush instrumental track carries us, blissfully, to the conclusion of Pink Martini's magical musical world tour. I wish politicians could bring harmony across cultures as well as these musicians.

All but three of the album cuts were written by members of the group, which is the inverse of the case on their first album. I believe you will enjoy and never tire of this CD. If you have the chance to see Pink Martini in concert, run, don't walk. I'll see them again in two months. And remember the new one arriving in May 2007!

Now here's a reason to watch PBS.......2007-04-26

This CD is glorious! Listening to it almost makes PBS worth watching. LOL! I love that this CD is multi-lingual and jazzy. This is one of my favorite CDs.

Better than ever.......2007-03-28

Phenomenal! Love the varying languages. Love the vocals. The songs keep running through my head long after I listen. I hope it's not so long before the next album!

Average customer rating: To Infinity and Beyond Skip this one.. Sellouts?....No. Dissapeared off the radar?....uh no. Follow up to a great debut?....Yes! FOB RULZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111 Now, press repeat!!

Infinity on High Fall Out Boy Manufacturer: Island Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Emo | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk-Pop | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Black Parade From Under the Cork Tree The Best Damn Thing [CLEAN] Minutes to Midnight Don't You Fake It ASIN: B000LC4ZIK Release Date: 2007-02-06

Tracks:

1. Thriller
2. The Take Over, The Break's Over
3. This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race
4. I'm Like A Lawyer With The Way I'm Always Trying To Get You Off (Me & You)
5. Hum Hallelujah
6. Golden
7. Thnks Fr Th Mmrs
8. Don't You Know Who I Think I Am?
9. The (After) Life Of The Party
10. The Carpal Tunnel Of Love
11. Bang The Doldrums
12. Fame-Infamy
13. You're Crashing, But You're No Wave
14. I've Got All This Ringing In My Ears And None On My Fingers

Amazon.com

After the success of From Under the Cork Tree, Fall Out Boy earned the right to indulge their whims. Fortunately, their instincts tend to serve them well (not counting those infamous cell-phone photos). On their most adventurous album, Def Jam prez Jay-Z introduces "Thriller," while Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds produces groove-heavy hit "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" and "Thnks fr th Mmrs." A few new flourishes aside, however, like guitarist Joe Trohman's Metallica moves on "Thriller," the Chicago-bred band remains true to their punk-pop roots, even if vocalist Patrick Stump sounds like Mr. Sexyback on "This Ain't a Scene" and "I'm like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me + You)." You can thank bass player/songwriter Pete Wentz for the unwieldy song titles. As he explains in "Fame < Infamy," "I am God's gift / Why would he bless me with such wit without a conscience." Whether spicing up their recipe with R&B swagger or playing it straight, FOB are at their best when they crank up the volume. Hence, the piano-based "Golden" is the weakest track on an otherwise solid outing. Hey, maybe they just wanted to see what a stadium looks like bathed in the glow of a thousand lighters. Taking its title from a letter Vincent Van Gogh sent to his brother Theo ("Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high"), Fall Out Boy's fourth seems likely to follow its predecessor into the platinum stratosphere. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews:

To Infinity and Beyond.......2007-07-10

The follow-up to Fall Out Boy's breakout "From Under the Cork Tree" finds them infused with a new-found confidence and an arena rock cockiness. Fortunately for them, they manage to aim for the Stadium Nose-Bleed seats and succeed. From the opening braggadocio of their label Prez Jay-Z to the funky beats that undercoat "I'm Like A Lawyer..." (produced by none other than Babyface Edmonds) to quoting Leonard Cohen in "Hum Hallelujah," Pete Wentz shows he and his mates have no intention of playing it passive.

They also come up with hooks a-plenty. The slapping drum and bass that kicks "The Take Over The Breaks Over" is irresistible. The hit "This Ain't A Scene It's An Arms Race" will have you football cheering and stamping your feet in no time flat. There are so many memorable moments on this CD that pointing them out is beyond the point...they just craft themselves elegantly into each song. The Choir in "You're Breaking But You're No Wave" is probably my personal favorite.

Be that as it may, there are times when the band teeters close to smart-aleky. Especially the unwieldy song titles and frequent self-referencing. There is a touch of the clever-clever here that makes me wonder if the band can transcend "being poster boys for the scene" (as they sing in "Thriller") in the way My Chemical Romance did on "The Black Parade." But for the 14 catchy rocking tunes on "Infinity On High," Fall Out Boy show that they are hungry for more.

Besides, any band that can work both The Simpsons and Vincent VanGogh into their overall view is OK by me.

Skip this one.........2007-07-06

Just buy the singles that you like on the radio. This album is crap. I dont know why they put JayZ in there and most of the critical reviews on amazon pretty much summed it up. I really believe some people are frocing themselves to like this album.

Sellouts?....No. Dissapeared off the radar?....uh no. Follow up to a great debut?....Yes!.......2007-07-03

What can I say? I love this album to death! I've been a FOB fan since early 2005. Now that's not reeeeally a long time, since that's when they kinda started to get noticed. I wish I was there from the start, but personally, if you didn't live in the Greater Chicago area, I think maybe that would have been a bit hard. (Hey. I might be TOTALLY wrong).
Anyway. Great hooks, Great melodies, Great lyrics (which don't really have a "plot" or "story" to 'em, but hey who cares!). One million out of ten. And will ALWAYS be in my top 3 albums ever.

FOB RULZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111.......2007-06-18

Omg FOB iz the best emo baNd there iz!!! this cd rocks as much as FOB duz lolzZzZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! especially thnks fr th mmrs that title iz just SOOOO deep and meaningful bcuz itz soooo kewl and unique. Omg I just luv FOB!!!1111

Now, press repeat!!.......2007-06-17

Fall Out Boy are an alternative punk rock group, if ever they could be classified, and their latest CD "Infinity on high" has already topped the Billboard album charts. The album comprises 14 songs with ambitious titles, averaging 3 minutes each.

Opening with an introduction from Jay Z (yes) as well as on outro, opening cut "Thriller" is an energetic number with machine gun-like guitars.

"The take over, the break's over" is a catchy upbeat song, while lead off single (and US & UK #2 hit) "This aint a scene, it's an arms race" - one of those rare FOB cuts to feature the song title in the song - shifts tempo from plodding to frenetic. It is produced by Babyface, as is "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs" (great jangly guitars).

Other standouts are the hand clap filled "Don't you know who I think I am", the more downtempo "I'm Like A Lawyer With The Way I'm Always Trying To Get You Off (Me & You)", "The (after) life of the party", "The carpal tunnel of love", the sing-a-long "Bang the doldrums" (which is remniscent in parts of The Smiths), and wickedly catchy "Fame infamy" which seems to race at the speed of light.

"You're Crashing, But You're No Wave" is a Killers/Franz Ferdinand-like rocker with lyrics telling the story of a court case. Brilliant!!

Lead singer Patrick Stump, has an earthy, soulful voice, sometimes remniscent of Terence Trent D'arby.

Like the voice says at the end of the disc, "Now, press repeat!"

Average customer rating: Do not hesitate to buy if you were disappointed with ASH Disappointing comeback Best Alternative/Indie/Rock Album This Year Absolutely gorgeous, top-notch Wow- New Music that actually lives up to its reputation?

Because of the Times Kings of Leon Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Garage Rock | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Southern Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Favourite Worst Nightmare Icky Thump We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank Sky Blue Sky Aha Shake Heartbreak ASIN: B000MRA3NU Release Date: 2007-04-03

Tracks:

1. Knocked Up
2. Charmer
3. On Call
4. McFearless
5. Black Thumbnail
6. My Party
7. True Love Way
8. Ragoo
9. Fans
10. The Runner
11. Trunk
12. Camaro
13. Arizona

Amazon.com

Aha Shake Heartbreak may have blown open the doors of fame for Kings of Leon, but their third full-length album (named for a United Pentecostal Church ministers' conference) could well usher the Nashville foursome directly to rock and roll's zenith. There's hardly a change in plans for the three Followill brothers and their cousin, and that means producer Ethan Johns, a smorgasbord of musical influences, and a cacophonous ensemble of guitar, bass, and drums. A trio of relentless rockers--"My Party," "Camaro," and the sarcastic "Charmer"--are sure to pacify those familiar with the Kings' blueprint, yet there is ripening in the band's approach heard, in several of the record's 13 songs. Reverb guitar and vocals and a "woo woo" chorus add a sinister aspect to "Trunk," and "Knocked Up" features a laissez-faire Caleb Followill crooning "She don't care what her mama said/She's gonna have my baby." The seven-minute revelation of fatherhood that opens the album leads into the U2-influenced "McFearless," a reggae-splashed "Ragoo," and the rambling English blues of "Black Thumbnail." It's a rogue element that has always left every record fresh, and this time it has Kings of Leon teetering on the edge of rock renown. --Scott Holter

Album Description

Third album from the rockin' American quartet whose previous albums (2003's Youth And Young Manhood and Aha Shake Heartbreak from '05) have earned them a large worldwide following. Consisting of three brothers and a cousin, the Kings Of Leon mix their own brand of Southern Rock with touches of Garage, Punk and Alternative swagger. RCA.

Album Details

Their third full length album.

Customer Reviews:

Do not hesitate to buy if you were disappointed with ASH.......2007-07-11

I thought Youth and Young Manhood was excellent, thought Aha Shake Heartbreak wasn't that good and therefore wasn't gonna pick up Because of the Times. But my husband had read good reviews and purchased it. Wow! What a coup/comeback for the Followill boys! I think this is their best so far; a very strong disc. I don't think there is a dud song on the whole album. I almost blew out the speakers in my car cranking up Black Thumbnail and My Party over and over and over. Moody, diverse, rockin' - love it! Buy it, you will not be sorry you did.

Disappointing comeback.......2007-07-07

Maybe it's just me, but I haven't been able to get into this. I loved their first album, thought their second one was okay, but this one may be worse than the last one. I can't really give too thorough of a review since I didn't get past the fourth song on the first listen, and haven't listened to it since, even seriously considered trading it in.

I got this CD after reading a stellar review by Q Magazine appauding it. Needless to say, I was disappointed.

Best Alternative/Indie/Rock Album This Year.......2007-07-05

If you're reading this review, you probably know to some extent who the Kings of Leon are - a relatively young indie-rock band out of Tennessee whose appeal is said to come from equal parts youthful energy and wisdom-beyond-their-years.

Their debut was a southern-fried scramble of distorted guitars and yelping vocals that seemed to delight in its own unholiness. On Because of the Times, the guitars are still distorted, the singer's still yelping and the themes aren't necessarily wholesome - see 'Knocked Up', in which singer Caleb belts "She don't care what her mama says, no she's gonna have my baby" - but at times there's a beauty to the arrangements that's almost divine.

That's not to suggest that the band has forgotten to rock, though, because they haven't; in fact, at this point in their career the band has the musicianship to back up their ambition, and the result is some of the most fulfilling rock you can hear on the indie scene today.

If you like either of KoL's previous two albums, you'll love this one. If you're looking for an introduction to the Kings of Leon's work, this is as good a starting point as any.

Absolutely gorgeous, top-notch.......2007-07-01

It's been a while I am aware of KoL. I saw them opening The Strokes and found them interesting. Their first singles were intriguing. But with this album they have reached a summit of musical expression. Sure their sound is certainly more polished, more produced than before, sometimes dangerously sounding U2ish but this CD is simply a beauty of universal soul music. The singer has such an extraordinary soulful voice and melodies and orchestration are captivating. Easily one of the best CDs of 2007 and already lining up for best of 2000s!

Wow- New Music that actually lives up to its reputation?.......2007-06-30

This is a really good CD. I was surprised b/c I have heard them described as the Skynrd Strokes. I am not really a big fan of the Strokes and living in Ohio, you hear Skynrd everytime you turn the radio on. But, this album is unique and doesn't seem packaged. This album has a lot of soul. Buy it, learn the lyrics and sing as loud as you can while in the shower.

Average customer rating: On and On GREAT STUFF! Amazing Album Jack--always a classic Wonderful addition to my CD collection

On And On Jack Johnson Manufacturer: Umvd Labels ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Similar Items: In Between Dreams Brushfire Fairytales Thicker Than Water Sing-A-Longs & Lullabies for the Film Curious George (Jack Johnson) Continuum ASIN: B00008NG5V Release Date: 2003-05-06

Tracks:

1. Times Like These
2. The Horizon Has Been Defeated
3. Traffic In The Sky
4. Taylor
5. Gone
6. Cupid
7. Wasting Time
8. Holes To Heaven
9. Dreams Be Dreams
10. Tomorrow Morning
11. Fall Line
12. Cookie Jar
13. Rodeo Clowns
14. Cocoon
15. Mediocre Bad Guys
16. Symbol In My Driveway

Amazon.com

Jack Johnson has found himself a groove. Indeed, the Hawaiian surfing champion turned alternative pop-folk star really hasn't changed things one iota for his sophomore release. Fans of Brushfire Fairytales should be delighted with the results. The groove is a mellow one--most of the 16 tracks here are semi-acoustic--and that easy-going spirit filters into Johnson's lyrical philosophies. "What will be will be / And so it goes" he sings on "Times Like These," the opening track. Thankfully, Johnson is never too mellow, and there's a "Don't worry, be happy" vibe to most of his music. "The Horizon Has Been Defeated" even has a pseudo-reggae feel to it. Although classified as an alternative musician, the singer-songwriter's compositions owe much to past hits. "Traffic in the Sky" is reminiscent of Jim Croce's "Operator" and Looking Glass's one-hit-wonder, "Brandy." On the splendid "Taylor," Johnson sounds an awful lot like Donovan. And "By The Way" recalls the Lovin' Spoonful. -- Bill Holdship

Album Description

Special digipak UK version of his second album features 17 tracks including the bonus track, 'The Horizon Has Been Defeated' (Acoustic Version). Moonshine Conspiracy. 2003.

Album Details

The Sophomore Album from the Hawaiian Surfing Champion Includes the Bonus Track "The Horizon Has Been Defeated (Acoustic Version)" which is Not Found on the USA Equivalent.

Customer Reviews:

On and On.......2007-06-13

Considering I first heard this DVD sitting in my dentist's chair having a tooth extracted, you wouldn't believe it's effect. It certainly helped take my mind off the immediate situation. Beautiful music, soothing mellow voice and a delight to hear at any time.

GREAT STUFF!.......2007-06-08

A great, laid-back, very mellow CD that can put you right on the beach,with a drink in your hand, watching the waves roll in.... even if you are sitting in your office in front of your computer. A must have if you love acoustic guitars! I HIGHLY recommend it!

Amazing Album.......2007-05-30

I love Jack Johnson! I have a more recent album and thought nothing could top it, but this one does. The lyrics are thoughtful, the melodies are catchy. I drove up and down the coast listening to this CD and never got sick of it.

Jack--always a classic.......2007-05-15

This record is one of his best... I would recommend it for new listeners of Jack Johnson who are just beginning to explore his musical awesomeness.

Wonderful addition to my CD collection.......2007-04-12

Jack Johnson work has an original voice and sound. Excellent addition to my collection. Mix of folk, pop and blues. Lyrics that nurture the soul. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating: Higgins second album shines brightly for most, but barely gives off a spark (for me) On a Clear Night...dont compare it with The Sound of White...you will only be disappointed. Impossible to fault Beautiful Music from an Outstanding Singer/Songwriter Another Great Record.

On a Clear Night Missy Higgins Manufacturer: EMI Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Australia & New Zealand | International | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Steer The Sound of White Little Voice Twentythree All for Believing ASIN: B000P298EW Release Date: 2007-05-07

Tracks:

1. Where I Stood
2. 100 Round the Bends
3. Steer
4. Sugar Cane
5. Secret
6. Warm Whispers
7. Wrong Girl
8. Angela
9. Peachy
10. Going North
11. Forgive Me

Album Description

Missy higgins kept a very low public profile in 2006 but that doesn't mean she hasn't been keeping busy. In fact with her typical lack of fuss and fanfare the former triple j unearthed winner spent the second half of last year in los angeles recording here brand new album 'on a clear night'. The highly anticipated release is currently scheduled for the end of april in australia. The album was recorded with acclaimed producer mitchell froom who helmed the recent finn brothers cd and the first 3 crowded house albums plus discs for such acclaimed singer-songwriters as ron sexsmith, elvis costello and suzanne vega. The first song to be lifted from the album is 'steer' - a positive and life affirming song which missy previewed live during the us and uk touring she did in mid-2006. Missy's debut cd, 'the sound of white', remains in the australian top 40 over two years after its release. The album is now certified 9 times platinum and is one of the highest selling australian albums of all time!

Album Details

The Album was Recorded with Acclaimed Producer Mitchell Froom who Helmed the Recent Finn Brothers CD and the First Three Crowded House Albums plus Discs for Such Acclaimed Singer-songwriters as Ron Sexsmith, Elvis Costello and Suzanne Vega. The First Song to Be Lifted from the Album is 'steer' - a Positive and Life Affirming Song which Higgins Previewed Live During the Us and UK Touring She Did in Mid-2006.

Customer Reviews:

Higgins second album shines brightly for most, but barely gives off a spark (for me).......2007-06-16

As an Australian, it seems part of the culture to stand up for and admire Missy Higgins. I have yet to meet someone in real life and not from the internet that dislikes Missy's music.

So, I have to give this cd a one star rating simply because the songs all sound the same apart from '100 Round The Bends' and 'Steer' which are the greatest songs on the album.
Her lyrics you can't deny are beautiful and meaningful, and her voice registers much emotion as she sings, but it's just not a very interesting listen...
The songs on 'A Clear Night' which are overly mellow and slow are not particularly catchy or memorable unlike the song 'Ten Days' in her previous effort, which has just enough beauty to push through the barriers of bland and have a place in listeners who usually wouldn't listen to this kind of music's heart.
There's no doubt Missy Higgins seems like a lovely girl who cares about her music not being commercial and sticks up for causes like vegetarianism and anti-war, so this isn't a review having a go at her, but when it comes to her music, you'll either be into it straight away or not. It's not really an album that grows as such...
I strongly recommend 'The Sound Of White' album if you're a newcomer into the world of Missy Higgins - it's just an all-around better album.

Missy Higgins - never understood the hype about her music and never will, sorry. Honestly, Amiel Daemion, I believe is a much worthier singer to be placed on a pedastal and worshipped musically with this category of soft, almost acoustic music. However she doesn't get the attention she deserves, sweeter and less gritter voice, too.
And that's my review!

On a Clear Night...dont compare it with The Sound of White...you will only be disappointed........2007-06-02

Well I really thought that this album would blow "The Sound of White" away before I heard it. The truth is, it doesn't. This is because it is not in the same field as TSOW.
Her previous album was much more piano driven. This is much more upbeat guitar driven. At first listen, it was a major disappointment, but after a few full listens I can confidently say I love this album more than her first.
The songs have their own identity and I dont mind listening to any of them.. well maybe just 1 track (Secret), but even so I love all of these tracks.
Where I Stood is a track which probably mirrors her previous album more than any other, it is a great song which features more piano than anything. 9/10
100 Round The Bends is a much more upbeat song driven by funky guitars with great lyrics. A great upbeat track. 8.5/10
Steer, another guitar driven track..the 1st single. I loved it from the first listen and I still love it. Uplifting and positive. 9/10
Sugarcane goes back into the piano with light guitar and it is a pretty song. Deep lyrics and a pleasure to listen to at anytime. 8/10
Secret is a track which I dont love, but dont hate. I can tolerate it but it isnt my favourite. Its driven by guitar and its really bluesy. 7/10
Warm Whispers is a huge favourite of mine. I love the simplicity of it and the great lyrics. An absolute gem. 10/10
The Wrong Girl has to be my 2nd least favourite track, it is just flat to me, nothing different or unique about this track. 6/10
Angela is an awesome song! It is really folksy and really takes you away with its enchanting simple country music and pretty lyrics. Love it. 10/10
Peachy is a great upbeat guitar driven song with great angry lyrics and with real emotion put into it. Another favourite of mine. 10/10
Going North sounds like something off Gilmore Girls to me! haha its a great Australian-esque country-ish song with simple guitars and backing vocals with some other guy near the end which fits in great with the track. This album is getting better and better! 9/10
Forgive Me, wow this is the simplest a song can get. The term simple, yet effective applies 150% to this track. With a simple guitar and eerie echo, this track gleams with powerful vocals and emotive lyrics. This album couldn't have closed with a better track. I WANT MORE! 9.5/10

So incase you couldnt tell, the 2nd half of the album really hit it with me and I truly believe after a few listens you will love this album and appreciate all the things going for it like the music, lyrics and vocals.
Pick this up. The only reason people are so majorly disappointed by this is because they are directly comparing it to The Sound of White and not judging it individually as its own body of work. Please try it out, you are missing out on some true gems!

Essential tracks:
Where I Stood
100 Round The Bends
Steer
Warm Whispers
Angela
Peachy
Going North
Forgive Me
4 ½ stars from me!

Impossible to fault.......2007-05-29

I really thought Aussie singer/songwriter Missy Higgins might have a struggle on her hands to better her excellent 2004 debut The Sound Of White. But with her second release, On A Clear Night, she may well have done just that. Her latest batch of songs are, in a word - gorgeous, and their appeal grows with each listen. Opener 'Where I Stood' is an immediate highlight, a song which shivers with emotion, pulling the listener in with a trademark Higgin's tail of lost love/lost identity over a beguiling, yearning melody. Other standouts are the single 'Steer', the breathlessly beautiful 'Warm Whispers' and the 'The Wrong Girl' which seems to have set up permanent residence in my brain - not that I mind one bit. I've only been in possession of On A Clear Night for a couple of weeks, but I sense already, that I'm gonna keep coming back to this album time and time again. Missy Higgins has again shown us just what a genuine talent she is - one of the most gifted and luminescent singer/songwriters to have graced the scene in some time.

Beautiful Music from an Outstanding Singer/Songwriter.......2007-05-12

Entering at #1 on the Australian charts upon its release in April 2007, "On A Clear Night" is Missy Higgins' second studio album and a thoroughly enjoyable follow up to her highly successful debut, "The Sound of White". A more tightly packaged collection of material than the latter, "On A Clear Night" contains the same perfect combination of velvet vocals, emotive lyrics, top-quality songwriting and production that her debut did. The lead single "Steer", a #1 single in Australia, is catchy and engaging. But there is much better on this album. "Where I Stood", "Sugarcane" and "Warm Whispers" are beautiful and timeless songs that demonstrate the abundance of musical talent which Missy Higgins possesses - these three songs alone qualify "On A Clear Night" as a truly quality recording. The more acoustic tracks "Secret" and "Forgive Me", and the folk-like "Going North", are additional bonuses that add to an already fine collection of original tracks. Along with the spectacularly gifted Tina Arena, Missy Higgins is an outsanding ambassador for Australian music at the global level and she deservedly has a long recording future ahead of her. 5/5.

Another Great Record. .......2007-05-09

Missy Higgins is a fantastic singer and songwriter, which is just as evident on her second record as it was on her first "The Sound of White." It will be all but impossible for her to match the hype and buzz surrounding her freshman record, but in my eyes the quality of "On a Clear Night" is right up there with it.

The album is less piano driven then "The Sound of White" a fact that Missy says is due to her constant touring behind the success of the first album. She says that it's harder to write songs on the piano when you are on the road, so she stuck to writing on the guitar, but the songs don't suffer because of it. They may sound a bit different then the tracks on her first record, but it's in a good way.

The first single from "On a Clear Night" is "Steer", which is a very upbeat, positive song which talks about taking control of your life. Other tracks like "Going North" and "100 Round the Bend" also focus on themes of empowerment and destiny all the while featuring toe tapping rhythms and masterful playing.

The record has some darker, more haunting and serious tracks like "Forgive Me" and "Where I Stood" and "Secret." These tracks are not all autobiographical, and Missy says she has taken leave of making all of her songs sound as if they are her inner feelings yearning to break free. She creates characters and makes them the star of her songs, like in "Angela" which was inspired by seeing an old black and white photo of Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable. She thought that despite Vivian's apparent submissiveness and dependence on Clark, it was in face Vivian that was in control the whole time. Missy says she knows a lot of women like that, and so the song was born.

In the end this record is in fact different from her first, but it's indicative of a person who's grown in her craft and, in my mind at least, keeps getting better. Her beautiful voice is still there, complete with her Aussie accent, and the production is top notch as well. This makes for a fantastic listen; if you buy it you won't be sorry.

Average customer rating: Raw, relentless Stones A MASTERPIECE! ONE OF THE GREATEST ALBUMS EVER MADE! Timeless, and even better (!) than I remembered Exile on my street Maybe the best

Exile on Main St. The Rolling Stones Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Sticky Fingers Let It Bleed [DSD] Beggars Banquet Some Girls Goats Head Soup ASIN: B000000W5L Release Date: 1994-07-26

Tracks:

1. Rocks Off
2. Rip This Joint
3. Shake Your Hips
4. Casino Boogie
5. Tumbling Dice
6. Sweet Virginia
7. Torn And Frayed
8. Sweet Black Angel
9. Loving Cup
10. Happy
11. Turd On The Run
12. Ventilator Blues
13. I Just Want To See His Face
14. Let It Loose
15. All Down The Line
16. Stop Breaking Down
17. Shine A Light
18. Soul Survivor

Amazon.com essential recording

From the swaggering frustration in the first song ("I only get my rocks off while I'm sleeping," Mick Jagger sings in the hyper "Rocks Off"), the Stones speed through familiar neighborhoods of country, blues, and R&B on Exile. They never even bother to stop when they've crashed into something. They don't leap into new worlds so much as master the old ones, turning Slim Harpo's blues obscurity "Hip Shake" into a harp-and-piano steamroller and setting spines a-cracking in "Ventilator Blues." Both "Tumbling Dice" and Keith Richards's "Happy" have become hits, but the 1972 album is most notable for its overall murky adrenaline. --Steve Knopper

Amazon.com

Before Keith Richards's bad habits took over for a time in the mid-'70s, his work ethic was quite high. Stories abound of the long, if somewhat off-schedule, hours he spent working on this classic album in the basement of his home in France. Hanging together as much because of great songwriting ("Rocks Off," "Soul Survivor") as its fabled grungy atmosphere, Exile caps the Stones' great 1968-'72 run with a force that belies their supposed spiritual tiredness. What some of these songs are about is anybody's guess--Keith claims "Ventilator Blues" was inspired by a grate, while the song plays like an ode to a pistol--but that's just part of this album's hazy game. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Raw, relentless Stones.......2007-07-16

I was imagining this is to be the Stones' "White Album", right? - a double album which coulda made an incredible single album. A big reason it's not is that the Beatles' opus was wildly eclectic, with 1930s crooners, art songs, even garage music. This '72 effort, with all the verbiage about rediscovered echoey dungeons in somewhere in France, has a very consistent sound, thanks to the Glimmer Twins and all their good friends (Bobby Keys, Jim Price, Bill Plummer, et. al.). Gotta say, though, there are some tentative "B-side" quality cuts, and it's to their credit that the Stones open the double-album with one of them, "Rocks Off". Let's see, we'll also put "Casino Boogie", "Ventilator Blues" on the shelf....just kidding.
"Rip This Joint" was probably the best pure R & R song for that whole year, despite the high profiles that year of '50s originators like Ricky Nelson ("Garden Party"), Chuck Berry ("My Ding-A-Ling" and "Reelin' And Rockin'), Elvis Presley ("Burning Love"), and Little Richard ("Rockin' With The King" - Canned Heat with LR). When it came to roots music, they could do it better than all of them (except for when Richard showed up with his full band, at that time).
They proved they understood the blues, too, delivering on Slimp Harpo's "Shake Your Hips" (saw Mr. Penniman perform it in Trenton, NJ, in 2003 - did he dig the Stones' version?). "Turd On The Run", despite the lousy title, brings 'em back to the '60s and their many Bo Diddley "tributes", this one seems takes off like an SUV leaving the parking lot of a New Jersey community college, and never slows down.
Now to the real heavyweights, and you can name 'em, "Tumbling Dice", the super hit; "Sweet Black Angel", a beautiful folk-blues said to have been written about Activist Angela Davis; "Happy", still sounding great.
"Shine A Light", featuring Billy Preston, re-emerges with even more might. A real gem, which should have proven to be a true Pop evergreen.
"Sweet Virginia", almost straight ahead Country, also warrants reappraisal as an almost "lost" artificat.
Small criticism: voices are mixed too far back; this together with the occasional monochromatic sound image, can put the listener on edge.
I guess it's in the spirit of serious bluesmen, combing that dank and dusty basement overseas for some scent of the American Delta.

A MASTERPIECE! ONE OF THE GREATEST ALBUMS EVER MADE!.......2007-07-10

This is such an incredible two album set. From the opening guitar lick of "Rocks Off" to the final strum in "Soul Survivor" we know we have just listened to a amazing collection of music! This is not a hits album by any stretch! It is a record that sounds great from start to finish or picking random cuts. I am a musician and I have been a DJ in past years in clubs and pubs. I always got a great response from the hip customers when I would throw in "Casino Boogie" or "All Down The Line" in at the local pub. What some folks don't understand is how many different sounding songs are on this album! Most groups today have one or two songs and they just keep regurgitating them out over and over again to fill album after album. This is the my favorite Stones album and it doesn't even contain my favorite Stones song! A timeless classic!

Timeless, and even better (!) than I remembered.......2007-07-03

You know, I haven't visited this album in a long time; it has been one of my very favorite works of art since its release in '72, but it seemed like one of those things that might have been played out for me. I've been helping my wife load her iPod with things I think are essential, and naturally this came to mind, so in the process I gave it another spin. To say that I am reinfatuated is an understatement, which gives rise to this review. "Exile" is just such a work of uncommon depth and maturity and desperation and joy and carnality and the whole nine yards that it is nearly staggering. Plus it rocks harder than you ever will. Don't listen to haters who bemoan its lack of hits; it flows like nothing else...best digested as a whole. And anyways, "Tumbling Dice" was a certifiable hit back in the day; I know, I was alive then, and it was an indelible part of the soundtrack of the summer of '72. This listen brought me back to my very first needle drop on "Rocks Off" in '72 when I was 13 years old. From the first whomp of Charlie's drums I remember it as being a life-changing experience that gave me some idea of what adult music and life was all about. And the power and glory of this record is such that I have always been mystified over the critical response alluding to the allegedly murky mix, etc. To me it simply sounds like the perfect example of what rock and roll is supposed to sound like, and when words and phrases emerge from the mix they're almost always a surprise, even after thirty-five years. This record is proof positive of the enduring greatness of the Stones, and is to my ears their finest hour, and then some.

Quick question: My CD version of this is an original CBS era iteration (bought it like in '87-88), and it still sounds pretty good to me, even with the undoubted advances in mastering since then. Is this relatively newer Virgin version a BIG BIG BIG sonic upgrade, or just a sonic uptick? Thanks!

Exile on my street.......2007-05-30

Exile on main street is one of the best. With a variety of styles it nrver drags. Great songs like Let it loose, Shine a light. Rocks Off, Soul Surivor Tumbling Dice and Ventilator Blues is a paint peeler. Sweet Virginia and Torn and Frayed are good country.Stop Breaking down and shake your Hips are good blues, good slide on stop Breaking Down Texas blues on Shake your Hips. Sweet Black Angel is great reggae.

Maybe the best .......2007-05-11

This is just great..
Keith, Mick, Mick, and Nicky are at their best.

Average customer rating: Mamma Mia Mamma Mia Musical CD JUST GREAT MUSIC Mamma Mia Not good at all

Mamma Mia! The Musical Based on the Songs of ABBA: A Decca Broadway Original Cast Recording (1999 London Cast) Benny Andersson , Julian Poole , Jenny Galloway , Nicolas Colicos , Paul Clarkson , Bjorn Ulvaeus , Lisa Stokke , Eliza Lumley , Melissa Gibson , Siobhan McCarthy , Louise Plowright , Jenny Galloway , Bjorn Ulvaeus , and Stig Anderson Manufacturer: Decca Broadway ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Swedish Pop | Euro Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Contemporary Musicals | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: ABBA - Gold: Greatest Hits Hairspray (2002 Original Broadway Cast) Movin' Out (Based on the Songs and Music of Billy Joel) (2002 Original Broadway Cast) Wicked (2003 Original Broadway Cast) Jersey Boys (2005 Original Broadway Cast) ASIN: B000031WEN Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

1. Overture/Prologue
2. Honey, Honey
3. Money, Money, Money
4. Thank You For The Music
5. Mamma Mia
6. Chiquitita
7. Dancing Queen
8. Lay All Your Love On Me
9. Super Trouper
10. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
11. The Name Of The Game
12. Voulez-Vous
13. Entr'acte
14. Under Attack
15. One Of Us
16. S.O.S.
17. Does Your Mother Know
18. Knowing Me, Knowing You
19. Our Last Summer
20. Slipping Through My Fingers
21. The Winner Takes It All
22. Take A Chance On Me
23. I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
24. I Have A Dream

Amazon.com

Put together by Abba's own Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, Mamma Mia! manages to cram over 20 of the Swedish supergroup's songs into a threadbare plot. It goes a little like this: Young Sophie is getting married and she's trying to identify which of three men is her father. That's about it. Wisely, the musical doesn't mess around with the songs, save for the insertion of some dialogue or for having some of them performed by a man (it works amazingly well). Abba fans will jump on this import of the London production, but traditional fans of musical theater should consider it as well. After all, Andersson and Ulvaeus's songs have always felt as if they were more than isolated pop gems and actually belonged to a longer narrative. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Mamma Mia.......2007-03-22

I have not stopped playing this cd. It is just great! It makes any trip in my car most enjoyable Happy I bought it!

Mamma Mia Musical CD.......2007-03-21

This is a grand list of songs from the original musical when it was first introduced in England. The songs from ABBA are very recognizable even if you haven't seen the show. But, making a trip to NY to see the Broadway production is a plus. ENJOY!

JUST GREAT MUSIC.......2007-03-08

I RECENTLY SAW THE SHOW MAMMA MIA IN LAS VEGAS. ALWAYS LIKES THE MUSIC OF ABBA, AND THOUGH THE PLOT WAS THIN, THE MUSIC WAS WELL PERFORMED. IN THIS PARTICULAR ALBUM, THE ENGLISH ACCENTS WERE A BIT MUCH, BUT THE SONGS WERE GREAT. ALL I CAN SAY IS THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC, ABBA.

Mamma Mia.......2007-01-29

Every time I hear the music and songs it brings back memories of seeing the Broadway Show

Not good at all.......2007-01-09

This is not what we wanted. The British accents throw it was off. We just saw it in NY and this is not what we were looking for.

Average customer rating: Sorry, Nothing beats this... 4 stars for the album, 1 for the attitude This is a WONDERFUL WONDERFUL album! JC Nice collection.

Confessions on a Dance Floor Madonna Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Amarantine Playing the Angel Monkey Business Ray of Light X&Y ASIN: B000B8QEZG Release Date: 2005-11-15

Tracks:

1. Hung Up
2. Get Together
3. Sorry
4. Future Lovers
5. I Love New York
6. Let It Will Be
7. Forbidden Love
8. Jump
9. How High
10. Isaac
11. Push
12. Like It Or Not

Amazon.com

Apparently there's nothing in Kabbalah that disallows sweaty, head-spinningly good dance music, because here comes a flame-haired Madonna hawking a dozen songs' worth: Confessions on a Dance Floor darts seamlessly from Madge's early days, when she emerged as the genre's enduring darling, through the political, kiddie, and acoustic pap that drove a wedge between her and early adopters of the fingerless glove look. Songs like the pop-leaning "Jump" and first single "Hung Up"--an adrenaline drip on high that, like many of these tracks, will inspire mild shame among those who've thrilled to the much thinner disco-dusted outpourings of younger divas recently--represent both a return to form and an unmistakable march into the future. "Get Together" is a sonic freak-out in the best sense; "Push" traffics in gut-level futuristic trance; and "Forbidden Love" loops in '80s blips and bleeps for a follow-me-into-the-past effect that's both neo and retro. For all the image-affirming innovations here, though, these confessions find Madonna framed in her share of reflective moments too. "Was it all worth it/How did I earn it?" she asks on "How High," a song featuring vocoder. "Nobody's perfect/I guess I deserve it," comes the answer. A later lyrical inquiry is left for the listener to judge: "Does this get any better?" Madonna wants to know. But that opens the door to a dizzying proposition. Few of us would have guessed, after all, that it got this good. --Tammy La Gorce

Album Description

On Confessions of a Dance Floor, Madonna, the most popular and significant female artist in pop music, returns unapologetically to her roots. A stunning blend of musical styles with one foot in early disco and the other pointed toward the future, Confessions On A Dance Floor "is all about having a good time straight through and non-stop," says the Material Mom, who co-wrote and co-produced every track. For Madonna and music fans everywhere, the all-dance, no-ballad Confessions on a Dance Floor is a welcome guilty pleasure.

Customer Reviews:

Sorry, Nothing beats this..........2007-07-15

My favorite songs on here are 1-11,then 12 is my second favorite. So,if you want excellent music, own this CD. "Sorry" is my favorite Madonna Beat ever!

4 stars for the album, 1 for the attitude.......2007-06-30

I apologize in advance for going against the grain. The album is fine and has a lot of catchy tunes; not quite up there with Ray of Light, but okay. And let me give credit where credit is due (I don't own this album, but my friend Angela and her husband Jon always have it on in the background whenever I visit)---Madonna's vocals sound better than ever; I don't know if it's training or technology, but her voice is clear and resonant. However, I need to vent about the follies of Madonna, not the album.

M's father lives in Northern Michigan, and M deigns to visit him on a fairly regular basis. For a person who claims to be enlightened and in the know regarding spiritual matters, I think Madonna still has a long way to go. I've heard from first-hand accounts that she can treat others unkindly and even rudely (giving people the bird and verbally manhandling the owner of a lakefront house when she rented the place); this maltreatment extends to her own husband (a man who chartered a boat for the couple said she did nothing but talk her husband down the entire time, but Guy apparently took it in stride). In my book, this does not sound like enlightened behavior, much less an elightened or happy person. To those of us who aren't steadfast fans, she can come off as self-righteous, abrasive, and pathologically self-absorbed (in truth, I've had my own days of self-absorption, but at 34, I'm moving beyond that unhealthy frame of mind). She seems to be religiously confused/deluded--conflating and twisting religious symbols and ideologies until they become mumbojumbo (this remark is not against Cabalism, as I don't know enough about it to have an informed opinion). Until she actually IS practicing enlightenment, i.e., treating others with kindness and respect, regardless of who they are (famous or obscure), I wouldn't consider her a spiritual guru, but an entertainer who has a very unique and elaborate way of compensating for underlying low self-esteem.

As much as I dislike Madonna's current mindset, I am appreciative that she's helping children in Africa. That charity is enlightenment---if only she could carry that out in other areas of her life...But I thought it inappropriate for Mad'a to invite an 80-year-old man in frail health (the pope) to see her concert, knowing that the provocative images would be disturbing to him. And then to justify it with the fact that some of the profits go to charity. That's like when the senate tries to pass a bill that has a few reasonable, helpful things on it with several irrational, invasive measures on it, the bad ideas trying to use the coattails of the good ideas.

Sorry, I just needed a venue to vent about this woman. (I recognize that I am in the wrong to speak harshly about another human being, and I also recognize that I may be wrong about Mad's character, especially as I've yet to walk a mile in her Prada shoes.) I believe that Mad'a can find a new, better way to feel a sense of importance, at no one else's expense. I think Dale Carnegie's straightforward book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, can help her a whole lot more than her confusion with mysticism and incomplete enlightenment. Or if she still wants to stick with the spiritual, she can consider Solomon's wisdom: All is vanity; Our souls are restless until they reside in You, O Lord.

This is a WONDERFUL WONDERFUL album!.......2007-06-27

One of her very best, a true GEM. From start to finish this album has it all and will MAKE you a fan, if you're not.

I wish I could add more stars.

JC.......2007-04-23

OK, honestly, I've never, ever written a review before, but I was compelled to do so with Confessions On The Dance Floor, and Madonna in general. My later teen years were all about the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, and the "rock legends" brewing in the mid-70s. Madonna came a bit later in my early adult years, her early works I found her to be very bubble-gum pop (appealing primarily to 13 year old teenage girls). During her "Like A Virgin" era I found her cute, with catchy music, and I even bought the album, but I never thought she'd amount to anything beyond the "fad of the moment". Ha ha, boy was I wrong!

Today I consider Madonna to be among the greatest Legends in rock/or pop. She's right up there with Elvis and the Beatles, and she deserves her place among them. In many ways, her talent surpasses theirs (I probably be shot with that remark, but I truly believe it to be so).

As an artist Madonna has always been totally involved with every aspect of her own career, so the end results give you nearly 100% MADONNA, as opposed to other end results that are 50% artist/50% producer, if you understand my meaning here. Madonna not only wrote the majority of her songs, but she also co-produced them, and was totally involved with the making of each and every one of her songs ~ And with her enormous output during her 25-plus year career, there aren't too many unlikeable songs.

Confessions On A Dance Floor is no exception. It is another Madonna creation that takes us back to Madonna's earlier "dance" songs. It fits in perfectly with any of her other works. It's a great record. And, unlike most other artists who have aged 20-plus years since their hey-dey, Madonna's voice sounds as lush and beautiful as it ever did ~ She looks just as good, if not better, as well. Madonna definitely has aged well!

Although I was never into Madonna "the person" so much (as I was with some of the Eagles, and most definitely Stevie Nicks), I was, on the other hand, totally into Madonna's music. She has few peers when it comes to the quality and quantity of her professional output (excepting perhaps Elton John, Paul McCartney or Bob Dylan - But each of these artists had at least 15-20 years head start on her).

Madonna has earned, and most definitely deserves her place as the most successful female artist in history, and I cannot imagine her ever losing that title.

It's nice to see her career is still a work-in-progress. I pray we continue to hear more of Madonna in the coming years. Nothing she has put out yet has been disappointing. She definitely knows how to make great records!

Nice collection........2007-04-08

Good mix of dance oriented songs. Madonna is great for keeping up with the current style of music.

Music Album:

1. Sacred Heart [CD-single] [Import]
2. Shall We Gather
3. ShapeShifting
4. Shoot Out the Lights [Import]
5. Skiffle Revival
6. Smilin'
7. Songs and Folk Tunes of the Smolensk Region
8. That's How It Used To Be
9. The Chinese Cheng
10. The Last New York Horn

Music Album