Thrills [Import]

Product Description
2002 Debut Release from the French House Trio. Their Sound is DEEP, Soulful, and Definitely Immersed in Funk! the Album Pays Homage to the Group's Favorite Artists: Roy Ayers, Prince, Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones.

Tracks:

Combination Of The Two
I Need A Man To Love
Summertime
Piece Of My Heart
Turtle Blues
Oh, Sweet Mary
Ball And Chain
Roadblock (Studio Outake)
Flower In The Sun (Studio Outake)
Catch Me Daddy (Live)
Magic Of Love (Live)

Amazon.com essential recording

One of the most eagerly awaited albums in rock history, Big Brother & the Holding Company's 1968 major label debut (they'd previously released one thinly produced collection on the small Mainstream label) made good on all the hype generated by Janis Joplin's amazing performance at the Monterey Pop Festival the year before. Crowned by its hit single, a churning remake of Aretha Franklin's sister Erma's "Piece of My Heart," the album also contained Joplin's Monterey showstopper, Big Mama Thornton's "Ball and Chain," as well as the Gershwin classic "Summertime," on which Joplin's always underappreciated band (especially guitarists Sam Andrews and James Gurley) match her vocal intensity with their own ferocious playing. This expanded reissue includes two previously unissued outtakes ("Roadblock" and "Flower in the Sun") and a couple of heretofore unheard live cuts ("Catch Me Daddy" and "Magic of Love"), all from 1968. --Billy Altman

Customer Reviews:

Big Brother & Holding Co........2007-07-09

Not what I expected. Even though I listened to some of the music before ordering, I expected a dif. sound on some of the recordings. Every song is about the same...screaming.

Introducing Janis Joplin, queen of soul and her fellow bandmates...........2007-05-16

I first heard CHEAP THRILLS, by Janis Joplin's Big Brother & The Holidng Company, on vinyl. It was a life altering experience. At that time, it was the age of cheesy boy bands, screaming divas and mindless techno. This 1968 release was a breath [no, make that a gust!] of fresh air. This album starts off with a bang ("Combination of the Two") and relentlessly grows with intensity and bold musicianship. For starters, Janis' accompanists and back-up singers are seamless. I don't care how stoned out they were. They sound amazing, and a lot better than many sober artists of today. You can tell, since this was a live recording, just how stoked the audience was to see them. Janis encouraged...no, tried DEMANDED audience participation. Joplin thrived on drawing energy from the crowds that came to see her, and this is really made evident here.

What sets this music apart from other bands of its time (or of any time, really) was the combination of terrific, brilliantly orchestrated and arranged instrumentals, Joplin's amazing, spectacularly expressive vocals, channeling the agony ("I Need a Man To Love") and the ecstasy ("Summertime") of love and life. Plus, there are four bonus cuts, on this CD release of the album. I love you, Janis. It is really extraordinary how many artists have been inspired by her. There are truly no substitutes of imitations for someone so incomparable. Buy CHEAP THRILLS and consider it your introduction to real music.

4 1/2 stars........2007-03-24

there's a line of thought that's been floated out there that big brother & the holding company were not up to par with the talent of janis joplin. bunk. while nobody is going to accuse them of possessing any amazing facile grace on their instruments, the fact remains that ms joplin made her most powerful music with these boys. CHEMISTY here trumps technique. big brother's raw sprawling sound perfectly compliments janis joplin's wild vocals. she sounds possessed by some spirit of liberation at times here, shrieking a juxtaposed answer to the musicians fury. her performance seems to draw an energy from the wicked sounds being produced around her. this entire album is a wild rock and roll ride, and a must for all collections. the work she produced after big brother & the holding company seems tame in comparison.

A WONDERFUL EARLY LISTEN TO JANIS AS WE ALL KNOW HER.......2007-03-11

i have always wanted to check out this album, and now i see what others meant when they listened to it. janis showed her behind on this one. my fave on here though is TURTLE BLUES, one she wrote. her performance of this is a wonderful thing to listen to. janis, when she is into it, man, has a way of sending chills up and down my whole doggone body in an odd way. i also like that last bonus cut on there as well........i cannot think of the name of it!!!! all in all, this is an enjoyable album. i would recommend it to anyone who has CLOSED MINDED opinion about janis joplin's singing style. actually, i also recommend anything where she is live..............especially early.

My Favorite Album.......2007-03-10

Cheep Thrills is my old man's favorite album, daddy! When Janice Joplin was with Big Brother & The Holding Company they were both at their best and it wasn't Janice. It was truly the whole band Big Brother not just Janice (tho she was stellar). The cd has bonus cuts on it which don't improve the album. In it's original layout it was just the coolest from the Crum comix on the jacket to the lineup of pure genius classics. Got it nice -n- cheep

Average customer rating:

A perfect album?
it really got me
This is the one
Drivel
Iým Gonna Skip This Town and Head on Down to Louisiana

Thrills
Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire
Manufacturer: Rykodisc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Retro Swing | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Oh! The Grandeur
The Swimming Hour
Weather Systems
Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs
Armchair Apocrypha

ASIN: B000005Z5S
Release Date: 1998-04-07

Tracks:

Minor Stab
Ides Of Swing
Glass Figurine
Pathetique
Depression-Pasillo
50 Pieces
A Woman's Life And Love
Swedish Wedding March
Eugene
Cris-Cris
Cock O' The Walk
Nuthinduan Waltz
Some Of These Days

Customer Reviews:

A perfect album?.......2006-08-26

This is some of the best I've heard. The bluegrasswing mixed with klesmer is perfect with the voice of Andrew Bird. He even put Scandinavian folkstyle in here also. And the female singer Whalen sings very nice, a bit more action in her voice, comparing to when she sings in the Squirrel Nut Zippers.

Very nice job, mr. Bird.

it really got me.......2005-12-02

Many on-line reviewers, in my opinion, get much more (too) enthusiastic about music than books and should always give thier age so you can assess taste and experience. I'm 49, serious, life-long listener and I offer 4.5 stars for my 1st Andrew Bird cd listen. Very good stuff of mixed derivation. Bought another one today. I wasn't overly impressed with The Zippers I heard some years back, maybe I didn't hear the right stuff?

This is the one.......2004-12-18

I found out about Andrew Bird when he played with Squirrel Nut Zippers,if you like music in that style this is the Andrew Bird
C.D. to buy,you won't be dissapointed

Drivel.......2004-06-17

It's beyond my comprehension how this performance can be compared to Django et. al. I found vocals grating, tunes uninspiring, musicianship nothing to write home about and sound quality poor. Maybe I got up on the wrong side of the bed today!

Iým Gonna Skip This Town and Head on Down to Louisiana.......2002-06-27

Fans of the Squirrel Nut Zippers shouldn't be surprised if they find the music of Andrew Bird and his infamous Bowl of Fire to be particularly pleasing. Bird himself moonlights as a guest violinist for the Zippers, and has snatched away the talent of their female vocalist, Katharine Whalen, for this musical gem. Reader beware, however, that the stylings here are far different than the big band/swing of their squirrely counterparts. They are, perhaps, far more unique. The gypsy-like music sounds authentic, and evokes the idea of folk in a far different way than that which Bob Dylan has popularized. This is folklore, twisting bits of bluegrass, eastern European, jazz, and even, seemingly, Jewish/Israeli folk songs into the mix. The gypsy theme ties everything together, but an errant guitar riff or a stand-up bass throw all predictability out the window. Furthermore, the music is consistently and intentionally tinged with a static that adds to the mystery and that "old time" feel.

Likewise, the lyrics are brilliant. Bird is known for penning intelligent lyrics, and "Thrills" certainly corroborates this affirmation. Whalen's wails are still reminiscent of Billie Holiday, but her croons are sadder, more serious. "That blissful dream of childhood has ended," she laments on the seventh track, "A Woman's Life and Love". Bird's lyrics have changed her tone completely. A favorite lyric comes from the enigmatically named "Eugene": "Studies have shown/That we like sheep are prone/To sure fatal doses/Of malcontent through osmosis/But don't be sympathetic/Just pass the anesthetic/Because sheep are benign/And on the young we will dine". Cynical, perhaps, but assuredly insightful. Unlike many groups, where either the lyrics or the music are "take it or leave it", Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire weaves the two together so well that it's almost impossible to imagine one without the other.
Certainly, "Thrills" is a one-of-a-kind, unprecedented album. It sweeps the listener into smoky lounges, gypsy campfires, and circle dances ... all at once, somehow. The album reeks of cool; Bird has created perhaps a most unique genre of modern music that, as of yet, no one has been able to match.

Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches
Average customer rating:

Bloody Wonderful

Groovy Manchester eccentric funk with soulful backup

Thrift store corner of the world

Still twistin' our melons, 15 years on, man

the bricks for britpop

Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches
Happy Mondays
Manufacturer: Elektra / Ada
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | British Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Britpop | British Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Alternative Dance | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music
General | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Alternative Pop | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
British Alternative | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Techno-House | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Stone Roses

Bummed

Screamadelica

Squirrel & G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile

Second Coming

ASIN: B000005IS7
Release Date: 1990-12-13

Tracks:

Kinky Afro
God's Cop
Donovan
Grandbag's Funeral
Loose Fit
Dennis And Lois
Bob's Yer Uncle
Step On
Holiday
Harmony

Amazon.com

Although this band is largely responsible for defining the circa 1990 rave culture, their music is far removed from the bass-heavy electronica usually associated with dance clubs. Ten songs on this album are characterized by lazy tempos, groovy bass hooks, and artfully simple percussion tracks which interact perfectly to form smooth, danceable beats. The rhythmic foundation is further accented by tasteful guitar licks and restrained keyboard parts. Their lyrical content tends to be a little dark, even seedy for exstacy fueled dance parties. The flat, nearly spoken vocal arrangements mesh with the rest of the musical stew. --Michael A. Massa

Customer Reviews:

Bloody Wonderful.......2006-11-14

I'd heard great things about this band, and they were always lumped together with New Order as being one of the great groups to hang around The Hacienda club. They were also tied to the Stone Roses when it came to that whole Madchester fad. Naturally, I had great expectations for them. I bought the CD for a buck, ripped the it and tuned in. The first track, "Kinky Afro" didn't really do it for me. Was this band all hype? Guess what, they weren't! "God's Cop" came on and suddenly, we've got a nice effects-pedal driven guitar and some really nice dance beats going along with it. Who the heck cares about what the vocals are talking about. I don't even see the relationship between them and the title. All I know is that the music is great. And this friendly collission of nonsense keeps on going for the rest of album. The rest of the CD is, for the most part, nothing but grooves and gee-tars getting it in order to create some fantastic music.

Hightlights include: "God's Cop," "Grandbag's Funeral" and "Step On."

I'd suggest you invest in this album; it's fantastic dance music... or is it rock music... hey, that blurryness is part of the magic of late 80s/early 90s Madchester stuff!

Groovy Manchester eccentric funk with soulful backup.......2006-07-30

This album will always be near and dear to me. It came out during my identity-forming teens and it hooked me immediately. Sean Ryder is not a great singer but he's a great lyricist and with the awesome music and backup vocals, it *works*. I love the play on Donovan - "sun shines brightly from my arsehole, today" and "Bob's Yer Uncle" has to be the sexiest song I've ever heard. It reminds me of Pan in that painting with all the maidens. It's funny that expression has little to do with the song - makes me wonder if it's an inside joke. Just about everyone I've met likes this album. I would give definitely give it a try!

Thrift store corner of the world.......2006-07-10

I picked this record up secondhand for next to nothing in the basement of The United Methodist Church over there on Verbena Avenue. God's benison go with you Pastor Gainus Sikes, your gaff's a goldmine. There it was in any case in a plastic basin with, of all things, a Kenny Rogers cassette. Just the tape too, no cover. Those Salford scallywags leapt right into my hands out of sheer terror. That's half off today, said a perfectly dressed little old lady, we're having a sale. Half off in a thrift shop, I said. Sold, I said. I very nearly galloped back to my hut. I'd heard only good things about, but had never actually listened to, Pills & Thrills and while I was gearing up to be suitably impressed I don't believe I was in any way prepared for the frankly colossal dose of high-grade wang dang doodle delivered by this trippy little disk. I even managed somehow to listen to it out of order the first time, starting off with Holiday which is I think the second last song but what did I care, I was already on the trolley by the time I'd noticed. Ever since then I can't hear Holiday without experiencing an irresistible urge to drift off to sleep in a shrubbery for a week or two. Papatacci Fever if I know me. And would you just look at Mister Intergalactic Laxative himself in there too! I haven't thought about old Cosmic Bananas since I can't exactly remember. You hardly lose with this album. I would complain that it's on the short side if it wasn't such a sure sharkey to play on repeat--I've had this sucker on for literally days at a stretch. But eventually I had to get up and go to work. Happy Mondays everybody.

Still twistin' our melons, 15 years on, man.......2005-10-16

Let me start off by saying that Happy Mondays' "Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches" is one of best dance records of the last 25 years. With that said, it is also one of the most defining of its period. The Madchester genre and is one of the most well documented, so I won't go into much on the subject, but out of all the excess and drug fueled controversy that came out of that era, this was the album that showed the best of the time. Those looking for more serious stuff from "The Stone Roses" or "The Charlatans", you are barking up the wrong tree. The guys of Happy Mondays' only know how to party, and they do it twenty four hours a day.

While Shaun and gang are hardly consistent on album, when the band are on, they are on. And when they are most on, is on this album. The record starts with the unbelievably catchy "Kinky Afro", which features jangly acoustic guitars, sleazy Ryder rhymes, and a bite of LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade".

The album is quite diverse and focused (which previous albums lacked), switching from the thumping beat funk of "God's Cop" to the smooth rhythm section of "Donovan", which has a fascinating second half burst of insanity. Ryder pens some of his funniest lines on the rambling "Grandbag's Funeral", and the drug anthem "Holiday".

Let it be said, you do not need to be on drugs to enjoy this album, but I can imagine it helps. In addition, you don't have to be British or familiar with the Madchester scene, as the grooves on this record transcend anything as simple as country boundaries.

The pinnacle of the album (and arguably, the scene), is "Step On", which is one of the finest singles of the decade. The sound produced here is the band's style at best, shuffling beats, thumbing bass, jagged guitars, and unforgettable melodies. The more slow tempoed stuff like "Bob's yer uncle" and "Harmony" still keep the flow going so you are still nodding your head when the beats have stopped.

Many will find this album to be out of date, or disjointed, but don't listen to them, they have no soul! This is a funky album with songs that you'll be jamming to for a long while. 15 years on, the grooves of Shaun Ryder, Bez, and the rest of the gang, remain as relevant as ever.

the bricks for britpop.......2005-09-23

i bought this c.d. thinking it was my own guilty pleasure knowing most of my friends didn't have patience for anything "dance" related.i own a tattoo shop and we constantly have music on in the background.well come to find out the most unlikely characters have a soft spot for this band.this album has just enough "outlaw" to keep the grit intact.if you love bands like the stone roses and such, the mondays are a part of understanding what shaped the manchester scene of the 90's.turns out my plesures arnt so guilty.just classic.

Average customer rating:

Pre-Chewed Bubble Gum
Far, Far Away (From Dublin)
Better than most but incomplete
End It!
Love it

So Much for the City
The Thrills
Manufacturer: Virgin
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Let's Bottle Bohemia
Employment
Final Straw
Hopes and Fears
Plans

ASIN: B00009AQM9
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

Santa Cruz (You're Not The Far)
Big Sur
Don't Steal Our Sun
Deckchairs And Cigarettes
One Horse Town
Old Friends, New Lovers
Say It Ain't So
Hollywood Kids
Just Traveling Through
Your Love Is Like Las vegas
'Til The Tide Creeps In

Amazon.com

One might assume that a band from Dublin called the Thrills would sound a certain way. And one might well be wrong. If northern garage grit is what you're looking for, skip So Much for the City, because this quartet sounds owes less to Northern Ireland forbearers such as Stiff Little Fingers, the Undertones, and Thin Lizzy than to gentle Southern California denizens like the early Eagles, Harvest-era Neil Young, and, strange to say, the Carpenters. More contemporary cousins would be the Jayhawks at their sprightliest. An Irish Americana band with a taste for the lighter side of the country-rock/'70s pop-rock spectrum is certainly an anomaly, and not necessarily an appealing one, but the Thrills approach the California myth with a winning guilelessness and plenty of talent. The story is that that the foursome settled in San Diego and set about soaking up more than just the sun. Songs such as "Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far)," "Big Sur," and "Hollywood Kids," tell a kind of love story--one between some lads and a beautiful setting, or maybe a state of mind. --Steven Stolder

Album Details

Dublin Has Produced a Fair Number of Bands that Make Music with a Universal Appeal to Many Far Beyond the Banks of the Emerald Isle. The Thrills Join that Roster with this Debut Album. Their Sound Though May Be a Bit Surprising to the Uninitiated as it is Unabashedly Rooted in the California Sounds of Brian Wilson Mixed with a Fair Amount of the Beatles and 70's Pop Bands as Well. Derivative? Maybe...but It Really Works...and Works Quite Well, Thank You Very Much. EMI Are So Proud of These Guys that They were Ushered Into Abbey Road to Record the Album on Much of the Same Equipment as Many of their Heroes. You Can Now Hear the Results on this Sparkling Initial Bow to the World.

Customer Reviews:

Pre-Chewed Bubble Gum.......2006-12-16

Take anything by the Beach Boys and filter through anything by The High Llamas and this is what you will get. Seven boys and girls with goofy retro haircuts have spent some time with their older cousin's stylish record collection and So Much For The City is the result. So, what do we learn fromt this collection of re-heated Beach Boy tunes? We learn that California is so very cool, as if the LA riots and crack houses never existed and if the US wasn't turning into police state. No, these kids have been touring in their gas guzzling Buick Roadmaster wagon, sucking on their Bud and Marlboro Lights and, sadly, writing all about it. Avoid this stale, pre-chewed bubble gum at all costs and head directly to the High Llamas and then on back to Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys. This is perfect music for anyone unconcerned with creativity and how it might be used to report back to us about real life and experience. Your friend with the centre parting and no political views will love it though.

Far, Far Away (From Dublin).......2006-07-18

Imagine for a moment if Wilco hailed from Ireland and harbored a fixation with California sunshine pop. Sounds intriguing, huh? Trust me, it's not.

So Much For the City is an almost entirely dull affair, full of uninspired songwriting and generally devoid of memorable melodies. In a comically affected "American" accent, singer Connor Deasy croaks about the banalities of life in paradisiacal Southern California. He's laughing and dancing "'til the tide creeps in", offering to pay people off if only they'll promise not to "steal our sun", fretting that his "baby" is contemplating a "move down to L.A." because he's such a slacker. His band plods along behind him so listlessly that the listener feels almost obligated to fast forward through many of the tracks.

Every once in awhile the grim proceedings are enlivened unexpectedly by a song suggesting the Thrills have some potential. At least half the people who try listening to this album, will probably not even make it all the way through the lugubrious opener "Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far)". However, those that persevere will be rewarded with the quality beach pop of the next song, "Big Sur" - ignore the nonsensical Monkees-referencing lyrics and you'll find yourself enjoying a song that could have been a radio hit in the 1970s. Unfortunately, there are only a handful of other songs worth repeated listening scattered throughout the remainder of the album - "One Horse Town", "Your Love Is Like Las Vegas", and "'Til the Tide Creeps In". The common theme of the good songs on So Much For the City is that all but "'Til the Tide Creeps In" are up-tempo, a style that clearly suits the Thrills more than the dreary dirges they seem to favor.

Despite my generally negative review, the Thrills show some promise for the future - the several quality songs really are very good, which is certainly preferable to an album packed with consistently mediocre songs. Still, unless they come up with an album full of Hotel California-quality songs at some point, it is probably always going to be difficult to get past the pretentiousness of four Irishmen pretending to be SoCal beach bums.

Better than most but incomplete.......2006-05-01

Like so many albums these days, this one is front-loaded, with the better and more completely-produced songs at the beginning and the degree of finish tapering off as you go. Why they didn't spend the time to make the whole thing equally "good," I'll never know. Anyhow, the melodies are catchy, and the gimmicky production is fetching. Better than 95 percent of the music I've been connected to through Amazon. The recording on some of the songs is quite crystalline, with very clear sonic placement and character. An unusual choice of voicings and locations in the harmonies adds a mysterious appeal.

End It!.......2005-12-10

We're living in lucky times. This kind of sunny day pop had no outlet just a few years ago. Thank god the music business seems to be growing up a bit.

The Shins, School for the Dead, Fountains of Wayne, The Decemberists, even Iron and Wine fans will eat up this delicious pop-cake.

Break out the tamborine and acoustic guitar and roll down your car window. This is the music of the new generation.

Love it.......2005-11-07

Top to bottem a perfect album. Every song is good. I love the retro vibe. The beachboys esq harmonies are cool . Perfect pop joy.

Average customer rating:

Not for the ignorant.
Absolutely awesome!
THE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR
A Real Surprise!

Cheap Thrills (Multichannel/Stereo)
Janis Joplin
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Byrds - Greatest Hits
Eat a Peach
Dark Side of the Moon 30th Anniversary Edition
Slowhand
Avalon

ASIN: B00006B1NN
Release Date: 2002-07-30

Customer Reviews:

Not for the ignorant........2006-12-07

My vinyl version of this album is long worn beyond the playable. I thought this would be a great replacement. But this format will not function on the typical cd players of today. I think it belongs with the Sony betamax movie recordings.

Absolutely awesome!.......2004-04-23

I have never heard this album sound so good. The live parts of it are really live for the first time. What a great mix. SACD really rocks! Plus some of the songs are longer than they used to be ie. Piece Of My Heart.

THE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.......2002-12-20

This disc and I go back over thirty years. I can remember my sense of wonder upon it's first listening. Janis' awesome vocal attack. It was simply reviting. The sound of the LP was decent. The sound of the CD has always been dreadful. Dreadful to the point where I had avoided listening to it for years.

Well, I am very happy to report that that is not longer the case. This SACD version of these tunes is awesome. Gone is the shrillness of the CD vocals which could force you out of the room. In it's place is a incredible depth of stage which brings the live element of the music totally to life in a way that I would have earlier thought impossible. The vocals are crisp yet smooth. The guitar has a great sense of scale and place and the sense of live performance is utterly shocking.

If you want to enjoy Janis like never before this disc is a must!
Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

A Real Surprise!.......2002-09-11

I have loved this album for over 40 years and while I have always thought the sound quality somewhat limited, I was looking forward to hearing this SACD version. Janis Joplin's raw power and passion always seemed to come out best in these tunes backed by Big Brother & The Holding Co. From the first listening, there was a depth and nuances never before heard in this recording. Each instrument shows more delineation, the soundstage shows greater depth and air, and there is more punch and firmer bass than I've ever experienced. Still not a true audiophile recording, but a grand improvement in a rock classic.

Tracks:

11 Months & 29 Days
Hard Livin'
Don't Rock The Jukebox
Whiskey On Ice
Cheap Thrills
Georgia On A Fast Train
Honky Tonk Heroes
Trudy
Please Come To Boston
New Way To Light Up An Old Flame
I Know A Little

Customer Reviews:

GOOD UPBEAT COUNTRY/SOUTHERN ROCK ALBUM.......2007-05-01

Confederate Railroad always seem to put out a good upbeat album and on this one they pay tribute to some of their heroes like Johnny Paycheck, Keith Whitley, Alan Jackson, Hank Williams Jr., David Allen Coe, Billy Joe Shaver, Waylon Jennings, Charlie Daniels, Dave Loggins, Joe Diffie, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Although the originals are more Country sounding Confederate Railroad sure add a nice Southern Rock flavor to these classics. I gave this 4 stars because I felt that they have sounded better (vocally) in the past. Instrumentally though they have never sounded better. Pick up a copy if you enjoy a good rockin' country album.

Average customer rating:

Kazowie
This is the real stuff. Not some gimmick album.
RETRO SURF BLAST !!!!
Good Driving and Great Party Tracks
Spooky au go-go !!

Thrills & Chills

Manufacturer: Sound Imp
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Ghouls Go West
Sinister Surf
Forbidden Sounds
Surf Sensation
War of The Surf Guitars

ASIN: B00006JL15
Release Date: 2002-08-24

Tracks:

1313 Mockingbird Lane
Shot in the Dark
Hypnotique/ Our Man Flint
Beat Girl
The Bat
Shockwave
Twang
Bonzai Pipeline
Lament for a Trapped Spy
Run Spy Run
Experiment in Terror "Theme from Creature Features"

Album Description

Surfing, monsters and spies...if they ever decide to re-make any of the old Frankie and Annette beach movies, throw in The Creature From the Black Lagoon and spy girl Stephanie Powers to fight him off you'd have the groundwork for a Moon-Rays soundtrack. Spy-Fi music, not a true genre, but close enough.

Customer Reviews:

Kazowie.......2006-08-22

What a fresh sound. If you are into the tiki culture and hot surfer riffs, check this out. I am going to buy the other two cd's that are available. Good job guys! I was surprised when I saw the place where it was produced. I am from DesPlaines via florida!
I guess genius truly is born there huh?

This is the real stuff. Not some gimmick album........2005-11-15

I thought this one might be some cheap Halloween album or something thrown out during the surf & lounge revivals of the mid-nineties, but it was an incredible surprise. These guy really know their stuff. The songs are put together with zest, passion, and cleverly cool orchestrations. Nice to hear this kind of music played by people who honestly love it.

RETRO SURF BLAST !!!!.......2003-09-04

I really, really, really, enjoyed this CD the first time I put it on. I like it even more with repeated listening. The thing thats different about "Thrills and Chills" is the variety of themes woven into this recording. It goes from spooky 60's flavored Halloween tunes to 50's exotica, to ear blasting surf and then to spy jazz. But it works!!! Totally different styles but they all blend perfectly into the same genre. I've bought a lot of CD's that have TRIED to do the same thing BUT THESE GUYS PULL IT OFF WITH STYLE. My only complaint is with the 11 tracks it should have been longer. I WANT MORE!

Good Driving and Great Party Tracks.......2003-01-02

I can't wait for the next release! The only way the Moon-Rays could have improved it was put a few more songs on it. I played it at a Christmas party a couple of weeks ago and everyone wanted to here it again and again.

The musicians are top rate, the studio mix is just right, and the arrangements work really well. I really like 1313 Mockingbird Lane, Beat Girl, Shockwave, and Run Spy Run...

Spooky au go-go !!.......2002-10-24

I love this CD ! I played it at a pre-Halloween party last week and everyone else loved it too. It's got just enough spooky on it to keep it in the changer all of October but also a great selection of surf, spy, and exotica. I'm a huge Denny fan and I loved the Hypnotique/ Flint medley. I can't belive no one ever ran those two together before. 1313 Mockingbird Lane has got to become a Halloween standard. Great anytime of the year!

Average customer rating:

Raw Beauty

Cheaper Thrills
Big Brother and the Holding Company
Manufacturer: Acadia Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music

Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Live at Winterland '68
Big Brother And The Holding Company
Live in San Francisco 1966
Cheap Thrills
Sweeping Up the Spotlight: Jefferson Airplane Live at the Fillmore East 1969

ASIN: B00004WMZR
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Come On Baby, Let The Good Times Roll
I Know You Rider
Moanin' At Midnight
Hey Baby
Down On Me
Whisperman
Women Is Losers
Blow My Mind
Ball & Chain
Coo-Coo
Gutra's Garden
Harry
Hall Of The Mountain King

Product Description

1. Come On Baby, Let The Good Times Roll
2. I Know You Rider
3. Moanin' At Midnight
4. Hey Baby
5. Down On Me
6. Whisperman
7. Women Is Losers
8. Blow My Mind
9. Ball & Chain
10. Coo-Coo
11. Gutra's Garden
12. Harry
13. Hall Of The Mountain King

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

Raw Beauty.......2003-05-04

I have been a fan of Janis Joplin since I was a child, something about her has always been absolutely magnetic and disturbingly un-airbrushed, so raw and brilliantly sorrowful. And while I adore anything and everything she sings, because she puts all of herself into it all, and does in fact end up paying the ultimate price, her stuff with Big Brother and the Holding Company is I believe the best. This collection is wonderful, untouched, just taken right from tapes provided from the place they played at before they got big. I am a Janis completist and have never heard a few of these songs before, and they are awesome. Guitar is amazing. Janis is lovely. This is a must for all ... Big Brother fans. Love and Entertaining Dreams.

Average customer rating:

not as good as Talker
US Maple in a word- amazing
Clearly their best album.
Tragic Magic
Neat-o

Acre Thrills
U.S. Maple
Manufacturer: Drag City
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Purple on Time
Long Hair in Three Stages

ASIN: B00005AWNA
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Tracks:

Ma, Digital
Babe
Rice Ain't Afraid Of Nothing
Untitled
Obey Your Concert
Total Fruit Warning
Open A Rose
Make Your Bedroom Great
Chang, You're Attractive
Troop And Trouble
Bonus Track 1

Customer Reviews:

not as good as Talker.......2006-09-25

'Acre Thrills' has some really memorable tracks - "Open a Rose," "Make your Bedroom Great," "Rice Ain't Afraid of Nothing" - but there isn't much variety. 'Talker,' on the other hand, is thoroughly engaging the whole way through. Also, while every other Maple album stands out in my mind as having it's own distinct feeling and sound, 'Acre Thrills' kind of lacks an identity - 'Sang Phat 2?

US Maple in a word- amazing.......2003-11-02

This is the 4th US Maple record, and if you are a first time listener, this might be a good place to start. Perched somewhere between the mellowness of Talker and the sporadicness of Sang Phat Editor, this album shows why US Maple are one of the most unique and essential bands in rock music today. "Ma Digital" has a twisted groove that snakes around the drums, sometimes veering to far, but never off the track. "Rice Aint Afraid Of nothing" manages to balance tenderness and tension in a way only seen by this group. Songs such as "Chang, You're Attractive," and "Babe" also play like a drunken ballad, but with understanding of tone and time that songs seem blow in the wind like a ship's sail, sometimes rough sometimes smooth, but always beautiful. "Open A Rose" is pure genius as it balances a sort of dance-y rhythm with a sped up guitar part, and manages to take a rickety rhythm that turns into a jam and then explodes at the end into a beautiful mess. "You Don't Have To Wait" is twisted blues soul that makes you wanna bob with the broken beat. US Maple is at the top of the list for strange guitar rock, but also a wonderful take on the sound and presentation of a song, all the parts played, but not as you think they should be, some faster, some some slower, some stuttered, but always in time. There is only one US Maple, and you will realize this after hearing this wonderfully twisted assortment of songs.

Clearly their best album........2002-12-18

Unlike U.S. Maple's earlier albums, there's quite a bit of variety. I couldn't get through _Talker_ or _Long Hair In Three Stages_ without getting a feeling of "same old same old" 2/3 of the way through. This one, though, by varying melody vs. non-melody, regular beat vs. no beat, chaos vs. obvious pattern, manages to sustain my interest all the way through.

Tragic Magic.......2001-07-17

I have to give those lower stars not for the band, but for the lack of lyrical contribution. The music can meet The Magic Band of Beefheart and seem to be takin further the concept but mister singer still likes YEAH too much and the sometimes "easy" lyrics. NOT that this is bad, but if Maple's singer would take as much time for the lyrics (since that's all he does) as do the gtr-ists etc. in the band (see other reviews) then they could be something special.

Neat-o.......2001-06-26

I like offbeat music, but not usually non-music. US Maple is NOT nonmusic, and this CD is fun to listen to. I love "Open a Rose" - it has a beat! Mmm, good CD. Keeps on giving.

Average customer rating:

Teenager
The Thrills
Manufacturer: EMI Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000PC1KGG
Release Date: 2007-07-30

Tracks:

The Midnight Choir
This Year
Nothing Changes Around Here
Restaurant
I Came All This Way
Long Forgotten Song
I'm So Sorry
No More Empty Words
Teenager
Should've Known Better
Theres Joy To Be Found The Boy Who Caught All The Breaks

Album Details

2007 Summer Release (And Only Appropriate) of the Third Album from the Irish Rock Band. The Album was Recorded in Vancouver in a Studio Owned by Bryan Adams and Recommended by REM for It's Sound Quality...and The Fact that the Building is Haunted (As Evidenced by the Testimony of the Staff)! Sessions were Completed in 2006 and the First Half of 2007 Saw the Group Completing the Mixdown and Mastering.

Pop Music:

Pop Music